The Whooves

Four ponies made their way out of the back of the studio. It was already dark and the only light came from a lamp over the door and an almost full moon. They turned and made their way towards the street. They only made it a few feet before bursting into laughter.

"I still can't believe you filled your bass drum with explosives" Rocker said looking at Crash.

"Well I wasn't going to be outdone by my little brother"

"Crash we're twins, you're only older by a few minutes"

"All I heard was I'm older"

"Your a filly trapped inside a mare's body, you know that right?" Rocker said, then he looked at his sister just in time to see her stick her tongue out at him.

"You realize all you're doing right now is proving me right?"

"So do you think that we'll ever be allowed in that studio again?" Treble cut in before Crash could answer.

"Not after the mess I made out of those drums" Crash said. She wasn't the type of pony that would admit to having overdone something, so if she admitted to being excessive with their playing there was a good chance they'd never step within three hundred feet of Golden Tone or his studio ever again.

"I just hope Golden Tone is alright" Stage Fright spoke in a near whisper. "We really seemed to scare him".

"He snapped out of it after five minutes" Rocker spoke up. "I wouldn't be too worried about him".

"Well... If you say so then I guess..."

Stage Fright was cut off by a crowd of screaming ponies. They had seen the four ponies coming out of the alley and into the street and began to swarm towards them.

"Looks like we have some fans..." Treble said.

"They don't appear to be slowing down" Rocker raised his voice to be heard over the screams.

"Should we start running now?" Crash said with a hint of worry in her voice.

The screaming ponies got closer, within ten feet.

"Yeah" Rocker managed to hold his cool "Start running now".

..........................................................................................................

After sprinting for six blocks the band had put some distance between themselves and their fans, although not nearly enough for their liking. Rocker took a sharp left into the door of a building.

"In here!" he shouted, already halfway through the door.

The rest of the band followed through the door, more or less. Stage Fright had been flying above them and plowed through an open window on the second floor. As soon as the rest of the band (with the exception of Stage Fright) made it through the door Rocker slammed it shut. Everypony paused on the other side of the door.

"Well... that was interesting..." Crash finally ended the silence.

"Yeah" Rocker added "and as long as they don't plan on breaking and entering we should be safe from them in here."

They stood in the doorway for a few minutes catching their breath until Crash spoke up.

"Uhmm... Rocker?" Crash asked looking at her brother.

"What's up?" a confused Rocker asked.

"Where's Stage Fright?"

Rocker opened his mouth to answer but got cut off by Treble.

"He crashed through the second floor window"

"And you're just telling us now?" Crash looked at him in disbelief.

"You didn't even notice until just now".

An awkward silence came over the group. Crash looked down at the floor, Rocker pretended to examine a picture on the wall and Treble keep glaring at Crash.

"Well maybe we should make sure he's alright" Crash said, looking up and finally breaking the silence.

"I'm fine guys" a soft voice cut answered from down the hall.

Stage Fright walked out of a doorway at the end of the hall and walked over to the rest of the band. A grey coated mare walked behind him. She had a black flowing mane that was beginning to show strands of silver in it. She looked at the group of ponies and spoke up.

"When I told you four to drop by anytime I meant using the door" she said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry Miss Philharmonic I didn't mean to come through the..." she cut him off.

"It's fine dear, just try to use the door next time".

"Y-y-yes Miss Philharmonic".

"I still can't believe anypony could be as shy as you Stage Fright, and I told you to call me Octavia."

"Sorry" Stage Fright seemed to melt into the floor.

Octavia sighed and looked at the other three ponies in her house.

"So what brings all of you here?"

"Well" Crash answered "we had just finished the show..."

"And nearly gave Golden Tone a heart attack" Rocker cut in.

"I saw, I was watching the show with your father. Continue with your story dear".

"Right, so after the show we ran into a group our fans".

"And they chased us when we tried to get away from them". Rocker cut in again.

"And your house was closest to us so we ran here to try and get away from them" Crash finally finished.

"So the only reason you're visiting your mother is because you got chased here by rabid fans?" Octavia said.

"You make us sound like terrible kids" Rocker said, slightly offended.

"Yeah, we visit you every other week mom" Crash finished the thought for him.

"I know, I know, and you're all very busy. Actually I'm amazed you visit as much as you do".

"It's because we're just that awesome" Rocker and Crash said in unison. Then looked at each other in disbelief that they had just done that.

"So are your fans still out there?" Octavia asked them.

"I have no idea" Rocker answered "and I have no desire to go out there and check".

"So you're all going to stay here for the night?" Octavia asked.

"J-j-just until it's dark enough to get out with out being seen... I mean if that's alright..." Stage Fright answered for the band.

"It's fine dears, you're always welcome here".

"One more thing mom" Crash said.

"Yes" Octavia answered.

"Can we use your studio for a little?" Rocker asked hopefully. "We have a new song we want to work on".

Octavia thought for a minute.

"I don't have a problem with it, but you might want to check with your father first, I think he's using it".

The band started to move down the hall.

"And I swear to Celestia if any of you touch my cello..."

"We won't even look at it mom" Rocker cut her off and then disappeared around the corner.

The band turned the corner and came to a door with the sign "Octavia and Frederic's Studio" printed on it. A small red light next to the door blinked off letting them know that someone had just finished recording. Making sure the light was, in fact, off Rocker pushed the door open and went it. An older tan coated stallion with white hair was walking between a reel to reel recorder and a piano. Hearing the door open he turned to look at who was coming in.

"Please tell me you're not coming to destroy this place next" he had a look of concern.

"Very funny dad" Crash answered walking into the room. "We didn't destroy the set only... mangled it".

Frederic let out a sigh. "Alright then why are you here? You never just come by to visit your mother and me".

"We visit ever other week and you know it!" Crash sounded a little offended.

"Crash I think he's kidding" Stage Fright let out a barely audible whisper.

Crash turned towards Stage Fright.

"I know that" she sounded sarcastic now, but still offended that Stage Fright had thought she couldn't realize that on her own.

"Well what really brings you here? It's a little late for a visit" Frederic persisted.

"We got chased by a heard of rabid fans" Crash and Rocker answered in unison and then seemed stunned they had done that a second time today.

"Ah, the benefits of playing classical music instead of rock and roll".

Rocker rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Anyway, we were kind of hoping we could use the studio if that's alright with you".

"Fine with me" he answered quickly. "But don't touch your mother's cello. Celestia help you if you do" he quickly added.

"We know" Rocker and Crash spoke in unison for the third time.

"That's getting really weird stop it" Rocker said.

"It's your fault".

"Can we do what we came her to do now please?" Treble cut in.

"Oh, yeah, we should probably get to working".

Crash moved toward a stack of cases in the corner.

"Good thing we left these here" she said as she used her magic to open the cases and then float out several instruments and amps.

With Crash's magic it only took a few minutes to get set up and soon the band was set to play.

"Alright guys remember, it's late and it is my parents house so keep it down a little". Rocker gave Crash a look. "Especially you".

"I do know how to drum quietly" Crash looked more than a little offended by that comment.

"Sure you do" Rocker said sarcastically. He then started to count off before she could say anything else.

"One... Two... One, two, three, four!"

His guitar burst into life followed by Treble's bass and Crash's drums, which were actually playing softer than usual. Stage Fright flew up to the mic and started to sing.

"Got a feeling inside"

"Can't explain" Rocker and Treble echoed.

"It's a certain kind"

"Can't explain"

.....................................................................................................

The band hit the final beat and set their stuff down.

"Great take guys" a voice came from the other side of the room.

"Vinyl!" Crash turned to look at the pony the voice had come from.

Vinyl dodged to get out of the way of the grey blur headed her way, which caused Crash to... well... crash.

"Miss me?" Vinyl looked Crash who was now buried under the cases that normally held their equipment.

"Just a little" Crash said innocently.

"What are you doing here?" Rocker asked walking over to talk with Vinyl.

"I came by to make sure I had the right dates for when Octy- er, your mother is going on vacation. I need to find another co-host for my show while she's gone. Now, enough about me, why are all of you here".

"Rabid fans" the whole band answered simultaneously.

"Ah, I've had that problem a couple of times, being the awesome DJ I am, not to mention my own radio show".

"I'm sure you've had all sorts of problems with them" Crash answered from under the cases. It looked like she was stuck.

"Uhmm, a little help guys?" which confirmed she was stuck.

Stage Fright flew over to help her.

"I got you Crash" the pegasus answered.

"So..." Rocker turned away from the scene "Who did you plan on getting to co-host with you?"

"Actually Rocker I was hoping you would help" Vinyl said.

"S-s-sure" Rocker sputtered out an answer. "But why me?"

"Well I was hoping to interview you guys at some point so I wanted one of you to do it, not to mention you're my regular co-hosts son. Some listeners probably won't even notice the difference".

"How come I can't help?" Crash asked, halfway out from under the cases.

"Because I've seen what you do to your drums you're not allowed anywhere near my stuff" Vinyl answered with the most serious face she could make.

"But Vinyl..."

Vinyl cut her off.

"I told you I was going to interview the band, you'll be on soon enough".

"Fine" Crash looked disappointed.

"Well, I better get going". Vinyl turned toward the door. "Be there at 8:00 tomorrow, alright Rocker?"

"Sure Vinyl, I'll be there".

"Good see you then". Vinyl walked out of the room.

"I never get to do anything" Crash pouted from her corner, almost free of the cases.

Then the stacked cases fell on top of Crash again. A muffled "ow" came from under the pile.

"Sorry" Stage Fright said as he hurried to get the cases back off of Crash.