The Apprentice of Musicby whimsytwistChaptersChapter One: Welcome to Manehatten!Chapter Two: All I wanted was a Guitar..Chapter Three: College Mean Girls?Chapter Four: Who Knew Ebony's Dad was a Criminal?Chapter Four: Jewel CrisisChapter One: Welcome to Manehatten!"What in the name of Celestia's right eye are you doing?" a shriek erupted from a certain house in Ponyville. "Mom," Ebony rolled her eyes. "I'm moving to Manehatten for my first year of college, okay?" "No, it is not okay! When the hell were you going to tell me this?" demanded Katty, Ebony's one and only strict stepmare. "Well, I thought you'd fully support me on my pursuing of my cutie mark," "No way am I supporting this.. this.. Ah!" Katty screamed in frustration. "What are you expecting your cutie mark to be anyways? An annoying, silly little filly?" Ebony lowered her eyes, pawing at the floor. "Mom, I'm going, and that's final!" she stubbornly insisted. "Fine! But don't expect me to chip in a single bit for your rent, tuition, food, or anything, for that matter!" "Alright, alright. You can go now, I'm leaving in a week," sighed Ebony, her shining emerald green eyes displaying her irritation. Why the hell couldn't her stupid stepmare just shut up? "Fine! Honestly, I can't imagine why your father even keeps you around anymore!" scowled Katty before storming out of Ebony's room. Finally, Peace and quiet at last. Ebony sorted through her belongings, packing all of her sheet music and her headphones. After packing her basic survival necessities, which included her song lyrics, goPod, and Book of Inspirations, she decided to pack her optional stuff. She packed all of her savings, which consisted only of forty-two bits, and some toiletries. Lazily walking over to her mirror, she realized that there was no way in Equestria that she was going to Manehatten looking like a pony zombie. Her silvery mane was heavily knotted, the lavender streaks looked greasy as ever. Of course, this was because her stepmare had used up all of the bathing water in the house. Why the woman needed eight hours of running bathwater daily was an unsolved mystery. Taking a comb in her mouth, Ebony painfully brushed away her knots and washed her hair in her small bathroom sink. Deciding she looked at least presentable, she took a deep breath and dove into her closet for her clothes. Ebony had once heard a rumor that you always most definitely needed to wear clothes 24/7 in Manehatten. It was because the streets were busy and grimy, which made ponies' coats get dirty and unhygienic. Ever since the big breakout of the Cutie Pox in Manehatten in 1742, everypony was sure to wear full clothing. Ebony rifled through her closet, her very few items of clothing were sagged and outgrown. No way she'd wear the junk living in her minuscule closet. Those things practically had mold growing on them! Ebony decided that she'd have to steal some of her stepmare's clothing, but it was for a good cause. Besides, that pony's closet with close to bursting with her revealing clothes. She wouldn't notice a few pieces gone, would she? Silently trotting downstairs, Ebony made her way to the master bedroom and and quietly entered. To her relief, Katty was already taking her daily eight hour bath. The constantly running water would drown out any noise escaping the main room as Ebony committed theft. Ebony opened the closet, wincing when it made a loud, creaking noise. Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she headed deep into the walk-in closet until she met a corner with dusty articles of clothing. Blindly, Ebony grabbed what felt like four tops, two pants, three skirts, and two dresses. She hauled the load up the stairs and attempted to cram it in to her school bag. School was starting in two weeks, so she needed to be very prepared for her journey. When Ebony got a better view of the clothes she grabbed, she let out a gasp of amazement. She had thought that her family was unfortunately poor, so where would they be able to afford such amazing designer clothing? She read the tag on a dark blue, velvety skirt that twinkled with something that looked suspiciously like diamonds. It read 'Luna's Inspiration', a well known brand who's clothing was always limited edition. Looking over at another, rose red strapless ruffled top, the tag read 'Celestia's Blush', leaving her dumbstruck. She definitely knew that brand. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were always complaining how Diamond Tiara wore that brand all the time. Grinning, Ebony slipped on the top and skirt, amazed at how well the mismatching colors complimented her. Ebony admired herself in the mirror, striking different poses and fluffing up her hair. Looking closer, Ebony realized something in her outfit was missing. She kept staring at herself, until it clicked in her brain. Shoes. She needed shoes. Hesitant at the thought of another trip downstairs, Ebony gazed longingly in her mirror. Finally deciding that the shoes were worth the risk, she stripped off the clothes and tip-toed over to her parent's room. Quietly opening the door, she darted towards the closet and scanned the shelves for footwear. Ebony headed deeper into the closet, until she finally stopped to a halt, many shelves of a variety of shoes displayed before her. Ebony looked up and down, giving each shoe a discriminating look. They all matched the clothes she had tried on back in the room, but it slowly dawned on her that what her stepmare wore definitely wasn't her style. 'This will be another mission for me,' Ebony decided. 'To find out my kind of fashion,' The thought of having her own style to reflect her own personality excited Ebony, and she was on the verge of a completely genius happy seizure when she heard a noise escaping the room. Heavy footsteps thudded against the carpeted floor, and she realized that it was her father returning from work. The closet door creaked, and Ebony scrambled behind some silky dresses to avoid being seen. Her jet black coat blended in well with a heavy, dark fur coat that was tickling her nose. Ebony heavily attempted not to sniffle or scratch her nose, or just flat out sneeze, but the wait was agony for her. She realized with horror that her dad was venturing out farther into the closet, humming a tune to himself as he examined the side where the men's clothing was. Ebony knew her father would be enraged to find her snooping in their closet, because he had convinced her they were drop dead poor. To find a walk-in closet with such luxurious clothes would mean he'd have to explain his lies. Her dad, Charles, stopped right in front of the spot she was hiding, she knew from the red hooves clopping suspiciously. Terror struck her as she saw her dad sweep the coat back to find her, shrunken into the wall, with her eyes squinted shut. "Ebony Waters, what the hell are you doing?" his deep voice bellowed, causing her to wince. "Daddy, I..." Ebony whimpered, he was standing up regally, his anger radiating off him in waves. "I want you as far away from my house as possible!" he yelled. "You will leave now, no explanation will be offered to you about this! If you peep a single word about where I got this money, or this day... I will hunt you down and kill you," his voice lowered to a cold, deathly whisper. The only thing that Ebony's panicked mind could register was 'Well, that escalated quickly,' which was of no help at all during the terrifying moment. "Yes, daddy," she squeaked. "I promise I'll be a good girl and keep shut," "Good," he growled menacingly. "Now get the hell outta my house. I never want to see you again," Ebony quickly scampered out of the closet, galloped out of the room, and retreated to her own. Panting, she threw all remaining important possessions into her bags and rushed out of the house, never looking back. Down the cobblestone road she went, huffing in exhaustion, but refused to stop until she reached the Ponyville train station. What was up with her dad? And where did he get all of that money? Nobody has diamond studded gowns when they were dirt poor! "Hello, ma'am. Would ya like to purchase a train ticket?" a short, young colt was standing at the ticket booth. "Um, yes," she said, desperately trying not to appear frantic. "One train ticket to Manehatten, your soonest time possible," "Alright!" the colt handed her an orange ticket. "It boards in half an hour, have a lovely trip!" "Thank you, have a nice day," Ebony called over her shoulder as she hurried over to a bench. There, she put on her headphones while she waited for the multi-colored train to appear. "All aboard!" a brown pony with a thick, bristled mustache called out, waving his hat all around. Ebony put her neon blue headphones around her neck and struggled to carry her heavy luggage over to the train. "Alright, missy! Lemme see your ticket!" the pony turned to her. Ebony quickly flashed him her ticket and boarded, storing her luggage in a compartment above her. She watched as other ponies boarded the train, and she was surprised to see so many. What was going on in Manehatten to collect so many ponies here? Time for her to find out. "Excuse me?" she interrupted a pony who was talking to her friend rapidly. "Why is there such a crowd here? It seems strange," The bubbly, orange pony gave her a weird look. "Don't you know? DJ P0N-3 is having a concert in Manehatten! OMG, I'm, like, so excited!" Her blue friend nodded along vigorously, obvious that her excitement wasn't going to die down anytime soon. "Oh, okay then. Thank you," Ebony thanked as pleasantly as she could, before putting on her headphones and began nodding her head to the beat of the music. She cranked up the volume, since the loud chatter of the ponies made her squirm. Ebony was never much of a social pony. "Alright, missy! Ya almost fell asleep, ya know," the stout pony snapped her out of her dizzying trance. "I didn't miss my stop, did I?" she asked worriedly. "Aw, nah, ya didn't. Shucks, I couldn't let ya miss your stop!" he assured. "Thank you so much!" Ebony let out a sigh of relief as she collected all of her baggage. Without letting the ticketer pony speak another word, she dashed off the train, and onto the busy Manehatten platform. Excited chatter filled her ears, making them buzz. Ebony's eyes widened at the sight of so many ponies. She then remembered- she wasn't wearing anything. All of the other ponies were fully clothed, making her feel naked. Technically, she was. She let out a squeal before running off to the mare's bathrooms, her bulky suitcases making things awkward. Once she managed to squeeze herself inside a dirty stall, she threw on the first shirt and skirt she let her hooves touch. Thank goodness, she hadn't forgotten to pack the stolen clothes. Looking down at what she dressed herself with, she found herself in a tight pink tank top with sapphire sequins and a skirt so short, it almost didn't even have a right to be classified as an article of clothing. The black-and-yellow skirt made her feel uncomfortable, she felt like one of those.. what do you call them? Ah, yes. Sluts. She felt like one of those slutty type of ponies. However, now was not the time to complain, since she still had to check out her room at Pale Hearts College, the one where she will attend in two weeks. Lucky for her, she had filled out the paperwork and sent it in early, so she managed to snag a really great spot. All she had to do was pay for everything, which would make out as very difficult, considering her small amount of money. A light bulb went over her mind, lighting up with a new idea. She could sell her stepmare's clothes! With the money, she could at least afford a slightly fashionable saddlebag, some kind of pants, and a baggy sweater. Once Ebony stepped out of the bathroom, the level of noise once again, made her head spin. She trudged out of the place and took a map at the exit. Squinting to see the tiny, precise details, she walked and walked until she finally found herself in front of the one and only, Pale Hearts College. 'This is it,' Ebony thought to herself as she stepped inside, a nervous trauma instantly swelling up inside of her. Chapter Two: All I wanted was a Guitar.."Hello, may I have your name please?" a voice wafted from behind a large computer. Ebony peered over to see a young grey mare with red spectacles typing away at her over sized computer. "Um, Ebony Waters," Ebony replied, slightly squirming. The atmosphere in this place wasn't exactly comforting, but this was only the front lobby, right? "Ebony Waters... Okay, I see! Here's your room key..." the mare handed over a small brass key. "And here's your map, schedule, and all you need to know. Good luck!" Ebony was about to thank the pony, but saw that she was already intently focused at typing up something on the computer. Shrugging, Ebony walked over to an elevator, pressing the 3rd floor button. She was grateful to be alone in the elevator, because the awkward company of another pony would be too much for her to bear. As the elevator slowly went up, Ebony took time to ponder the earlier events of today. Why had her father reacted so badly? She was only hiding out in their closet... Maybe they were hiding something? Ebony shook her head. No, she would try to forget the situation as fast as possible. The event had given her an opportunity to go to the college she wanted early without any further questions asked, and she'd never have to see her stone cold family again. Wasn't it all she'd ever wanted? The elevator let out a ding!, and Ebony boarded off, grunting as she carried her heavy luggage with her. Once she stopped in front of room 3-12, she inserted the key, and the door gave a satisfying click! as she went in. Ebony sniffed the room, slightly wrinkling her nose at the musky scent of.. well, nothing. The air was stale and boring, something she was determined to fix. Ebony saw two beds in a separate room, confusing her. It suddenly dawned on her that she'd have a roommate, which made her annoyed. Here, she was expecting to finally have some peace and quiet with her music. Instead of this place being the perfect environment she'd been craving, she was going to have a nosy, annoying roommate. Great. On the bright side, she had time to decorate exactly how she wanted, even though her personal belongings had been kept to a minimum. She was happy she had come here early now. Dragging rose pink sheets out of her bags, she proceeded to make her bed, flapping her wings as she hovered over the mattress. Once she had that covered, lazily and picked up the student rule book and enveloped herself in reading the thick, tiny print. She flipped over to the Pegasus chapter, where she was quickly disappointed. Rule #1: Pegasi may not fly in the hallways or corridors. Giving up on reading the material, she instead took out her Book of Inspiration and engrossed herself in it. The Book of Inspiration was a gift from her old mother, who had realized the musical talent Ebony had at her young age. The book was filled with photographs and stories that could mesmerize any pony, and power them with hopes and dreams for the future. Ebony settled on reading the story about how Luna was sent to the moon, shifting uncomfortably in her ill fitting clothes. Ebony was so intently focused on her reading that she hadn't heard the door give away another click! as another pony entered the room. "Ahem," a deep voice snapped her out of the little world she'd thrown herself into. Looking up, Ebony was shocked to see a male standing in front of her, instead of a female. Hadn't she checked off the 'female roommate' box? Oh yea.. In her rush to turn the application in as early as possible, she'd checked off 'any gender' instead. "Um, hi," Ebony awkwardly averted her gaze from the stallion to avoid any eye contact. However, her eyes felt drawn to him. She shyly looked up into his crystal purple eyes. "I take it you're my roommate," he sighed. "I don't know why I didn't check off male roommate," Ebony eyed his navy blue coat color, before catching herself. "Oh, yes, um..." "I see you're not a very sociable pony..." he cocked his head slightly to one side. "What do you do in your free time if not interact with other ponies?" "Hey, what makes you think I'm not sociable?" huffed Ebony indignantly. The stallion raised an eyebrow. "You honestly make it seem quite obvious, you know," Ebony blushed a deep crimson, which shone brightly against her pitch black coat. Nervously twirling a silver strand of hair, she cleared her throat. "Well, yeah. I'm Ebony," she reached her hoof out to shake. "And you are?" "I'm Quill Parable, but usually I go by Quill," he introduced himself, and shook her hoof. Ebony couldn't help but notice that his mane matched his eyes perfectly. Oh, well. You go through this when you meet a new pony, right? You just want to observe them! "Wow, I like you're cutie mark," Ebony blurted out when her betraying eyes roamed his body. Just out of curiosity, she wanted to know what his cutie mark was. That's all it was, right? Curiosity... "Why, thank you," Quill smiled. "I couldn't help wondering, but, what is your cutie mark?" Ebony blushed again, her ears flattening against her head. "Well, you see, um..." she mumbled, unable to contain her embarrassment. For the love of Celestia, she was eighteen, where the hell was her cutie mark? Quill caught on fast, noticing her discomfort. "Ah, I see. You're flank still remains bare," he took out his blue sheets and started making his bed. Ebony was filled with annoyance and sadness. Quill had a really cool splatter-ink cutie mark, while her dumb flank remained blank. Why couldn't the stupid skirt cover her flank? This was the price she had to pay for wearing a skirt the size of underwear... "Um, if you'll excuse me," she hesitated. "I must go now.. Bye!" she grabbed her small amount of bits and dashed out the door, ears reddening. For some reason, she just had to totally impress her roommate. So, off to the music shop with her! Ebony winced as her bare hooves touched the ice cold tiles of the front lobby. Even the ponies in Ponyville wore horseshoes to give the slightly higher elevation. But, since her family had been 'dirt poor', clothing and shoes were out of the question. Ebony hurried out the door, determined now to find her cutie mark. Hopefully, it would be an awesome one, and not anything... boring. Like an old mare in Ponyville had her cutie mark as a plastic shovel, which meant she had a talent for making little plastic shovels out of plastic. Like, seriously? However, she could never forget how the mare had always worn her cutie mark with pride and dignity... Oh how amazing it must be to have your very own cutie mark! To wear it just like a prize trophy every day. Wandering around the streets of Manehatten was definitely harder that Ebony had made it out to be. Luckily, she still bore the city map she took from the train station. Reading it was difficult too, though she was surprised at how well she got around. After many more minutes of map-reading and fast-paced walking, Ebony found herself in front of a tiny shop with a music note on top. The small letters read "Orias' Musical Emporium", which was highly unbelievable, considering the cramped space. Whoever this "Orias" was, he wasn't very bright. Ebony entered the shop, and the tiny bell gave out a tinkling jingle. She surveyed the shop, smiling at the familiar instruments hung up on display. Though there was almost no room to move around, she managed to get herself to a corner where a guitar was hanging from. Muffled voices filled the room, like somepony's mouth was covered by something. Looking around, Ebony saw nothing except the instruments. Huh. Ebony coordinated her wings so she could hover and grab her desired guitar, while not dislodging any instrument from it tight spot on a shelf. Once she got her guitar down, she squeezed herself passed the multiple racks of instruments and made her way over to what seemed like the register. A silky black mane poked out from behind it, but that was all she saw. "Um, excuse me? I'd like to purchase this guitar," Ebony spoke out, though she wasn't sure the pony heard her. "Um, excuse me? I said I'd like to-" "Yeah, I heard you," a mare's voice poked out from behind the register. "Just give me a second, alright?" Ebony stood, frozen. To be honest, the voice nearly scared the living daylights out of her. It just came from.. nowhere.. "Okay, you may now purchase the guitar. That'll be sixty bits, please," Ebony squirmed. Even her life savings wasn't enough to cover the price. "Oh, well, I guess I don't have enough money..." she sighed, a pang of sadness hitting her heart. "I'll leave, then.." "Hold up!" a louder, much more exciting voice rang through the air. "No pony is going to leave this shop upset! Octavia, what did I tell you? Always make the customer happy-" "And fulfill their every musical need," the brown mare repeated, obviously bored. It seemed like she got a hyper lesson every day. "Yup!" Shades of an electric blue mane appeared, as well as a white coat. Ebony's eyes widened when she realized that it was DJ P0N-3, and the other mare must be been Octavia! "Now, what was it you wanted to buy?" grinned the DJ, looking at her with energy filled red eyes. "I, um, uh... Er, I, um, kinda, ah.." Ebony stuttered, nervously grinning. "Aw, it's a fan!" cooed the white mare lovingly. "I'm Vinyl Scratch, or better known as DJ P0N-3!" "Oh, um, well, you see, um, heh, er.." Ebony was still struggling to form a proper sentence, before being interrupted by Octavia. "She said she'd like to purchase the guitar, but doesn't have enough money," Octavia said. An unamused expression clung to her face. "Oh, why didn't you say so?" Vinyl's cheery voice said. "Well, you see, um,, er, well, I.." "God damn it woman!" cried Octavia irritably. "Just talk already!" Ebony was surprised that Octavia's harsh words actually gave her the power to speak. "I don't have enough money," she continued, more clearly. "But I seriously need this guitar," Vinyl looked at her intently, trying to figure the mare out. "You love music, don't you?" she questioned. "Um, yes, I do," replied Ebony, feeling more sure of herself after the mention of her most favorite thing in the world. "Where's your cutie mark?" Vinyl asked. "Um... Well, I didn't find my special talent yet..." muttered Ebony, embarrassed. "Well, I can tell that you're genuine..." Vinyl thought out loud, pondering something for a few seconds. Then, out of the blue, she squealed with a new idea. "Octavia! I've got an idea!" she jumped around, doing whatever it was she was doing. "What is it?" Octavia's bored tone came out monotonous. "This little mare here shall become our apprentice! We shall guide her through the amazing world of music! We shall broaden her love for the food of our hearts, she will find her destiny, we will become..." Vinyl lowered her voice to a deathly whisper. "Her mentors!" Octavia just stared at Vinyl blankly. She just stared, and stared and stared, unblinkingly. Their little staring contest dragged on, until Vinyl finally burst. "Octavia, I was having a frickin' moment there! You can't just ruin it by doing nothing! That's terrible!" wailed Vinyl. "But.. I did ruin it by doing nothing.." "I can't believe that after all that we've been through, you won't act at a dramatic time like this! I was being truthful! That was an amazing idea!" Vinyl's tears sprung out, yet Octavia remained stoic. "Vinyl, really?" she sighed. Vinyl immediately got up and grinned. "Don't mind Octavia, Ebony," she waved the mare away. "She agrees, even though she wants to be a big meanie!" Ebony raised her eyebrows at the scene that just played before her eyes. The way both Vinyl and Octavia looked and acted.. they couldn't be much older than her, could they? As if reading her mind, Vinyl asked, "Oh hey, how old are you?" "Um, I'm eighteen, I've just recently enrolled in Pale Hearts college," Ebony replied. "Oh... coolio! Me and Octavia attend there too, even though we go on tons of trips for our concerts. We're going to have a concert tonight, you know! Well, I am. Octavia will be there to cheer me on! Right, Octavia?" "Obviously," Octavia let out the tiniest hint of a smile, showing Ebony that she really did care for Vinyl. "What year are you guys in?" Ebony asked, poking her hoof at the ground. "We are officially third years, starting when college starts!" Vinyl proudly boasted and puffed out her chest. "Impressive, right?" Octavia rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah, I guess," Ebony smiled. "Well then it's settled! Me and Octavia shall teach you the way of music and will help you earn your cutie mark!" Vinyl clapped her hooves excitedly. "Gee, thanks. It means a lot to me, really," Ebony grinned. Her heart was pumping with excitement. Equestria's famous, talented musicians were going to be her mentors? That was truly amazing! There was no way she wouldn't get her cutie mark now. Chapter Three: College Mean Girls?Ebony yawned, stretching as she sat up in bed, groggy and bleary eyed. As she turned her head, she was surprised to see Quill's bed already made. Curiously, she got up to look for him. Passing the mirror, she stopped in her tracks. No way was she letting Quill see her with her mane tangled and crumpled up. Quickly, she dashed over to her unpacked bags as quietly as she could and took out her blue hairbrush, untangling the whirlwind mess on her head. Grunting in pain, she struggled to undo a thick knot in her hair. However, her efforts were fruitless, and seemed to make things worse. With horror, Ebony realized her hairbrush was stuck in a clump of her hair. Tugging and tugging, Ebony couldn't seem to undo her mess. She finally resorted to nimbly undoing the web of multiple knots her hairbrush was strangled in. However, her clumsy hooves weren't able to free it, and instead, her hooves got stuck in as well. With a moan, Ebony realized that she should have listened to her stepmare when she scornfully advised her to cut her wild, glossy mane short. Why did Ebony have to be so stubborn? Growling out of frustration, Ebony gripped her hairbrush with her teeth and harshly tried yanking it out. The force caused Ebony to thud onto her back, but that didn't stop her. With her front hooves stuck in her messy mane, she continued to wrestle around for her brush. Quill, curious by the sudden noise, walked from the small kitchen into the room, where he watched, amused, by the door frame. When it was obvious that, in her struggles, Ebony wouldn't notice him, he lightly cleared his throat. All it took was that small, discreet noise, and Ebony froze in her awkward position. Her pupils slowly slid to over where Quill was standing, still frozen. All that moved were her eyes. "Ebony, do you need help?" Quill asked. "What makes you think I need help?" grunted Ebony, trying to get off her back. Quill raised an eyebrow. When Ebony gave him no response, he just sighed and walked over. Ebony, still struggling to get off her spine, didn't notice Quill walking over until she felt his presence closer to her. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he sighed, gently untangling her mane. Ebony's eyes widened in surprise when she saw how quickly he worked, freeing her hooves and brush from the wild mane. Once Quill was done, he got up and smirked. "Amazing how I can do your hair better than you," he remarked. Ebony rolled her eyes, slightly turning pink. "Whatever," she dismissed him. "Oh, I got breakfast ready," Quill remembered. Ebony turned to look at him. "Wow, that's great!" she grinned. Quill led Ebony into the minuscule kitchen that Ebony had never bothered to take a look at. The smell of roasted turnips and carrots wafted through the air. Ebony's mouth watered, her nose filled with the delicious scent of the food. Quill took two plates out of the cabinet, reminding Ebony that she had yet to unpack everything. Yesterday's events kept her too occupied. Especially Vinyl's late night concert. "So, where are you from?" she asked Quill, attempting to start a conversation. "Seaddle," he replied, heaping our breakfast onto a baby blue plate. "Born and raised there, and I planned to enroll in Golden Horseshoe college," Ebony nodded her head. Golden Horseshoe college was by far the most prestigious. Of course she'd never be able to join one. "What made you come here to Pale Hearts?" she asked, eyeing the carrots as Quill set them on the table. "Ah, well.." he trailed off. "Got in some bad business there. I figured I could come to Manehatten to let go of some bad memories," "Okay, then," Ebony didn't press farther, seeing the conversation was already making Quill nervous. Instead she finished up her breakfast quietly, since Quill didn't ask her anything about herself. "Well, I'll go now" Ebony quickly announced, grabbing her worn saddlebag before trotting out the door. She felt Quill's gaze burn into her, but she was just imagining it, she was sure. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," a haughty snicker filled the air behind Ebony. She turned around, coming face to face with two mares, one an earth pony and one a unicorn. Both of their faces were tight and mean looking, yet undeniably beautiful. "Um, hi, I'm Ebony," she awkwardly started off. The unicorn gave her a disgusted look. "Can't you tell that we don't wanna talk to you?" she scoffed, before walking away, the other pony following her. Ebony stayed where she was, cocking her head slightly in confusion. Was it something she said? "Uh, wait! I'm sorry if I've done anything to upset you!" she scampered up to them, an apologetic look clinging to her face. "Oh, you're sorry? Then why don't you get your pathetic blank flank outta my face?" spat the unicorn. Ebony blushed, realizing that in her haste, she had forgotten to put on clothes. "Why don't you losers go bother somepony else, huh?" a familiar voice echoed throughout the corridor. Ebony turned, shocked to see Octavia shooting the mares daggers with her eyes. "Who do you think you are?" the pony stood up for her friend, thought it was quite obvious she knew she was talking to the famous Octavia. Octavia raised an eyebrow. "Let me put this simply," she calmly began. "Open up your mouths again to talk trash about Ebony here, and I'll carve out your cutie marks so you can be blank flanks too!" Ebony recoiled slightly at Octavia's words, and so did the mares. "Come on, Firework, let's go," the unicorn muttered, slinking off into the shadows. "You didn't mean that, did you?" Ebony turned to Octavia when they were gone. Worry was clouding her face, making Octavia's lips slightly turn upwards into a genuine smile. "No way, smart one," she giggled. Octavia, giggle? Ebony was truly surprised. "Wow, why'd you.. stick up for me?" Ebony asked. "I thought you hated me!" Octavia smiled and rolled her eyes. "No way. I just have to be the sarcastic, sensible one, since Vinyl is a bit..." she trailed off, searching for the right word. "Eccentric," "A little?" laughed Ebony. Octavia quietly joined in too, but then suddenly stopping. "Um, you do realize that everypony in Manehatten wears clothes, right? I saw you wearing them yesterday," she said. Ebony turned red again. "Yeah, I forgot," she explained. "I was.. distracted," Octavia wiggled her eyebrows, obviously suspecting something. "Go put something on," she sighed. Ebony nodded, heading towards her dorm. Octavia's sense of fashion was shocking, really. It's strange how much she never knew her that well. Up until today, she never thought Octavia would wear a caramel colored halter top and a black, frilly skirt. Unlocking the door, Ebony headed inside to see Quill talking and laughing with a pink mare. Thankfully, he didn't hear her come in, so she didn't have to disturb him. A stab of jealousy made her gasp softly, but she recomposed herself and silently carried herself into their bedroom. Opening her suitcase, she took out the skirt she had originally tried on- from 'Luna's Inspiration' and tugged on a black strapless top. Ebony really didn't feel any different with her clothes on. If anything, she felt even more naked. Shrugging off the feeling, she silently escaped the dorm, wincing as she heard Quill and the mare laugh in unison. Class started in fifteen minutes, which really wasn't a whole lot of time. Looking around the hall, she saw that Octavia was nowhere in sight, so she probably left. Pulling out her map, she carefully studied it, wishing she could levitate it so it didn't take away her ability to walk. Naturally, ponies were terrible at balancing on their hind hooves. Every few feet she'd walk, Ebony would whip out her map and carefully examine it. After a few minutes of struggling with directions, Ebony growled in frustration. The map really wasn't getting her anywhere. She pulled it out again, sitting down as she squinted at the map, as if something magical would happen if she did. Nothing magical happened, but something sure did. "Can I tell you a secret about maps," a deep voice asked behind her. Ebony whipped around to see a red stallion peering over her shoulder. Breathless from her shock, Ebony agreed. "Sure, what?" The stallion calmly approached her, taking the map out of her hands and turning it around. "Don't hold them upside down, you just might understand it better," he chuckled, making Ebony laugh too. Blushing fiercely at her stupidity, she looked up into his emerald eyes. "Thanks," she let out a nervous giggle. "No prob." he nodded his head. "I'm Tornado. You are?" "Oh, I'm Ebony," she introduced herself, shaking hooves with his. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Ebony, but class is starting in a minute, so I'd better get a move on," he grinned, then left. Ebony carefully studied the map again, though it was still as confusing as ever. The bell rang, making her jump in surprise. All the other ponies were in their classes already, so nopony had seen her jump high up in the air at the ring of the bell. She slowly walked down the hall, hoping to see her homeroom number: 372. She trudged by, stopping when she heard a teacher yelling. "No, Vinyl! You can't describe air as airy!" an elderly woman screeched, annoyed. 'This must be Vinyl's homeroom,' Ebony thought to herself, laughing. Who knew Vinyl sucked at writing adjectives? She continued walking, until she finally stopped at room 372. Sighing in relief, she entered, not expecting to see Quill in the front seat. "You are late," an annoyed voice made her head turn in the direction of the teacher's desk. "Oh, sorry," Ebony muttered, her ears turning slightly pink. "May I have your name?" the professor snapped irritably. "Ebony Waters," "Very well, Ebony Waters. One more late from you, and I'm going to have to write you a detention. I'm Snaps, by the way," he briskly nodded his head before shooing her away to a desk. Snaps. Suitable for him.. Ebony sat down right behind Quill, who was tapping his hooves rhythmically on his desk. Ebony was tempted to do the same, but stopped herself. Following Quill's pattern would just be.. awkward. The bell rang again, surprising Ebony. 'What? I just got here!' she thought. Then she remembered she was late, and she slowly rose from her desk. Taking out her schedule, she realized she had Classic Literature next. 'Great.' Ebony followed random ponies around, hoping they had the same class as her. Unfortunately, they kept entering the wrong classes, so Ebony couldn't find her way. She spotted the two mean mares that had scorned her earlier and followed them reluctantly, praying they'd lead her in the right direction. Both mares stopped outside of a classroom, one that read 'Classic Literature'. Nice to know she'd have a class with those two snobs. She entered just as the bell rang, galloping to a seat near the back. Ebony was hoping to go unnoticed, but she was out of luck. Of course, Ebony had to sit right in between the two mean mares. The unicorn on her right, pony on her left. "Alright, class! I'll be taking attendance now!" The teacher announced. She was a stout purple mare with dull brown eyes and a scruffy, green mane. The unicorn turned to glare at Ebony. "You know, Jewel Crisis was supposed to sit here," she hissed. Jewel Crisis? What kind of name was that? "Jewel Crisis," the professor called out. "Here!" a snow white pony with a vibrant pink mane raised her hoof just as she entered the classroom. Her crystal blue eyes twinkled, and her clothes looked ridiculously expensive, yet not revealing. "Miss Crisis, you are tardy," the teacher notified. Jewel nodded and took a seat right next to a light blue mare, glancing towards Ebony's direction with a disappointed look on her face. "Sun Kiss," "Here!" the golden unicorn raised her hoof, before glaring at Ebony again. Ebony was starting to feel guilty- not for the mean mares, but for Jewel Crisis. She definitely looked like a nice pony. "Dewdrop," "Here!" the silvery earth pony called out. Ebony glanced over, now knowing their names. Ebony intently studied both of the mares, but both of their gazes were set on Jewel, who looked like she was trying to memorize the names of everypony in the class. "Ebony Waters," "Here!" Ebony's hoof shot up reflexively. Jewel Crisis looked over at Ebony, interest sparked in her eyes. Now Ebony could only wonder what that interest was.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Author's Note: optional read Sorry for not uploading in while, is my first thing to say. Secondly, this chapter is so far unedited, so please point out mistakes, and make it easier on my editor ^_^ Third- thanks for reading! Your comments really got me going, 'cause I was about to quit this story. You guys are amazing! I must admit, I'm not very happy with this chapter, it feels boring... -___- But oh well! You got some Octavia action. And Quill. Be happy :D I may not upload in a while, we'll see. Anywhooz, thanx! Chapter Four: Who Knew Ebony's Dad was a Criminal?"Alright, I'm ready for my first music session!" announced Ebony tiredly after her first day of lessons. She was sitting on Octavia's perfectly made bed, too scared there was a rodent crawling around in Vinyl's tangled sheets. "This'll be a piece of cake!" enthused Vinyl, scrolling through her songs on her goPod. Octavia rolled her eyes, warily eyeing Ebony. "Mess up that bed and I'll rearrange your face," she warned. Eyes widened, Ebony nodded. Already she shifted her weight so her body barley touched Octavia's bed. Maybe it was better to sit on the floor.. "Alright!" Vinyl finally chose a song. "How about we first listen to 'Aroma'?" "Are you kidding me?" Octavia scowled. "It's bad enough that I have to put up with that song at 2:00 am, but now you have to drag it into our lessons?" Vinyl wilted slightly, then jumped up again, renewing her frantic scrolling. Ebony finally gave up on keeping Octavia's bed perfectly made, and lightly hopped off. "And besides," Octavia continued. "We have to manage the shop today, remember?" "What shop?" asked Ebony, looking up at Octavia. Octavia rolled her eyes. "You know, when we met yesterday, the shop we were in?" "Ooh.." Ebony slowly nodded her head, feeling stupid at her short memory. "Well, then! Better get a move on!" Vinyl suggested. "Oh, and how about 'Lucid Dreams'?" Octavia wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't seem like a proper song for Ebony to listen to. It's more advanced," "Yeah, you're right," sighed Vinyl, heading out the door as she was continuing her search for songs. Ebony and Octavia followed closely, until they finally reached the busy streets of Manehatten. All around, there were cart vendors and shops, not to mention the garbage trashing the sidewalks and gum sticking to buildings. Uncomfortable without shoes once more, Ebony tried to avoid touching the ground as much as possible, which was quickly deemed unsuccessful. Her hoof landed in a puddle of polluted water, and she recoiled at the unpleasant feeling it sent running through her body. Looking up from her soggy hooves, she saw a familiar pony standing across the street, huddled in a corner with another shady looking pony. "Hey girls, do you know those two ponies?" Ebony asked, her gaze never leaving the dark alleyway. Octavia turned to where Ebony was staring. "Oh, yeah. I know that pony with the red coat. Real shady guy. My cousin Quill knows him really well," Ebony turned to face Octavia in surprise. "Quill is your cousin?" Vinyl decided to pop into the conversation. "Yeah, he's pretty cool. Why, do you know him?" "Yeah, he's my roommate," Ebony tried her hardest not to blush, but the pink was creeping up onto her face. "Ah, well that's unlucky for you," Octavia said. "So what about that pony there?" she gestured towards Ebony's dad. "Oh, well, uh... He looks really suspicious," stammered Ebony. She'd be so embarrassed if they ever found out that he was her dad. What if she'd lose the only friendship she had? "Well, he comes to Manehatten, twice a week," explained Vinyl. "He deals around those rare drugs like radiated lily pads and Celestial vines," included Octavia. Both of the musicians noticed Ebony squirming around uncomfortably. "What's wrong?" Vinyl asked, tucking away her goPod. "That's guy's my dad," Ebony explained in a rush, wincing at how bad that sounded. Vinyl's eyes widened, until it looked like they'd pop. Octavia's usual stoic expression remained the same, only an eyebrow lifted to acknowledge Ebony's words. Ebony slowly backed away, knowing that Vinyl and Octavia would probably ditch her. To her surprise, a determined look took place on both of their faces. "Then we shall make sure he gets caught!" declared Vinyl. "If you don't mind," added in Octavia. Waved of relief filled Ebony to the brim, making her grin widely. "Of course I don't mind!" she laughed, worrying Octavia that she'd go into hysterics. Thankfully, she didn't. "I'm just so surprised that this is the real life of my father," Ebony admitted, looking down at her sopped up hooves. "We're surprised too," sighed Vinyl. "But I know what will make you feel better!" "What?" "A music session!" "Oh," chuckled Ebony, pushing the thoughts about her father and Quill to the back of her mind. Her first mission was to earn her cutie mark. The ponies made their way over to the shop, which Octavia had to unlock since Vinyl had no idea how to unlock a door. "Alright, now to start out first music lesson!" announced Vinyl, climbing up on a counter to give her a higher ground. "Four score and twelve years ago, our fouding stallions have created a-" "Vinyl! Seriously?" Octavia's sharp voice sliced through the speech. "Aw.." Vinyl wilted, not even bothering to fight back. It was hopeless against Octavia. "Well, how about we start with something that involves acoustic guitar? I really like those," Ebony suggested. "Alright, then!" Vinyl regained her powerful voice. "Decades ago, the great mare Whimsical Whisp invented the guitar! It was long, grueling process, but-" "Vinyl!" "Aw.. What am I doing wrong?" Author's Note Shorter chappie.. :( writer's block -__- Chapter Four: Jewel CrisisAfter what seemed like forever, Ebony returned to Pale Hearts College, her limbs sore. For some reason, Vinyl had suggested weight lifting, and Octavia had been too weary to argue. Ebony had left those two to man the shop, while she returned to do her homework. She entered the front lobby, the usual creeping cold of the tiling sending cold sensations throughout her body. Her thoughts were frozen on her father, who had been living a life of crime behind her back. No way would she be able to get over that quickly, though the music session proved to be a great distraction. Tiredly, Ebony crept up the stairs, since the elevator appeared to be out of order. After a minute or two of heaving herself up the winding stairs, Ebony found herself at her designated floor. She was set on finding her dorm when she was stopped by a familiar looking pony. "Um, Jewel Crisis, right?" Ebony said as she tried to find a way around her. "Yup! And you're Ebony! I need to talk to you!" the same interest was visible in her eyes, similar from earlier in the day. "Oh.. sure," Ebony hesitated to accept, her sore limbs crying out for rest. "Great! We can go to my dorm! My roommate's gone on a.. a trip," Jewel Crisis grinned widely. Ebony was suspecting something with Jewel's unnaturally upbeat. She glanced over at her flank, searching for her cutie mark. It looked like a disastrous hurricane made up of blackened gemstones. Ebony was more wary of the mare now, as she followed her down the corridor until they stopped in front of a door. Ebony never got a chance to see the number, she was too quickly shoved inside by Jewel Crisis. "Well, Ebony.. I've been wanting to talk to you about something.." Jewel trailed off as she locked the door behind her. Ebony gave an audible gulp, before nervously responding. "S-sure.." Jewel Crisis raised an eyebrow just like Octavia at Ebony's behavior. "Well, your dad.." she started off. "What about him?" Ebony quickly snapped her attention to Jewel Crisis. "Well, he's a famous drug dealer.." Jewel kept trailing off, which was irritating Ebony. "And lately, I've been blowing off all my money on his Sparkleweed. I want a good deal with him, but I can't find a way to contact him without the cops finding out," Ebony let a look of fierce annoyance take over her face. "What the hell do you want me to do about it?" she spat. "And how do you know I'm my dad's daughter?" "Oh, didn't you see my cutie mark? I've got a special thing for stirring up trouble," Jewel grinned. "How does going undercover sound?" "You're crazy!" Ebony remarked, truly bewildered. The sound of a door unlocking interrupted the small fight between the mares. The door opened, and what Ebony saw truly left her shocked. "Tornado?" The red stallion turned to look at her, amusement plastered on his face. "Oh, Ebony! Nice to see you!" he then turned to Jewel Crisis. "I've got some Rose sap, but we're gonna have to sell some more Braided Vines if we wanna get a better profit," "Can this day get any more botched up?" Ebony wailed. "You're all insane!" "Gee, you sure are good at convincing ponies, Jewel," Tornado rolled his eyes. "Shut up," Jewel Crisis huffed, taking the plastic bag from Tornado. "You do your explaining shit, and I take this sap somewhere safe," "Alright Ebony, it's really not as bad as it sounds," Tornado sat next to Ebony. "Your friggin' crazy!" Ebony glared. "Please, Ebony? Be reasonable," "I'm being friggin' reasonable!" Tornado cast Ebony a hard glare. "Do. it." "No," Ebony growled. All of the sudden, Ebony was hurled at the wall, the impact giving out a loud crack! Tornado calmly walked up to her, before holding his hoof to her throat and pinning her against the wall. "Listen to me, bitch," he lowered his voice to he sounded more menacing. "Now I've done a bunch of things that would scare you into hell, and I'm not afraid to harass you in any way, shape, or form," Ebony gulped. "And another thing I'd be proud to do is tie you up in my bed and take advantage of you all night," Tornado continued. "Now, we wouldn't want that, would we? Ebony nodded frantically, fearing what Tornado was actually capable of. Jewel Crisis walked into the room, then facehoofed when she saw what was going on. "Tornado, please, I told you no more rape in the college dorms!" she scolded. Ebony's mind was trying to process everything that was going on, pushing down her current terror. "I agree to your stupid drug thing! Am I done once I get you Sparkleweed?" Jewel turned to face her. "Yup! Three pounds by next month or next time, I won't stop Tornado," Three pounds? Ebony almost complained, but was given a warning look by Tornado. "Alright," Ebony huffed, squirming away from Tornado uncomfortably. "Can I go now?" Jewel Crisis nodded. "Don't tell a word about this, or your two friends are going down with you," Shaking, Ebony agreed quietly, before galloping out of the dorm. "You know, Tornado, you don't have to be so rough with her," Jewel Crisis said after Ebony had gone. "Yeah, I know," Tornado sighed. "But she's fun to mess around with," "Really? How so?" Jewel raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. Maybe she's too innocent," "Innocent, my ass!" snorted Jewel. "Not when we're through with her!" "Or when I'm through with her," Tornado grinned cruelly. "Stop creeping me out," Jewel Crisis rolled her eyes. A.N. Seriously, I feel so discouraged in writing this story... I wonder if I should make a hot scene? Won't be clop though. I don't know... I feel a bit lost. Sorry for making these chappies shorter! I feel like such a bad person... -___-
Chapter One: Welcome to Manehatten!"What in the name of Celestia's right eye are you doing?" a shriek erupted from a certain house in Ponyville. "Mom," Ebony rolled her eyes. "I'm moving to Manehatten for my first year of college, okay?" "No, it is not okay! When the hell were you going to tell me this?" demanded Katty, Ebony's one and only strict stepmare. "Well, I thought you'd fully support me on my pursuing of my cutie mark," "No way am I supporting this.. this.. Ah!" Katty screamed in frustration. "What are you expecting your cutie mark to be anyways? An annoying, silly little filly?" Ebony lowered her eyes, pawing at the floor. "Mom, I'm going, and that's final!" she stubbornly insisted. "Fine! But don't expect me to chip in a single bit for your rent, tuition, food, or anything, for that matter!" "Alright, alright. You can go now, I'm leaving in a week," sighed Ebony, her shining emerald green eyes displaying her irritation. Why the hell couldn't her stupid stepmare just shut up? "Fine! Honestly, I can't imagine why your father even keeps you around anymore!" scowled Katty before storming out of Ebony's room. Finally, Peace and quiet at last. Ebony sorted through her belongings, packing all of her sheet music and her headphones. After packing her basic survival necessities, which included her song lyrics, goPod, and Book of Inspirations, she decided to pack her optional stuff. She packed all of her savings, which consisted only of forty-two bits, and some toiletries. Lazily walking over to her mirror, she realized that there was no way in Equestria that she was going to Manehatten looking like a pony zombie. Her silvery mane was heavily knotted, the lavender streaks looked greasy as ever. Of course, this was because her stepmare had used up all of the bathing water in the house. Why the woman needed eight hours of running bathwater daily was an unsolved mystery. Taking a comb in her mouth, Ebony painfully brushed away her knots and washed her hair in her small bathroom sink. Deciding she looked at least presentable, she took a deep breath and dove into her closet for her clothes. Ebony had once heard a rumor that you always most definitely needed to wear clothes 24/7 in Manehatten. It was because the streets were busy and grimy, which made ponies' coats get dirty and unhygienic. Ever since the big breakout of the Cutie Pox in Manehatten in 1742, everypony was sure to wear full clothing. Ebony rifled through her closet, her very few items of clothing were sagged and outgrown. No way she'd wear the junk living in her minuscule closet. Those things practically had mold growing on them! Ebony decided that she'd have to steal some of her stepmare's clothing, but it was for a good cause. Besides, that pony's closet with close to bursting with her revealing clothes. She wouldn't notice a few pieces gone, would she? Silently trotting downstairs, Ebony made her way to the master bedroom and and quietly entered. To her relief, Katty was already taking her daily eight hour bath. The constantly running water would drown out any noise escaping the main room as Ebony committed theft. Ebony opened the closet, wincing when it made a loud, creaking noise. Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she headed deep into the walk-in closet until she met a corner with dusty articles of clothing. Blindly, Ebony grabbed what felt like four tops, two pants, three skirts, and two dresses. She hauled the load up the stairs and attempted to cram it in to her school bag. School was starting in two weeks, so she needed to be very prepared for her journey. When Ebony got a better view of the clothes she grabbed, she let out a gasp of amazement. She had thought that her family was unfortunately poor, so where would they be able to afford such amazing designer clothing? She read the tag on a dark blue, velvety skirt that twinkled with something that looked suspiciously like diamonds. It read 'Luna's Inspiration', a well known brand who's clothing was always limited edition. Looking over at another, rose red strapless ruffled top, the tag read 'Celestia's Blush', leaving her dumbstruck. She definitely knew that brand. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were always complaining how Diamond Tiara wore that brand all the time. Grinning, Ebony slipped on the top and skirt, amazed at how well the mismatching colors complimented her. Ebony admired herself in the mirror, striking different poses and fluffing up her hair. Looking closer, Ebony realized something in her outfit was missing. She kept staring at herself, until it clicked in her brain. Shoes. She needed shoes. Hesitant at the thought of another trip downstairs, Ebony gazed longingly in her mirror. Finally deciding that the shoes were worth the risk, she stripped off the clothes and tip-toed over to her parent's room. Quietly opening the door, she darted towards the closet and scanned the shelves for footwear. Ebony headed deeper into the closet, until she finally stopped to a halt, many shelves of a variety of shoes displayed before her. Ebony looked up and down, giving each shoe a discriminating look. They all matched the clothes she had tried on back in the room, but it slowly dawned on her that what her stepmare wore definitely wasn't her style. 'This will be another mission for me,' Ebony decided. 'To find out my kind of fashion,' The thought of having her own style to reflect her own personality excited Ebony, and she was on the verge of a completely genius happy seizure when she heard a noise escaping the room. Heavy footsteps thudded against the carpeted floor, and she realized that it was her father returning from work. The closet door creaked, and Ebony scrambled behind some silky dresses to avoid being seen. Her jet black coat blended in well with a heavy, dark fur coat that was tickling her nose. Ebony heavily attempted not to sniffle or scratch her nose, or just flat out sneeze, but the wait was agony for her. She realized with horror that her dad was venturing out farther into the closet, humming a tune to himself as he examined the side where the men's clothing was. Ebony knew her father would be enraged to find her snooping in their closet, because he had convinced her they were drop dead poor. To find a walk-in closet with such luxurious clothes would mean he'd have to explain his lies. Her dad, Charles, stopped right in front of the spot she was hiding, she knew from the red hooves clopping suspiciously. Terror struck her as she saw her dad sweep the coat back to find her, shrunken into the wall, with her eyes squinted shut. "Ebony Waters, what the hell are you doing?" his deep voice bellowed, causing her to wince. "Daddy, I..." Ebony whimpered, he was standing up regally, his anger radiating off him in waves. "I want you as far away from my house as possible!" he yelled. "You will leave now, no explanation will be offered to you about this! If you peep a single word about where I got this money, or this day... I will hunt you down and kill you," his voice lowered to a cold, deathly whisper. The only thing that Ebony's panicked mind could register was 'Well, that escalated quickly,' which was of no help at all during the terrifying moment. "Yes, daddy," she squeaked. "I promise I'll be a good girl and keep shut," "Good," he growled menacingly. "Now get the hell outta my house. I never want to see you again," Ebony quickly scampered out of the closet, galloped out of the room, and retreated to her own. Panting, she threw all remaining important possessions into her bags and rushed out of the house, never looking back. Down the cobblestone road she went, huffing in exhaustion, but refused to stop until she reached the Ponyville train station. What was up with her dad? And where did he get all of that money? Nobody has diamond studded gowns when they were dirt poor! "Hello, ma'am. Would ya like to purchase a train ticket?" a short, young colt was standing at the ticket booth. "Um, yes," she said, desperately trying not to appear frantic. "One train ticket to Manehatten, your soonest time possible," "Alright!" the colt handed her an orange ticket. "It boards in half an hour, have a lovely trip!" "Thank you, have a nice day," Ebony called over her shoulder as she hurried over to a bench. There, she put on her headphones while she waited for the multi-colored train to appear. "All aboard!" a brown pony with a thick, bristled mustache called out, waving his hat all around. Ebony put her neon blue headphones around her neck and struggled to carry her heavy luggage over to the train. "Alright, missy! Lemme see your ticket!" the pony turned to her. Ebony quickly flashed him her ticket and boarded, storing her luggage in a compartment above her. She watched as other ponies boarded the train, and she was surprised to see so many. What was going on in Manehatten to collect so many ponies here? Time for her to find out. "Excuse me?" she interrupted a pony who was talking to her friend rapidly. "Why is there such a crowd here? It seems strange," The bubbly, orange pony gave her a weird look. "Don't you know? DJ P0N-3 is having a concert in Manehatten! OMG, I'm, like, so excited!" Her blue friend nodded along vigorously, obvious that her excitement wasn't going to die down anytime soon. "Oh, okay then. Thank you," Ebony thanked as pleasantly as she could, before putting on her headphones and began nodding her head to the beat of the music. She cranked up the volume, since the loud chatter of the ponies made her squirm. Ebony was never much of a social pony. "Alright, missy! Ya almost fell asleep, ya know," the stout pony snapped her out of her dizzying trance. "I didn't miss my stop, did I?" she asked worriedly. "Aw, nah, ya didn't. Shucks, I couldn't let ya miss your stop!" he assured. "Thank you so much!" Ebony let out a sigh of relief as she collected all of her baggage. Without letting the ticketer pony speak another word, she dashed off the train, and onto the busy Manehatten platform. Excited chatter filled her ears, making them buzz. Ebony's eyes widened at the sight of so many ponies. She then remembered- she wasn't wearing anything. All of the other ponies were fully clothed, making her feel naked. Technically, she was. She let out a squeal before running off to the mare's bathrooms, her bulky suitcases making things awkward. Once she managed to squeeze herself inside a dirty stall, she threw on the first shirt and skirt she let her hooves touch. Thank goodness, she hadn't forgotten to pack the stolen clothes. Looking down at what she dressed herself with, she found herself in a tight pink tank top with sapphire sequins and a skirt so short, it almost didn't even have a right to be classified as an article of clothing. The black-and-yellow skirt made her feel uncomfortable, she felt like one of those.. what do you call them? Ah, yes. Sluts. She felt like one of those slutty type of ponies. However, now was not the time to complain, since she still had to check out her room at Pale Hearts College, the one where she will attend in two weeks. Lucky for her, she had filled out the paperwork and sent it in early, so she managed to snag a really great spot. All she had to do was pay for everything, which would make out as very difficult, considering her small amount of money. A light bulb went over her mind, lighting up with a new idea. She could sell her stepmare's clothes! With the money, she could at least afford a slightly fashionable saddlebag, some kind of pants, and a baggy sweater. Once Ebony stepped out of the bathroom, the level of noise once again, made her head spin. She trudged out of the place and took a map at the exit. Squinting to see the tiny, precise details, she walked and walked until she finally found herself in front of the one and only, Pale Hearts College. 'This is it,' Ebony thought to herself as she stepped inside, a nervous trauma instantly swelling up inside of her.
Chapter Two: All I wanted was a Guitar.."Hello, may I have your name please?" a voice wafted from behind a large computer. Ebony peered over to see a young grey mare with red spectacles typing away at her over sized computer. "Um, Ebony Waters," Ebony replied, slightly squirming. The atmosphere in this place wasn't exactly comforting, but this was only the front lobby, right? "Ebony Waters... Okay, I see! Here's your room key..." the mare handed over a small brass key. "And here's your map, schedule, and all you need to know. Good luck!" Ebony was about to thank the pony, but saw that she was already intently focused at typing up something on the computer. Shrugging, Ebony walked over to an elevator, pressing the 3rd floor button. She was grateful to be alone in the elevator, because the awkward company of another pony would be too much for her to bear. As the elevator slowly went up, Ebony took time to ponder the earlier events of today. Why had her father reacted so badly? She was only hiding out in their closet... Maybe they were hiding something? Ebony shook her head. No, she would try to forget the situation as fast as possible. The event had given her an opportunity to go to the college she wanted early without any further questions asked, and she'd never have to see her stone cold family again. Wasn't it all she'd ever wanted? The elevator let out a ding!, and Ebony boarded off, grunting as she carried her heavy luggage with her. Once she stopped in front of room 3-12, she inserted the key, and the door gave a satisfying click! as she went in. Ebony sniffed the room, slightly wrinkling her nose at the musky scent of.. well, nothing. The air was stale and boring, something she was determined to fix. Ebony saw two beds in a separate room, confusing her. It suddenly dawned on her that she'd have a roommate, which made her annoyed. Here, she was expecting to finally have some peace and quiet with her music. Instead of this place being the perfect environment she'd been craving, she was going to have a nosy, annoying roommate. Great. On the bright side, she had time to decorate exactly how she wanted, even though her personal belongings had been kept to a minimum. She was happy she had come here early now. Dragging rose pink sheets out of her bags, she proceeded to make her bed, flapping her wings as she hovered over the mattress. Once she had that covered, lazily and picked up the student rule book and enveloped herself in reading the thick, tiny print. She flipped over to the Pegasus chapter, where she was quickly disappointed. Rule #1: Pegasi may not fly in the hallways or corridors. Giving up on reading the material, she instead took out her Book of Inspiration and engrossed herself in it. The Book of Inspiration was a gift from her old mother, who had realized the musical talent Ebony had at her young age. The book was filled with photographs and stories that could mesmerize any pony, and power them with hopes and dreams for the future. Ebony settled on reading the story about how Luna was sent to the moon, shifting uncomfortably in her ill fitting clothes. Ebony was so intently focused on her reading that she hadn't heard the door give away another click! as another pony entered the room. "Ahem," a deep voice snapped her out of the little world she'd thrown herself into. Looking up, Ebony was shocked to see a male standing in front of her, instead of a female. Hadn't she checked off the 'female roommate' box? Oh yea.. In her rush to turn the application in as early as possible, she'd checked off 'any gender' instead. "Um, hi," Ebony awkwardly averted her gaze from the stallion to avoid any eye contact. However, her eyes felt drawn to him. She shyly looked up into his crystal purple eyes. "I take it you're my roommate," he sighed. "I don't know why I didn't check off male roommate," Ebony eyed his navy blue coat color, before catching herself. "Oh, yes, um..." "I see you're not a very sociable pony..." he cocked his head slightly to one side. "What do you do in your free time if not interact with other ponies?" "Hey, what makes you think I'm not sociable?" huffed Ebony indignantly. The stallion raised an eyebrow. "You honestly make it seem quite obvious, you know," Ebony blushed a deep crimson, which shone brightly against her pitch black coat. Nervously twirling a silver strand of hair, she cleared her throat. "Well, yeah. I'm Ebony," she reached her hoof out to shake. "And you are?" "I'm Quill Parable, but usually I go by Quill," he introduced himself, and shook her hoof. Ebony couldn't help but notice that his mane matched his eyes perfectly. Oh, well. You go through this when you meet a new pony, right? You just want to observe them! "Wow, I like you're cutie mark," Ebony blurted out when her betraying eyes roamed his body. Just out of curiosity, she wanted to know what his cutie mark was. That's all it was, right? Curiosity... "Why, thank you," Quill smiled. "I couldn't help wondering, but, what is your cutie mark?" Ebony blushed again, her ears flattening against her head. "Well, you see, um..." she mumbled, unable to contain her embarrassment. For the love of Celestia, she was eighteen, where the hell was her cutie mark? Quill caught on fast, noticing her discomfort. "Ah, I see. You're flank still remains bare," he took out his blue sheets and started making his bed. Ebony was filled with annoyance and sadness. Quill had a really cool splatter-ink cutie mark, while her dumb flank remained blank. Why couldn't the stupid skirt cover her flank? This was the price she had to pay for wearing a skirt the size of underwear... "Um, if you'll excuse me," she hesitated. "I must go now.. Bye!" she grabbed her small amount of bits and dashed out the door, ears reddening. For some reason, she just had to totally impress her roommate. So, off to the music shop with her! Ebony winced as her bare hooves touched the ice cold tiles of the front lobby. Even the ponies in Ponyville wore horseshoes to give the slightly higher elevation. But, since her family had been 'dirt poor', clothing and shoes were out of the question. Ebony hurried out the door, determined now to find her cutie mark. Hopefully, it would be an awesome one, and not anything... boring. Like an old mare in Ponyville had her cutie mark as a plastic shovel, which meant she had a talent for making little plastic shovels out of plastic. Like, seriously? However, she could never forget how the mare had always worn her cutie mark with pride and dignity... Oh how amazing it must be to have your very own cutie mark! To wear it just like a prize trophy every day. Wandering around the streets of Manehatten was definitely harder that Ebony had made it out to be. Luckily, she still bore the city map she took from the train station. Reading it was difficult too, though she was surprised at how well she got around. After many more minutes of map-reading and fast-paced walking, Ebony found herself in front of a tiny shop with a music note on top. The small letters read "Orias' Musical Emporium", which was highly unbelievable, considering the cramped space. Whoever this "Orias" was, he wasn't very bright. Ebony entered the shop, and the tiny bell gave out a tinkling jingle. She surveyed the shop, smiling at the familiar instruments hung up on display. Though there was almost no room to move around, she managed to get herself to a corner where a guitar was hanging from. Muffled voices filled the room, like somepony's mouth was covered by something. Looking around, Ebony saw nothing except the instruments. Huh. Ebony coordinated her wings so she could hover and grab her desired guitar, while not dislodging any instrument from it tight spot on a shelf. Once she got her guitar down, she squeezed herself passed the multiple racks of instruments and made her way over to what seemed like the register. A silky black mane poked out from behind it, but that was all she saw. "Um, excuse me? I'd like to purchase this guitar," Ebony spoke out, though she wasn't sure the pony heard her. "Um, excuse me? I said I'd like to-" "Yeah, I heard you," a mare's voice poked out from behind the register. "Just give me a second, alright?" Ebony stood, frozen. To be honest, the voice nearly scared the living daylights out of her. It just came from.. nowhere.. "Okay, you may now purchase the guitar. That'll be sixty bits, please," Ebony squirmed. Even her life savings wasn't enough to cover the price. "Oh, well, I guess I don't have enough money..." she sighed, a pang of sadness hitting her heart. "I'll leave, then.." "Hold up!" a louder, much more exciting voice rang through the air. "No pony is going to leave this shop upset! Octavia, what did I tell you? Always make the customer happy-" "And fulfill their every musical need," the brown mare repeated, obviously bored. It seemed like she got a hyper lesson every day. "Yup!" Shades of an electric blue mane appeared, as well as a white coat. Ebony's eyes widened when she realized that it was DJ P0N-3, and the other mare must be been Octavia! "Now, what was it you wanted to buy?" grinned the DJ, looking at her with energy filled red eyes. "I, um, uh... Er, I, um, kinda, ah.." Ebony stuttered, nervously grinning. "Aw, it's a fan!" cooed the white mare lovingly. "I'm Vinyl Scratch, or better known as DJ P0N-3!" "Oh, um, well, you see, um, heh, er.." Ebony was still struggling to form a proper sentence, before being interrupted by Octavia. "She said she'd like to purchase the guitar, but doesn't have enough money," Octavia said. An unamused expression clung to her face. "Oh, why didn't you say so?" Vinyl's cheery voice said. "Well, you see, um,, er, well, I.." "God damn it woman!" cried Octavia irritably. "Just talk already!" Ebony was surprised that Octavia's harsh words actually gave her the power to speak. "I don't have enough money," she continued, more clearly. "But I seriously need this guitar," Vinyl looked at her intently, trying to figure the mare out. "You love music, don't you?" she questioned. "Um, yes, I do," replied Ebony, feeling more sure of herself after the mention of her most favorite thing in the world. "Where's your cutie mark?" Vinyl asked. "Um... Well, I didn't find my special talent yet..." muttered Ebony, embarrassed. "Well, I can tell that you're genuine..." Vinyl thought out loud, pondering something for a few seconds. Then, out of the blue, she squealed with a new idea. "Octavia! I've got an idea!" she jumped around, doing whatever it was she was doing. "What is it?" Octavia's bored tone came out monotonous. "This little mare here shall become our apprentice! We shall guide her through the amazing world of music! We shall broaden her love for the food of our hearts, she will find her destiny, we will become..." Vinyl lowered her voice to a deathly whisper. "Her mentors!" Octavia just stared at Vinyl blankly. She just stared, and stared and stared, unblinkingly. Their little staring contest dragged on, until Vinyl finally burst. "Octavia, I was having a frickin' moment there! You can't just ruin it by doing nothing! That's terrible!" wailed Vinyl. "But.. I did ruin it by doing nothing.." "I can't believe that after all that we've been through, you won't act at a dramatic time like this! I was being truthful! That was an amazing idea!" Vinyl's tears sprung out, yet Octavia remained stoic. "Vinyl, really?" she sighed. Vinyl immediately got up and grinned. "Don't mind Octavia, Ebony," she waved the mare away. "She agrees, even though she wants to be a big meanie!" Ebony raised her eyebrows at the scene that just played before her eyes. The way both Vinyl and Octavia looked and acted.. they couldn't be much older than her, could they? As if reading her mind, Vinyl asked, "Oh hey, how old are you?" "Um, I'm eighteen, I've just recently enrolled in Pale Hearts college," Ebony replied. "Oh... coolio! Me and Octavia attend there too, even though we go on tons of trips for our concerts. We're going to have a concert tonight, you know! Well, I am. Octavia will be there to cheer me on! Right, Octavia?" "Obviously," Octavia let out the tiniest hint of a smile, showing Ebony that she really did care for Vinyl. "What year are you guys in?" Ebony asked, poking her hoof at the ground. "We are officially third years, starting when college starts!" Vinyl proudly boasted and puffed out her chest. "Impressive, right?" Octavia rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah, I guess," Ebony smiled. "Well then it's settled! Me and Octavia shall teach you the way of music and will help you earn your cutie mark!" Vinyl clapped her hooves excitedly. "Gee, thanks. It means a lot to me, really," Ebony grinned. Her heart was pumping with excitement. Equestria's famous, talented musicians were going to be her mentors? That was truly amazing! There was no way she wouldn't get her cutie mark now.
Chapter Three: College Mean Girls?Ebony yawned, stretching as she sat up in bed, groggy and bleary eyed. As she turned her head, she was surprised to see Quill's bed already made. Curiously, she got up to look for him. Passing the mirror, she stopped in her tracks. No way was she letting Quill see her with her mane tangled and crumpled up. Quickly, she dashed over to her unpacked bags as quietly as she could and took out her blue hairbrush, untangling the whirlwind mess on her head. Grunting in pain, she struggled to undo a thick knot in her hair. However, her efforts were fruitless, and seemed to make things worse. With horror, Ebony realized her hairbrush was stuck in a clump of her hair. Tugging and tugging, Ebony couldn't seem to undo her mess. She finally resorted to nimbly undoing the web of multiple knots her hairbrush was strangled in. However, her clumsy hooves weren't able to free it, and instead, her hooves got stuck in as well. With a moan, Ebony realized that she should have listened to her stepmare when she scornfully advised her to cut her wild, glossy mane short. Why did Ebony have to be so stubborn? Growling out of frustration, Ebony gripped her hairbrush with her teeth and harshly tried yanking it out. The force caused Ebony to thud onto her back, but that didn't stop her. With her front hooves stuck in her messy mane, she continued to wrestle around for her brush. Quill, curious by the sudden noise, walked from the small kitchen into the room, where he watched, amused, by the door frame. When it was obvious that, in her struggles, Ebony wouldn't notice him, he lightly cleared his throat. All it took was that small, discreet noise, and Ebony froze in her awkward position. Her pupils slowly slid to over where Quill was standing, still frozen. All that moved were her eyes. "Ebony, do you need help?" Quill asked. "What makes you think I need help?" grunted Ebony, trying to get off her back. Quill raised an eyebrow. When Ebony gave him no response, he just sighed and walked over. Ebony, still struggling to get off her spine, didn't notice Quill walking over until she felt his presence closer to her. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he sighed, gently untangling her mane. Ebony's eyes widened in surprise when she saw how quickly he worked, freeing her hooves and brush from the wild mane. Once Quill was done, he got up and smirked. "Amazing how I can do your hair better than you," he remarked. Ebony rolled her eyes, slightly turning pink. "Whatever," she dismissed him. "Oh, I got breakfast ready," Quill remembered. Ebony turned to look at him. "Wow, that's great!" she grinned. Quill led Ebony into the minuscule kitchen that Ebony had never bothered to take a look at. The smell of roasted turnips and carrots wafted through the air. Ebony's mouth watered, her nose filled with the delicious scent of the food. Quill took two plates out of the cabinet, reminding Ebony that she had yet to unpack everything. Yesterday's events kept her too occupied. Especially Vinyl's late night concert. "So, where are you from?" she asked Quill, attempting to start a conversation. "Seaddle," he replied, heaping our breakfast onto a baby blue plate. "Born and raised there, and I planned to enroll in Golden Horseshoe college," Ebony nodded her head. Golden Horseshoe college was by far the most prestigious. Of course she'd never be able to join one. "What made you come here to Pale Hearts?" she asked, eyeing the carrots as Quill set them on the table. "Ah, well.." he trailed off. "Got in some bad business there. I figured I could come to Manehatten to let go of some bad memories," "Okay, then," Ebony didn't press farther, seeing the conversation was already making Quill nervous. Instead she finished up her breakfast quietly, since Quill didn't ask her anything about herself. "Well, I'll go now" Ebony quickly announced, grabbing her worn saddlebag before trotting out the door. She felt Quill's gaze burn into her, but she was just imagining it, she was sure. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," a haughty snicker filled the air behind Ebony. She turned around, coming face to face with two mares, one an earth pony and one a unicorn. Both of their faces were tight and mean looking, yet undeniably beautiful. "Um, hi, I'm Ebony," she awkwardly started off. The unicorn gave her a disgusted look. "Can't you tell that we don't wanna talk to you?" she scoffed, before walking away, the other pony following her. Ebony stayed where she was, cocking her head slightly in confusion. Was it something she said? "Uh, wait! I'm sorry if I've done anything to upset you!" she scampered up to them, an apologetic look clinging to her face. "Oh, you're sorry? Then why don't you get your pathetic blank flank outta my face?" spat the unicorn. Ebony blushed, realizing that in her haste, she had forgotten to put on clothes. "Why don't you losers go bother somepony else, huh?" a familiar voice echoed throughout the corridor. Ebony turned, shocked to see Octavia shooting the mares daggers with her eyes. "Who do you think you are?" the pony stood up for her friend, thought it was quite obvious she knew she was talking to the famous Octavia. Octavia raised an eyebrow. "Let me put this simply," she calmly began. "Open up your mouths again to talk trash about Ebony here, and I'll carve out your cutie marks so you can be blank flanks too!" Ebony recoiled slightly at Octavia's words, and so did the mares. "Come on, Firework, let's go," the unicorn muttered, slinking off into the shadows. "You didn't mean that, did you?" Ebony turned to Octavia when they were gone. Worry was clouding her face, making Octavia's lips slightly turn upwards into a genuine smile. "No way, smart one," she giggled. Octavia, giggle? Ebony was truly surprised. "Wow, why'd you.. stick up for me?" Ebony asked. "I thought you hated me!" Octavia smiled and rolled her eyes. "No way. I just have to be the sarcastic, sensible one, since Vinyl is a bit..." she trailed off, searching for the right word. "Eccentric," "A little?" laughed Ebony. Octavia quietly joined in too, but then suddenly stopping. "Um, you do realize that everypony in Manehatten wears clothes, right? I saw you wearing them yesterday," she said. Ebony turned red again. "Yeah, I forgot," she explained. "I was.. distracted," Octavia wiggled her eyebrows, obviously suspecting something. "Go put something on," she sighed. Ebony nodded, heading towards her dorm. Octavia's sense of fashion was shocking, really. It's strange how much she never knew her that well. Up until today, she never thought Octavia would wear a caramel colored halter top and a black, frilly skirt. Unlocking the door, Ebony headed inside to see Quill talking and laughing with a pink mare. Thankfully, he didn't hear her come in, so she didn't have to disturb him. A stab of jealousy made her gasp softly, but she recomposed herself and silently carried herself into their bedroom. Opening her suitcase, she took out the skirt she had originally tried on- from 'Luna's Inspiration' and tugged on a black strapless top. Ebony really didn't feel any different with her clothes on. If anything, she felt even more naked. Shrugging off the feeling, she silently escaped the dorm, wincing as she heard Quill and the mare laugh in unison. Class started in fifteen minutes, which really wasn't a whole lot of time. Looking around the hall, she saw that Octavia was nowhere in sight, so she probably left. Pulling out her map, she carefully studied it, wishing she could levitate it so it didn't take away her ability to walk. Naturally, ponies were terrible at balancing on their hind hooves. Every few feet she'd walk, Ebony would whip out her map and carefully examine it. After a few minutes of struggling with directions, Ebony growled in frustration. The map really wasn't getting her anywhere. She pulled it out again, sitting down as she squinted at the map, as if something magical would happen if she did. Nothing magical happened, but something sure did. "Can I tell you a secret about maps," a deep voice asked behind her. Ebony whipped around to see a red stallion peering over her shoulder. Breathless from her shock, Ebony agreed. "Sure, what?" The stallion calmly approached her, taking the map out of her hands and turning it around. "Don't hold them upside down, you just might understand it better," he chuckled, making Ebony laugh too. Blushing fiercely at her stupidity, she looked up into his emerald eyes. "Thanks," she let out a nervous giggle. "No prob." he nodded his head. "I'm Tornado. You are?" "Oh, I'm Ebony," she introduced herself, shaking hooves with his. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Ebony, but class is starting in a minute, so I'd better get a move on," he grinned, then left. Ebony carefully studied the map again, though it was still as confusing as ever. The bell rang, making her jump in surprise. All the other ponies were in their classes already, so nopony had seen her jump high up in the air at the ring of the bell. She slowly walked down the hall, hoping to see her homeroom number: 372. She trudged by, stopping when she heard a teacher yelling. "No, Vinyl! You can't describe air as airy!" an elderly woman screeched, annoyed. 'This must be Vinyl's homeroom,' Ebony thought to herself, laughing. Who knew Vinyl sucked at writing adjectives? She continued walking, until she finally stopped at room 372. Sighing in relief, she entered, not expecting to see Quill in the front seat. "You are late," an annoyed voice made her head turn in the direction of the teacher's desk. "Oh, sorry," Ebony muttered, her ears turning slightly pink. "May I have your name?" the professor snapped irritably. "Ebony Waters," "Very well, Ebony Waters. One more late from you, and I'm going to have to write you a detention. I'm Snaps, by the way," he briskly nodded his head before shooing her away to a desk. Snaps. Suitable for him.. Ebony sat down right behind Quill, who was tapping his hooves rhythmically on his desk. Ebony was tempted to do the same, but stopped herself. Following Quill's pattern would just be.. awkward. The bell rang again, surprising Ebony. 'What? I just got here!' she thought. Then she remembered she was late, and she slowly rose from her desk. Taking out her schedule, she realized she had Classic Literature next. 'Great.' Ebony followed random ponies around, hoping they had the same class as her. Unfortunately, they kept entering the wrong classes, so Ebony couldn't find her way. She spotted the two mean mares that had scorned her earlier and followed them reluctantly, praying they'd lead her in the right direction. Both mares stopped outside of a classroom, one that read 'Classic Literature'. Nice to know she'd have a class with those two snobs. She entered just as the bell rang, galloping to a seat near the back. Ebony was hoping to go unnoticed, but she was out of luck. Of course, Ebony had to sit right in between the two mean mares. The unicorn on her right, pony on her left. "Alright, class! I'll be taking attendance now!" The teacher announced. She was a stout purple mare with dull brown eyes and a scruffy, green mane. The unicorn turned to glare at Ebony. "You know, Jewel Crisis was supposed to sit here," she hissed. Jewel Crisis? What kind of name was that? "Jewel Crisis," the professor called out. "Here!" a snow white pony with a vibrant pink mane raised her hoof just as she entered the classroom. Her crystal blue eyes twinkled, and her clothes looked ridiculously expensive, yet not revealing. "Miss Crisis, you are tardy," the teacher notified. Jewel nodded and took a seat right next to a light blue mare, glancing towards Ebony's direction with a disappointed look on her face. "Sun Kiss," "Here!" the golden unicorn raised her hoof, before glaring at Ebony again. Ebony was starting to feel guilty- not for the mean mares, but for Jewel Crisis. She definitely looked like a nice pony. "Dewdrop," "Here!" the silvery earth pony called out. Ebony glanced over, now knowing their names. Ebony intently studied both of the mares, but both of their gazes were set on Jewel, who looked like she was trying to memorize the names of everypony in the class. "Ebony Waters," "Here!" Ebony's hoof shot up reflexively. Jewel Crisis looked over at Ebony, interest sparked in her eyes. Now Ebony could only wonder what that interest was.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Author's Note: optional read Sorry for not uploading in while, is my first thing to say. Secondly, this chapter is so far unedited, so please point out mistakes, and make it easier on my editor ^_^ Third- thanks for reading! Your comments really got me going, 'cause I was about to quit this story. You guys are amazing! I must admit, I'm not very happy with this chapter, it feels boring... -___- But oh well! You got some Octavia action. And Quill. Be happy :D I may not upload in a while, we'll see. Anywhooz, thanx!
Chapter Four: Who Knew Ebony's Dad was a Criminal?"Alright, I'm ready for my first music session!" announced Ebony tiredly after her first day of lessons. She was sitting on Octavia's perfectly made bed, too scared there was a rodent crawling around in Vinyl's tangled sheets. "This'll be a piece of cake!" enthused Vinyl, scrolling through her songs on her goPod. Octavia rolled her eyes, warily eyeing Ebony. "Mess up that bed and I'll rearrange your face," she warned. Eyes widened, Ebony nodded. Already she shifted her weight so her body barley touched Octavia's bed. Maybe it was better to sit on the floor.. "Alright!" Vinyl finally chose a song. "How about we first listen to 'Aroma'?" "Are you kidding me?" Octavia scowled. "It's bad enough that I have to put up with that song at 2:00 am, but now you have to drag it into our lessons?" Vinyl wilted slightly, then jumped up again, renewing her frantic scrolling. Ebony finally gave up on keeping Octavia's bed perfectly made, and lightly hopped off. "And besides," Octavia continued. "We have to manage the shop today, remember?" "What shop?" asked Ebony, looking up at Octavia. Octavia rolled her eyes. "You know, when we met yesterday, the shop we were in?" "Ooh.." Ebony slowly nodded her head, feeling stupid at her short memory. "Well, then! Better get a move on!" Vinyl suggested. "Oh, and how about 'Lucid Dreams'?" Octavia wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't seem like a proper song for Ebony to listen to. It's more advanced," "Yeah, you're right," sighed Vinyl, heading out the door as she was continuing her search for songs. Ebony and Octavia followed closely, until they finally reached the busy streets of Manehatten. All around, there were cart vendors and shops, not to mention the garbage trashing the sidewalks and gum sticking to buildings. Uncomfortable without shoes once more, Ebony tried to avoid touching the ground as much as possible, which was quickly deemed unsuccessful. Her hoof landed in a puddle of polluted water, and she recoiled at the unpleasant feeling it sent running through her body. Looking up from her soggy hooves, she saw a familiar pony standing across the street, huddled in a corner with another shady looking pony. "Hey girls, do you know those two ponies?" Ebony asked, her gaze never leaving the dark alleyway. Octavia turned to where Ebony was staring. "Oh, yeah. I know that pony with the red coat. Real shady guy. My cousin Quill knows him really well," Ebony turned to face Octavia in surprise. "Quill is your cousin?" Vinyl decided to pop into the conversation. "Yeah, he's pretty cool. Why, do you know him?" "Yeah, he's my roommate," Ebony tried her hardest not to blush, but the pink was creeping up onto her face. "Ah, well that's unlucky for you," Octavia said. "So what about that pony there?" she gestured towards Ebony's dad. "Oh, well, uh... He looks really suspicious," stammered Ebony. She'd be so embarrassed if they ever found out that he was her dad. What if she'd lose the only friendship she had? "Well, he comes to Manehatten, twice a week," explained Vinyl. "He deals around those rare drugs like radiated lily pads and Celestial vines," included Octavia. Both of the musicians noticed Ebony squirming around uncomfortably. "What's wrong?" Vinyl asked, tucking away her goPod. "That's guy's my dad," Ebony explained in a rush, wincing at how bad that sounded. Vinyl's eyes widened, until it looked like they'd pop. Octavia's usual stoic expression remained the same, only an eyebrow lifted to acknowledge Ebony's words. Ebony slowly backed away, knowing that Vinyl and Octavia would probably ditch her. To her surprise, a determined look took place on both of their faces. "Then we shall make sure he gets caught!" declared Vinyl. "If you don't mind," added in Octavia. Waved of relief filled Ebony to the brim, making her grin widely. "Of course I don't mind!" she laughed, worrying Octavia that she'd go into hysterics. Thankfully, she didn't. "I'm just so surprised that this is the real life of my father," Ebony admitted, looking down at her sopped up hooves. "We're surprised too," sighed Vinyl. "But I know what will make you feel better!" "What?" "A music session!" "Oh," chuckled Ebony, pushing the thoughts about her father and Quill to the back of her mind. Her first mission was to earn her cutie mark. The ponies made their way over to the shop, which Octavia had to unlock since Vinyl had no idea how to unlock a door. "Alright, now to start out first music lesson!" announced Vinyl, climbing up on a counter to give her a higher ground. "Four score and twelve years ago, our fouding stallions have created a-" "Vinyl! Seriously?" Octavia's sharp voice sliced through the speech. "Aw.." Vinyl wilted, not even bothering to fight back. It was hopeless against Octavia. "Well, how about we start with something that involves acoustic guitar? I really like those," Ebony suggested. "Alright, then!" Vinyl regained her powerful voice. "Decades ago, the great mare Whimsical Whisp invented the guitar! It was long, grueling process, but-" "Vinyl!" "Aw.. What am I doing wrong?" Author's Note Shorter chappie.. :( writer's block -__-
Chapter Four: Jewel CrisisAfter what seemed like forever, Ebony returned to Pale Hearts College, her limbs sore. For some reason, Vinyl had suggested weight lifting, and Octavia had been too weary to argue. Ebony had left those two to man the shop, while she returned to do her homework. She entered the front lobby, the usual creeping cold of the tiling sending cold sensations throughout her body. Her thoughts were frozen on her father, who had been living a life of crime behind her back. No way would she be able to get over that quickly, though the music session proved to be a great distraction. Tiredly, Ebony crept up the stairs, since the elevator appeared to be out of order. After a minute or two of heaving herself up the winding stairs, Ebony found herself at her designated floor. She was set on finding her dorm when she was stopped by a familiar looking pony. "Um, Jewel Crisis, right?" Ebony said as she tried to find a way around her. "Yup! And you're Ebony! I need to talk to you!" the same interest was visible in her eyes, similar from earlier in the day. "Oh.. sure," Ebony hesitated to accept, her sore limbs crying out for rest. "Great! We can go to my dorm! My roommate's gone on a.. a trip," Jewel Crisis grinned widely. Ebony was suspecting something with Jewel's unnaturally upbeat. She glanced over at her flank, searching for her cutie mark. It looked like a disastrous hurricane made up of blackened gemstones. Ebony was more wary of the mare now, as she followed her down the corridor until they stopped in front of a door. Ebony never got a chance to see the number, she was too quickly shoved inside by Jewel Crisis. "Well, Ebony.. I've been wanting to talk to you about something.." Jewel trailed off as she locked the door behind her. Ebony gave an audible gulp, before nervously responding. "S-sure.." Jewel Crisis raised an eyebrow just like Octavia at Ebony's behavior. "Well, your dad.." she started off. "What about him?" Ebony quickly snapped her attention to Jewel Crisis. "Well, he's a famous drug dealer.." Jewel kept trailing off, which was irritating Ebony. "And lately, I've been blowing off all my money on his Sparkleweed. I want a good deal with him, but I can't find a way to contact him without the cops finding out," Ebony let a look of fierce annoyance take over her face. "What the hell do you want me to do about it?" she spat. "And how do you know I'm my dad's daughter?" "Oh, didn't you see my cutie mark? I've got a special thing for stirring up trouble," Jewel grinned. "How does going undercover sound?" "You're crazy!" Ebony remarked, truly bewildered. The sound of a door unlocking interrupted the small fight between the mares. The door opened, and what Ebony saw truly left her shocked. "Tornado?" The red stallion turned to look at her, amusement plastered on his face. "Oh, Ebony! Nice to see you!" he then turned to Jewel Crisis. "I've got some Rose sap, but we're gonna have to sell some more Braided Vines if we wanna get a better profit," "Can this day get any more botched up?" Ebony wailed. "You're all insane!" "Gee, you sure are good at convincing ponies, Jewel," Tornado rolled his eyes. "Shut up," Jewel Crisis huffed, taking the plastic bag from Tornado. "You do your explaining shit, and I take this sap somewhere safe," "Alright Ebony, it's really not as bad as it sounds," Tornado sat next to Ebony. "Your friggin' crazy!" Ebony glared. "Please, Ebony? Be reasonable," "I'm being friggin' reasonable!" Tornado cast Ebony a hard glare. "Do. it." "No," Ebony growled. All of the sudden, Ebony was hurled at the wall, the impact giving out a loud crack! Tornado calmly walked up to her, before holding his hoof to her throat and pinning her against the wall. "Listen to me, bitch," he lowered his voice to he sounded more menacing. "Now I've done a bunch of things that would scare you into hell, and I'm not afraid to harass you in any way, shape, or form," Ebony gulped. "And another thing I'd be proud to do is tie you up in my bed and take advantage of you all night," Tornado continued. "Now, we wouldn't want that, would we? Ebony nodded frantically, fearing what Tornado was actually capable of. Jewel Crisis walked into the room, then facehoofed when she saw what was going on. "Tornado, please, I told you no more rape in the college dorms!" she scolded. Ebony's mind was trying to process everything that was going on, pushing down her current terror. "I agree to your stupid drug thing! Am I done once I get you Sparkleweed?" Jewel turned to face her. "Yup! Three pounds by next month or next time, I won't stop Tornado," Three pounds? Ebony almost complained, but was given a warning look by Tornado. "Alright," Ebony huffed, squirming away from Tornado uncomfortably. "Can I go now?" Jewel Crisis nodded. "Don't tell a word about this, or your two friends are going down with you," Shaking, Ebony agreed quietly, before galloping out of the dorm. "You know, Tornado, you don't have to be so rough with her," Jewel Crisis said after Ebony had gone. "Yeah, I know," Tornado sighed. "But she's fun to mess around with," "Really? How so?" Jewel raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. Maybe she's too innocent," "Innocent, my ass!" snorted Jewel. "Not when we're through with her!" "Or when I'm through with her," Tornado grinned cruelly. "Stop creeping me out," Jewel Crisis rolled her eyes. A.N. Seriously, I feel so discouraged in writing this story... I wonder if I should make a hot scene? Won't be clop though. I don't know... I feel a bit lost. Sorry for making these chappies shorter! I feel like such a bad person... -___-
