Highschool

Chapters

A night on the town
Back to School
The flame blooms
Opening up
A chance encounter

A night on the town

Octavia came to the realm of the conscious to find a seemingly insane unicorn shaking her. She did the first thing that came to mind she screamed, it was louder than anything Octavia thought her self capable of making. It seemed to surprise the unicorn mare as well who had finally stopped shaking her. Taking advantage of the unicorns surprise Octavia quickly shoved her away and made a break for it. She only made it a few feet away before the world around her collapsed sending her falling to the cold hard pavement. Octavia remained conscious this time but she had wished she hadn't pain was evident in her head particularly on the left side of her head which she assumed was what hit the pavement before and knocked her out. Octavia looked up to see the unicorn mare quickly approaching.

"Don't get any closer." Octavia said slowly rising to her feet the unicorn mare just kept walking like she hadn't said anything. Octavia had gotten to her feet and extended her forearm to try and stop the other pony from getting any closer this caused her to lose her balance and begin to fall. She closed her eyes not wanting to watch herself hit the ground. She waited a few seconds only to find she hadn't hit the ground but she was somehow floating in mid air. She opened her eyes to see that very same white unicorn she was trying to push away holding her up.

"You ok that was a nasty fall you just took." She said slowly setting Octavia back onto all fours.

"I'm fine." Octavia said leaning into the side of the unicorn mare who looked back still wearing a concerned expression. "I said I'm fine." The unicorn mare looked confused for a second then yanked two white earbuds out of her ears.

"Sorry forgot to take these out what were you saying."

"I said that I'm fine thank you for helping me though." She said taking her weight off of the unicorn mare but quickly losing her balance.

"Woah, hey take it easy maybe you should just sit down for a while." The unicorn mare said catching Octavia and slowly helping her sit on her haunches.

"No no no no, if I don't get home before my parents notice I'm gone I'll be grounded for years," she groaned.

"Well if you go home now your parents are probably going to wonder how their daughter got a concussion from sleeping." Vinyl said turning to find a grey earth pony glaring at her.

"I'm sorry I don't think I asked your opinion on the matter."

"Woah there, no need to be snappy. Just trying to help." Octavia felt a little bit of guilt for lashing out at this pony, she had only been trying to help.

"Sorry, its just that if my parents find out I was out this late they would lock me in my room for months."

"That strict huh, you really got it bad. Speaking of out on the streets what are you doing out here so late anyways you don't really strike me as the type of pony who would be out on the streets late at night."

"T-that's none of your business miss, ummm." Octavia stuttered.

"The names Vinyl."

"Miss Vinyl, and i would like it if you wouldn't ask."

"Cut out all the Miss crap its just Vinyl." She said a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Sorry force of habit." Octavia grinned sheepishly.

"No biggy." Vinyl said shrugging her shoulders. After a few seconds that seemed to stretch on forever of awkward silence, neither pony knowing exactly what to say Octavia spoke up.

"Well I really need to be getting back home," Octavia said slowly rising to her hooves."I'll have to be going now thanks for all your help mi-um, Vinyl," she said walking away a bit more wobbly then she had hoped. A hoof was gently placed on her shoulder and she turned to see two pools of magenta giving her a concerned look.

"You should probably sit back down, you don't want to fall again." Octavia let out a loud groan.

"Ugh but I have to get home." The throbbing pain in her head had only gotten worse and now was bringing her close to tears. Octavia just wanted to get home she had no time to be sitting around.

"Alright give me a second I'm going to use a spell to see if there's any serious problems," Vinyl said her horn beginning to glow a slight red.

"Is this going to hurt?" Octavia asked.

"No, you should only feel a slight tingle then it will all be over." She said her horn starting to get brighter and brighter. The next thing Octavia knew there was a glow of crimson encasing her and she was lifted off the ground. Octavia felt vinyls magic wash over her it felt like what she imagined electricity hopping through her fur would feel like. The glow on vinyls horn started to fade as Octavia was gently set back down on the ground.

"You want the good or bad news first?" Vinyl said a look of worry on her face.

"The good please." Octavia said glumly.

"You have a concussion."

"And that's suppose to be good news?" Octavia said worry present in her voice.

"Nope I decided to give you the bad news first." A devilish grin making its way onto her face.

"Then whats the good news?"

"I can get rid of it but there's a catch."

"And what's the catch?"

"The stuff I6 need to treat it is back at my house."

"Alright how far is it?"

"Its about a 20 or so minute walk"

"Then we better get started." Octavia said rising to her hooves only to find they were very unsteady. She felt her legs begin to buckle under her and she began to fall back towards the concrete. She braced herself for what was surely to come next when two white forehooves grabbed her and set her back down gently in a sitting position.

"Jeeze quit trying to walk around. Here one sec I think I know a spell that should help you walk and take away some of the pain," Vinyl said her horn glowing a brighter and deeper red then before. "Alright close your eyes this one's going to feel a little bit different." Octavia closed her eyes and felt a sudden jolt of pain more intense then her headache shoot through her head and in the same second it was gone taking with it most of the pain from the headache. "Alright you can open your eyes now," Vinyl huffed clearly out of breath. Octavia opened her eyes to see Vinyl panting looking very tiered. "Alright try walking now, it should be a lot easier." Octavia started to slowly lift herself off the ground more cautious this time then before. Only to find that she could easily walk and stand also the pain in her head had subsided and all that remained was a dull ache.

"Wow thanks you must be a pretty good doctor," she said jumping up and down testing her balance.

"Huh, doctor?" Vinyl said looking very confused.

"Yeah you're a doctor right?"

"Nope what gave you the idea?"

"Well you know all of these medical spells and know whats wrong with me and have equipment to help fix my concussion so i just figured."

"Ahh I see what you mean, but no I'm not a doctor. My moms a nurse and i picked up a few things over the years." She said tapping a hoof over her cutie mark, "My dreams actually to become a great musical artist." Vinyl said as Octavia finally saw the two eighth notes on her flank signifying her special talent as something to do with music.

"Wow what a coincidence I also want to be a great musician as you can see." Octavia said pointing a hoof at the pink treble clef on her flank. "What instruments do you play?"

Vinyl sighed, "I play the violin among other things. What about you?"

"I play the cello." Octavia said an idea striking her,"You know we should get together and play a duet some time." Vinyl laughed. "Whats so funny?"

"Well I mean you just met me out on the streets late at night and five minutes after screaming into my ear you ask me to play a duet with you its just a little unreal is all." Vinyl said Octavia's cheeks turning a slight shade of pink

"I suppose it is," Octavia said as a brief wave of nausea and pain swept over her. "We should probably get moving before this spell wears off."

"Alright follow me my house is this way." Vinyl said starting to trot down one of the streets when she suddenly paused, "I don't think I ever caught what your name is."

"Oh where are my manners, my names Octavia."

"Alright Octavia lets get moving before that spell wears off." They walked through the streets in complete silence. Stopping a few times when the spell started to falter and Octavia lost her balance. They both continued walking one leading the other following all the while slowly traveling closer and closer to the crime heart of the city and Vinyls home. As time passed and they got closer to Vinyls house Octavia noticed that somewhere along the way the buildings had started to become more worn down and unfamiliar to her she couldn't help but notice that the buildings kept becoming more and more suspicious the further they walked.

"Vinyl are you quite sure that this is the right way this is not exactly the best part of town to be in this late at night." Vinyl couldn't help but laugh. "I fail to see any humor in that Vinyl"

"I'm sorry but, its just that this is probably the first time you've ever been to this part of town and its funny to see how you noble ponies react when your so far away from home." She said teasingly

"I fail to see whats so humorous about my reaction and how did you know that I was part of a noble family."Vinyl pointed at her neck or to be more precise the object that was tightened around it.

"Normal ponies don't usually wear bow ties and the way you style your tail and mane is a total give away." Vinyl said matter of factly.

Grimacing from another wave of pain and nausea Octavia gripped her head and leaned on a nearby building."Vinyl how close are we to your house I don't think the spell is going to last much longer."

"Its just around the corner come on we're almost there." Vinyl said putting Octavia's other hoof around her neck and leading her towards the end of the street. "Alright its these apartments." She said pulling her keys out of her mane and into the door swinging it wide with her telekinesis.

"You keep your keys in your mane?" Octavia said as she entered the small three bedroom apartment. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the floor random items littered the room covering most of the floor. All of her senses seemed to be assaulted at once her nose and eyes watered from the acrid smell of alcohol that seemed to emanate from every surface in the room. Her hooves scraped up against the crusty remains of what once must have been nice shag carpet. Her ears were assaulted by some loud throbbing noise coming from one of the bedrooms down the apartment's only hallway.

"Yeah, where else am I suppose to put them. I can't exactly just carry them around with telekinesis all the time and I can't really think of any more desirable places I would want to put them." She said jokingly.

"Nevermind that, Vinyl is this really where you live?"

"Yep home sweet home, What? doesn't suit your tastes." She teased.

"No not exactly and I can tell you right now that smell isn't going to be doing my headache or nausea any favors it smells like a bunch of frat boys came here and had a party then afterwards they all took turns puking on the carpet."

"Yeah well you wont have to stay here long." She said clearly hurt by this last comment. "Go take a seat on the couch. I'll go get the head gear and I'll be right out." Octavia felt a pang of guilt maybe she had been a little bit to harsh. This was, after all where Vinyl lived and she had taken all of two steps in and immediately insulted it.

Octavia took her hoof off Vinyls shoulder and slowly started to wobble towards the couch hesitating a few steps away "Don't worry the couch wont bite you," Vinyl said walking down the only hallway in the house and opening a door at the end of the hallway. "I'll be out in a second make yourself comfortable."

Octavia waited patiently she had decided not to sit on the couch and instead stand but as her eyes adjusted more to the dim light in the apartment she began to notice it was even messier then when she first thought. There were empty bottles of various different liquors strewn across the floor along with Chinese takeout boxes and many empty pizza boxes.

"Alright found it," Vinyl said as she entered the room catching Octavia looking around at the mess she called home. "Paradise ain't it." She said sarcastically. This got a laugh out of the grey earth pony.

"Look Vinyl I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I just didn't expect your house to smell this much of alcohol. It was impolite and no way for a guest to act especially when your doing me a favor."

"Eh don't sweat it I frankly cant stand the smell either I gave up on trying to clean up around here ages ago. I was more ticked off about the mess then I was at you insulting my house." Octavia's attention drifted away from Vinyls words and to the helmet she was holding in her hands. It was a white and had wires and light bulbs sticking out from the top of it in various colors shapes and sizes.

"Umm Vinyl what is that."

"Oh this," she said regarding the object in her telekinetic grip. "Its whats going to get rid of that nasty concussion of yours. Now close your eyes and keep them shut this is going to feel really weird." She said strapping the helmet to Octavia's head.

"V-Vinyl have you done this before." She said nervousness building inside her as Vinyl began to charge her horn which began to glow a luminescent red.

"Nope."

"But you know what your doing right." Octavia said fear now evident in her voice

"Basically."

"What do you mean basically!" Octavia said her breaths growing short and ragged.

"Calm down worse case scenario your brain gets scrambled, like an egg," Vinyl said her horn growing brighter and brighter.

"WHAT!! I changed my mind I think I'll go home now."

"Too late." Vinyl said her horn shooting off a red beam of light triggering the helmet to light up and whir like crazy. A flash of light blinded Octavia and she felt herself suspended in mid air for a brief second before coming to her senses. When she did she saw Vinyl rolling on the floor in laughter.

"ARE YOU INSANE, YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!!" Octavia yelled taking off the helmet and throwing it at Vinyl who promptly caught it in her telekinesis.

"Y-y-you should have seen the look on your face i-i-it was priceless," She said between fits of laughter.

"How can you be laughing about this you might have killed me!" Octavia screamed practically bursting with anger.

"Calm down, don't worry you were never in any trouble at all," Vinyl said trying hard to stifle her laughter.

"What do you mean you said it could have scrambled my brain." Octavia said resentment still present in her voice.

"Well duh I was lying." She said flatly.

"So let me get this straight, you lied to me about being in a life threatening situation just so you could see my reaction, because you think that its funny." Octavia said vehemently.

"Well when you put it that way it sounds really bad. But look on the bright side you can walk and stand without falling over anymore." Vinyl said pointing her hoof towards Octavia. Octavia hadn't noticed it but after she had thrown the helmet at Vinyl she had taken a few steps towards her and was now practically standing over her looking very menacing.

"Thank you for that but I should probably be getting home now." Octavia said making a mad dash for the door not really wanting to spend anymore time with this sadistic unicorn. Right as she grabbed onto the door handle Vinyl spoke up.

"Hold on, you're going back out there alone?" Vinyl said looking towards Octavia with that same look of worry as before

"Yes that's the plan," Octavia said shifting awkwardly between her hooves.

"So you're saying your going to walk home through a shady neighborhood that you're unfamiliar with in the middle of night alone." Vinyl said bringing a hoof to her face and shaking her head.

"Well when you put it that way." Octavia said ears flattening against her head.

"Do you want me to tag along?" Vinyl asked. Octavia wasn't sure if she did, sure this mare knew the streets but Octavia could probably find a way to a part of the city she was familiar with. But then again this neighborhood wasn't really the safest and she could really use someone who knew the streets well. If she went out there alone she might get lost or kidnapped or... worse. That settled it for Octavia.

"If I'm being honest not really but it doesn't look like I have much of a choice" Octavia said.

"That's the spirit," she said in her usual jovial tone. "Hey if it makes a difference I won't scare or tease you anymore, It wasn't very nice," Vinyl said in a much more serious tone.

"No it wasn't, but i'll forgive you after all you did sort of save my ass tonight." Octavia smirked a ghost of a smile appearing on her lips.

"Alright we can leave just one second let me grab something." Vinyl said Her voice regaining some of the joy from earlier. Vinyl opened a door down the hallway with her telekinesis slowly lifting something out of what Octavia presumed was her room. Octavia saw a single item float out which she recognized as sunglasses with horrendously tacky purple lenses in them Which came to rest on the bridge of Vinyls nose. "Ok I'm all ready to go."

"Your wearing sunglasses... In the middle of the night." Octavia said

"Yeah, and?"

"You, are one strange pony Vinyl." Octavia remarked

"You're saying that like i didn't already know." Vinyl joked

"Alright lets get going." Octavia said opening the door and walking out on to the sidewalk and starting to walk down the street

"Hey wait up remember you have no clue where we are." Vinyl said to which Octavia's cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"Oh yeah, so which way do we go." Octavia said as Vinyl facehoofed.

"I don't know that depends where you live." Vinyl dully stated slowly dragging her hoof off her face and setting it back on the ground. Octavia's face grew a darker shade of red.

"Oh right I live on 88 Moonlight drive." Octavia said attempting to hide her blush.

"Alright that's about 5 miles from here so its going to be a long walk."

"Ok which way are we going?"

"That way," Vinyl indicated by pointing a forehoof in a general direction down the street. "Just follow me and we'll be to your house in no time." She said as she began to walk down the street. A few minutes passed in silence in that time Octavia had constantly noticed her unicorn companions eyes being torn away from the ground only to get caught in the night sky's embrace.

"You know its a shame that we wont be having too many more nights like this." Octavia said snapping her companions gaze away from the stars and bringing it back to the earth.

"What do you mean?" Vinyl asked.

"There probably wont be too many more clear warm nights considering summers almost over."

"Yeah, its a shame these nights are always the best for stargazing. And plus with school starting up again I wont be able to be out at night." Vinyl said wistfully.

"Oh your also in school what grade."

"Oh I'll be a junior when we go back this year."

"Me too, what schoo-" Octavia attempted to say only to be cut off mid sentence by Vinyl.

"Hold on a second Octavia we have to take go down this street up here and its probably better that we stay quiet." Vinyl said.

"Why?"

"This part of the neighborhood isn't the safest but its also the fastest way to get to your house and if we try to get around it it would take us about an hour longer. And while we're walking through there their are some ponies that we might want to avoid." Octavia looked down the street nothing different was readily apparent just the same broken down buildings and graffiti on the walls she had become accustomed to.

"It doesn't look that much different." Octavia stated.

"Looks can be deceiving Ok so just keep quiet and we'll be through here real quick," Vinyl said as she started walking down the side street. They walked silently through the streets taking twist and turns where Vinyl directed all the while Octavia noticing the condition of the buildings around them slowly degrading becoming more and more desolate and ominous.

As Octavia and Vinyl strode deeper into the heart of Canterlot's crime district they noticed something that was a little out of place. They could feel it in their hooves long before they could see what was causing it. Something was causing the ground to shake under them it wasn't an earthquake it was too soft for that it was steady and had a rhythm to it. Octavia knew that she had felt it somewhere before but she couldn't quite put her hoof on where or what it was. She noticed that her counterpart had started moving her head in time with the vibrations she couldn't really blame her the rhythm was infectious. As they rounded another corner Octavia set her eyes on a house with flashing lights streaming out the windows and at the same point identified this house as the source of the vibrations in her hooves. Then it hit her she immediately remembered where she had felt this before.

It had been almost two years ago at a party she had been invited to, well she hadn't really been invited she had been dragged along by her sister. She remembered that she had been standing relatively close to the speakers while they were playing a classical song but it had suddenly changed into what Octavia could classify as little more than random noises and an overwhelming amount of bass that seemed to shake her to the bone.

"You would think people would be more considerate about the amount of noise they make this late." Octavia said fighting to be heard over the blaring noise coming from the house.

"Octavia quiet remember." Vinyl said in a hushed tone

"Woops sorry." Octavia said much quieter this time. They walked up the street towards the house quickening their pace as they neared the windows of the house where they could easily be seen from inside. The repeated throbbing sensation the bass gave Octavia was slowly bringing back her headache from earlier and she would be happy when they were completely out of earshot of the house. They were almost past the house when seemingly out of nowhere Vinyl grabbed Octavia and yanked her into a dark alleyway. She was about to open her mouth to protest when she saw Vinyl raise a forehoof to her lips and shush her. She then pointed her forehoof towards the entrance of the house where Octavia saw one rather bulky looking black earth pony pushing a scrawny turquoise pegasus out the front door of the house.

"I told you man to stop hitting on my girlfriend or I was gonna throw you out." The earth pony said annoyance clear in his voice

"And I told you she was the one who came onto me." He said slurring his words as he spoke.

"I highly doubt that man now get out of here." He said throwing the pegasus to the ground.

"Oh your going to pay for that." The pegasus mumbled getting to his hooves and throwing a punch at the earth pony as he easily deflected it and grabbed the pegasus's forearm.

"That's it I'm sick of your shit first you hit on my girlfriend and now you try to pick a fight with me." The earth pony said raising his other forearm to the pegasus's arm still in his hooves and began to push it against the joint. Octavia looked on horrified as the pegasai's forearm was practically snapped in half. The peagasus let out a shrill cry that couldn't sound anymore painful.

"Y-y-you just broke my arm h-h-how am I going to get around you asshole." The pegasus said visibly trembling.

"I see two perfectly good wings and I suggest that you start flapping them before I decide to break something else." The earth pony said still staring the peagasus down who was stunned in either pain or pure terror.

"Well, get to flapping!!!" the earth pony yelled snapping the pegasus out of his stupor who began flapping his wings in a panicked frenzy trying to get away from his tormentor as fast as he could. The earth pony calmly walked back to the house looking hardly fazed like what had just happened was an everyday occurrence.

Octavia and Vinyl just stood there too shocked to even move. After a few minutes had passed Vinyl spoke up "We should probably get moving." she gulped.

"Yeah lets do that." Octavia said clearly shaken by what had just happened.

"You might want to stay a little bit longer, that is if you want to get out of here unharmed." Octavia and Vinyl jumped out of their skins. They both slowly turned around to see a dark green unicorn stallion standing a mere 3 feet away from them levitating a rather sharp looking knife menacingly at the two. "Now both of you are going to hand over all your money and do exactly as I say and neither of you will get hurt. Got it?"

Octavia's mind shut down, all of this was just too much for her brain to process. First she fell and got knocked out only to get saved by a sadistic unicorn. Then she witnessed a pegasus get his arm snapped in half. And now some mysterious stallion was pointing a knife towards her. All of this happening in one night purely by chance she felt all thought leave her mind she couldn't do anything she was helpless.

"Now both of you give me all the money you have." He said a wicked smile piercing the darkness of the alleyway to reveal two sets of gleaming white pearls in his evil smile

"I don't have any money on me." Vinyl said her glasses hiding the fear in her eyes that was clearly evident in her voice.

"Alright then you," the mysterious stallion said pointing the knife towards Octavia, "Give me all the money you have."

Octavia's mind went blank she couldn't think of anything to say. She couldn't even remember if she had brought any money with her or not. Her brain simply wasn't working as she stared blankly at the stallion.

"Hey whats wrong with you I said hand your money over," he said while taking a few steps towards Octavia. She just stared back blankly. "Hey whats wrong with you I told you to hand it over." He said angrily levitating the knife closer to Octavia's neck

"She doesn't have any money on her either." Vinyl stated.

"Is that so." The mysterious stranger said narrowing his eyes at Vinyl. "Then I'll have to think of something else you two can give me." He said His eyes gaining a cold glint of something far more insidious then just robbing the two mares. "Both of you turn around."

Somehow this message got through to Octavia and she turned around seeing nothing but empty road in front of her. She felt a slight tugging at the base of her tail along with a lingering feeling of electricity lifting it up and she could hear the stallion starting to laugh maniacally behind her.

"I think I'll start with the white one its always more fun when they can actually scream." He said walking closer and closer to Vinyl, knife still levitating somewhere between Octavia and Vinyl. He lowered his face down Staring at Vinyls most precious place when Vinyls leg suddenly flexed and like lightning she bucked the stallion square in the jaw. Octavia heard the knife clatter to the ground and the stallion stagger backwards into the alley. She saw Vinyl start to run but found that she couldn't make her hooves do the same.

Vinyl paused mid run. "Octavia what are you doing, run!"

"You little bitch your going to pay for that." She heard the stallion mumble from somewhere behind her. Vinyl grabbed one of her hooves and Octavia found herself being practically dragged out of the alleyway. She urged her hooves to run found that her hooves were not complying.

"Octavia you have to run I can't carry you all the way to your house!" Vinyl practically shouted. This snapped Octavia's mind awake and she found her hooves finally cooperating again. She began to run as fast as she could away from that alleyway. Not daring to look back she ran, she ran faster than she ever had before only one thought present in her mind. Get home. The entire world shifted into a blur as Octavia's hooves connected with the concrete at such a rapid pace that her white counterpart was having trouble keeping pace. Finally Octavia started to recognize where she was, regaining a bit of her composure she slowed down and finally came to a complete stop.

A very exhausted white unicorn slowly walked up next to her. "Hey, I've been shouting at you that we lost him for at least half a mile what the fuck," Vinyl said in between gasps for air.

"Huh, what." Octavia said clearly still dazed.

"What are you deaf. I said that I've been trying to get you to slow down for at least half a mile." Vinyl said leaning up against a near by building to try and catch her breath.

"Oh sorry I just started to run and everything else is sort of a blur," Octavia said still maintaining a far off look in her eye's.

"Hello, earth to Octavia," Vinyl said waving a forehoof in front of Octavia's face which snapped her attention back to Vinyl. "Jeeze whats wrong with you first you freeze up back there with that mugger now you're just staring off into space; and how are you not tiered after we ran all that way. We must have run at least two miles." Octavia just shrugged "Whatever, lets get going." Vinyl said now breathing normally again. They walked on in complete silence Octavia now knew her way back to her house but let Vinyl lead the way anyways. She felt a lot safer having Vinyl around after that encounter with the mugger and a little bit guilty for not really wanting her to come in the first place. If Vinyl hadn't been there I could have been raped or worse. Octavia was glad that Vinyl had come along with her otherwise things could have been a lot worse than they were.

"Hey Vinyl." Octavia said Stopping the two of them under a street sign and a street light

"Yeah."

"Thanks for all of this it was really nice of you."

"Eh don't sweat it I'm sure you would've done the same for somepony in need." Octavia bit her tongue the truth was she wasn't sure if she would have helped some random pony as much as Vinyl had helped her. Would she go through all the effort to help some random pony she didn't even know? Would she do so much as to take them into her own home and help them when she could just keep walking, would she?

"Hey I think this is your street." Vinyl said. This pulled Octavia out of her haze of thoughts she looked up towards the sign on the corner of the street, Sure enough there it was Moonlight drive.

"Alright my house should be right up here." Octavia said starting to trot up the familiar street only to notice that her counterpart was still standing on the corner of the street. "Aren't you coming." She called back to the white unicorn, Vinyl shook her head indicating she wasn't.

"No reason to you know where you are now." She said

"Oh I guess your right." Octavia said stepping a few feet towards Vinyl. "Listen Vinyl I cant thank you enough for all you've done for me tonight, you really are amazing." She said now standing merely a foot away.

"I told you before Its no trouble." Vinyl said not really sure why Octavia had come so close.
` "I know, But there's something I want to give you before you leave." Octavia said extending her forelegs then wrapping them around Vinyls neck she felt Vinyls body go rigid."Thank you." She whispered and then turned around quickly trotting off down the street. Leaving Vinyl still standing on the corner stunned, her face a bright shade of red. Octavia trotted up quietly to her house being careful not to make any noise. She silently opened up the front door. She creeped inside and slowly shut the door behind her letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in. She turned around ready to go to her room and get a few hours of sleep before the sun rose. A new respect for the unicorn she had just met and would probably never see again in tow with her.

She started to walk down the hallway towards her room when a voice interrupted her. "Well you're home late." Octavia froze, she had been caught, she was about to be grounded for the rest of her life. She managed to turn her head to the side to see a shadowy figure in the doorway. "You're so busted." The shadowy figure said stepping from the doorway into the light of the hallway revealing a white coat, a light pink mane and tail both long and flowing and a scale full of notes adorning her flank telling Octavia this wasn't one of her parents but instead her sister.

"Oh Melody I thought you were mom or dad." She said letting out a relived sigh.

"Where have you been all night Octy?" She said in a questioning tone.

"Ugh, Melody do you have to call me that, you know how I hate that nickname."

"I don't have to call you that just like I don't have to tell mom and dad that you were out this late." She said putting extra emphasis on the word have.

"Alright melody what do you want?" She groaned.

"Hmmm you can start by telling me where you were and what you were doing."

Seeing no other way out then telling melody what had happened that night Octavia sighed, "Its a long story."

"I have time." The pink haired mare said gesturing towards her bedroom. Octavia solemnly walked into her sisters bedroom seeing the walls painted the exact same shade of pink as her sisters tail and mane.

"Alright where do I start."

Vinyl stood there stunned Octavia had done what a mugger had failed to do she had left her unprepared and defenseless. Something as simple as a hug had done this to her but to Vinyl it was something more than that. It was a sign that somepony cared, something Vinyl had rarely seen the past couple of years. Vinyl felt the blood rise to her face as Octavia wrapped her forehooves around her neck. She stood as still as she could not daring to move and then the grey mare whispered something into her ears "Thank you." Vinyl watched still stunned as Octavia turned around and ran off down the street she hoped that Octavia hadn't noticed her blush.

Vinyl stood there not sure what had just happened she shouldn't have been so dazed after that, and yet somehow she was still standing there frozen; hooves glued to the concrete refusing to move. Thank you The words still echoed around in her head. Vinyl had just met this pony, yet she felt somehow compelled to help her. She thought back to when Octavia was about to leave her apartment she didn't have to help her she could have just let her walk out the door and fend for herself in fact that would have been a lot easier than helping her out Vinyl had even put herself at risk to help a mare that minutes before had insulted her home and herself.

There was just something different about this pony, different from all the jerks and assholes and snooty nobles which in the past two years had become part of her daily life. Vinyl could tell from the point when she saw Her lying on the pavement that she was different. different from the scum who would normally be roaming the streets that late at night. Truth be told when Vinyl had looked closer she thought she saw something much worse than being a street urchin she thought that she might have been one of 'them' and yet she was still different from those noble ponies that had come to ridicule her. Somehow Octavia had landed somewhere in the middle between a stuck up high class pony and a lowly street urchin. Don't get her wrong she was still a noble and was still inexperienced in the real world but she seemed to lack the self important attitude many of them tend to develop.

It was strange to Vinyl meeting somepony who wasn't a total deadbeat or someone who wasn't out to harass or torment her. It seemed like in the past two years those were the only type of ponies left to Vinyl but somehow on a random summers night Vinyl had found an exception to that. Someone who wasn't a complete deadbeat but someone who wasn't entirely rude. And for a few short hours Vinyl actually got to be herself around somepony else, even if it had only been a few short hours it felt amazing to her having a friend if only for a few hours.

Vinyl shook herself out of her daze she hadn't realized it but she had been lost in thought on that same corner for who knows how long it could have been hours or maybe it was only a few minutes. she turned the corner and started walking, thoughts preoccupied with a strange grey and black earth pony.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long to get out i don't really have an excuse other than i was just lazy and procrastinated writing this for a long time but hey look on the bright side this chapter is over 3 times longer than the first one and hopefully a lot better than it to. So other than that there is something I need from you guys, Music. Please if you guys have any classical music please send it to me. I even made a blog post about it.

Back to School

There's never really a starting point no definitive beginning or end all there is, is blackness surrounding me, engulfing me. Like a stone I fall deep into the inky darkness no control over my actions no control at all. That's when it starts, the mental onslaught that seems to be ever present in the back of my mind only rearing its ugly head in my nightmares. It Starts tearing into me yelling all my insecurities all my shortcomings using them all to tear me down and leave me curled into a ball sobbing and weeping loudly. The voice never stops never taking a break for no matter how long it goes on no one else comes its just me and the voice alone in the darkness. I know this voice it has a name and that name is Lyra Heartstrings.

Vinyl woke with a start practically jumping out of bed before realizing where she was, same surroundings as always pale white streetlight filtering through the blinds. She was covered from head to toe in a cold sweat just like all the other times. This had been happening for about two years she had found some respite from the nightmare during the summer but now it was back in full force. She remembered when it first started it was somewhere around the end of her freshman year it came slow at first once a month maybe twice not being too much trouble and then it went away with the end of school that year. During her time as a sophomore the nightmare returned within a month of starting school and remained getting worse and worse throughout the year until eventually it was a nightly occurrence. Waking up for the start of her junior year Vinyl was sure of one thing, the nightmare would continue.

Stepping out of bed Vinyl dawned her signature shades and sighed, looking down at the clock she realized it was only 4:30 and she had only got about an hours worth of sleep. The idea of going back to sleep only to be awoken by the same voice inside her head sounded less than appealing. Although it was still early Vinyl decided it would be better to get a headstart on getting ready for the first day back to school. Walking out into the hallway Vinyl’s senses were assaulted by a variety of sights sounds and smells all bringing about disgust. The stench of alcohol filled her nostrils. Bottles of liquor were strewn about the hallway and a horrible discordant cacophony of sounds emanated from her brothers room across the hall. Walking down the hallway making sure not to trip over any bottles that littered the pathway. She tried to open the door to the bathroom only for it to get stuck on something halfway leaving the door slightly ajar. Jamming her head through the slit between the doorway and the wall she saw that a teal earthpony lay passed out next to the toilet. The contents of his stomach last night still residing within the toilet bowl.

With a heavy sigh Vinyl pulled her head from the doorway and began trodding down the hallway knocking bottles left and right. reaching the door to her brothers room she forced it open hearing the sounds of empty glass bottles clang against one another. Not surprisingly this amount of racket was not enough to wake the sleeping ponies strewn across the floor. Spotting her brother covered in sheets and the arms of a mare Vinyl had never seen before she approached the side of his bed.

"Dimitri wake up." she said in a hushed tone slightly shaking him. This evoked an irritated grumble out of the dark purple unicorn.

"Go away," He mumbled using a hoof to push her away.

"Wake up one of your friends is passed out in the bathroom."She said angrily. The sound of snoring returning. Walking over to the only window of her brothers room she parted the blinds and turned on the overhead lights. An overwhelming amount of grumbles and protests replaced the sounds of snoring. She walked back over to the side of her brothers bed. The same brother that was now burying his face into a pillow. She shook him once more. "Get up and get your friend out of the bathroom."

"Alright alright shut your trap already I’m going,”He said pushing Vinyl out of the way and getting out of bed. Following him down the hall she watched him knock on the door and shout,” Hey Sparks wake the hell up.” The sounds of Sparks groans and protests were the only sounds that came from the bathroom.”Motherfucker.” Dimitri said under his breath.” Get the fuck out other people want to use the bathroom.” He said shoving the door into the pony on the otherside.

“Eh, fine fine I’m moving,” The teal earthpony said stumbling out of the bathroom and into the hallway. Tripping over himself as he walked down to the end of the hallway.

”There now can I go back to bed,” Dimitri said looking at Vinyl with an annoyed look on his face.

“Yeah just make sure none of your friends come walking in on ‘accident’.”

“Oh come on that was one time and we all walk around naked anyways.”

“Still just keep your friends out until I’m done.” Vinyl said.

“Fine fine whatever.” Dimitri said walking back into his room and shutting the door. Vinyl heard him lock the door behind himself as he entered.

Vinyl stepped into the bathroom using her magic to levitate her ipod and glasses off her nose and out of her hair and onto a nearby counter. Scrolling through a list of songs Vinyl couldn't find any that she particularly wanted to hear. Deciding to leave it to chance she hit shuffle and stepped into the shower. A slow pulsing bass filled the air around Vinyl as she twisted the knob of the shower. Feeling the cold water of the shower wash over her coat Vinyl let out a low sigh. Today was going to be her first day back at school in over three months. The stress wore on her considerably as the weeks came closer to this day. It had all accumulated into a ball of nervousness and anxiety. Vinyl knew that this year would be no different from the last she’d go to school everyday and put up and act of bravado and false confidence. It killed Vinyl putting on that act every day acting brave, acting outgoing it was tiresome and at some points she didn't know what was worse the constant harassment or the constant pressure that one day she might crack and it would all fall apart around her.

The changing of songs brought Vinyl back to reality as her ears were entranced with the constant beat of snare drums. With the start of the new song Vinyl turned off the water and stepped out of the shower onto the cold tiles. Drying her hair and combing it into the usual messy hairstyle Vinyl grabbed the finishing touch her pair of signature purple lenses. Looking into the mirror and bringing forth the most genuine fake smile she could muster. I wonder if it will always be like this having to force a smile and just endure the day. Vinyl sighed. drawing her phone up in her magic and depositing it amidst the strands of hair she exited the bathroom. On her way back to her room she noticed the door to her room was slightly ajar. Pushing the door open she saw the colt who was earlier blocking the door to the bathroom was now laying down in her bed. “Ugh,” Vinyl said loudly as she walked over to the edge of her bed.

"Get out.” She said grabbing him by his neck and pulling him down on the ground.

"Agh, what the fuck," He said hitting the ground with a loud thud.

"Get out of my room and out of my bed!" Vinyl said in an irritated voice. He exited the room grumbling and rubbing the spot on his head that hit the ground.

Walking over to a shelf at the side of her room Vinyl took a look at her collection of headphones that she had amassed over the years. Grabbing two large over the ear headphones she compared the two weighing one in each hoof. One was a deep purple with a strip of light neon blue next to the earmuffs. The other was a much more flashy black with electric blue streaks that matched Vinyls hair running through the entire design. She shelved the deep purple ones and grabbed the more flashy black and blue pair. Fiddling with her magic to connect the cord into her phone she grabbed her violin case and plopped it on her back.

Trotting over to the corner of her room Vinyl rummaged around in her closet looking for the old saddle bags she knew would be there. Finding it she loaded it up with pencils and papers from a table containing her turntables and laptop. unhooking her laptop from the turntables and the wall Vinyl neatly packed it into her saddlebags.

Walking out of her room and Making sure to shut and lock the door behind her Vinyl walked out into the kitchen. Opening the fridge Vinyl peered inside to find a half empty case of beers and barren shelves with empty tupperware containers in the back. Looking towards the kitchen counter Vinyl spotted what seemed to be a relatively new bushel of bananas. Closing the fridge with her magic and grabbing a banana off of the bunch Vinyl exited into the living room. The teal colt who had been residing in the bathroom was now laying passed out on the sofa in the middle of the living room. Deciding she’d rather eat on the way to school than in her own home Vinyl left closing the door behind her.

The streets were empty as Vinyl walked. She thought nothing of it, it was still early and the city had yet to rise from its somber slumber. As she walked through the familiar streets Vinyl could feel her mind begin to wander. These streets contained many memories for Vinyl, the good and the bad. These were the alleys that Vinyl had learned to avoid early in her days of roaming the streets shady deals and even shadier actions took place in the alleyways closest to her home. Glancing into the alleys around her Vinyl noticed one such deal going down refocusing her eyes on the sidewalk in front of her she simply walked passed Vinyl knew and was occasionally reminded of why it was better not to get involved in the dealings that happened in these alleys.

The division between the high and low class establishments was obvious. A line drawn by the markings of graffiti and the absence of such was what formed that line around the lower classed downtown district and separated it from the higher classed suburbs and townhouses afforded by those of noble descent or decent wages. Vinyl was walking down one such street when her attention was pulled back to the ground. As she moved forward down the street she realized why this was the same street where Vinyl had saved a peculiar grey earthpony from whatever fate awaited her on the cold cement slabs. Looking back on it Vinyl was glad she had helped somebody it had made her felt like she made a difference however small. Plus she had liked having someone to talk to for a while.

Arriving at the outskirts of the schools campus Vinyl knew she was still early but that wouldn't matter it would give her time to look through her schedule and claim her secluded spot in the back of the class. Looking around she saw other kids meeting old friends they hadn't seen through the summer break, freshman checking out the new campus and chatting amongst themselves. But not her, headphones over her ears music pulsing through them loudly and a cold glare of solid purple all screamed one thing to anyone observing the seemingly out of place mare and that was do not approach. Walking forward towards another year, another hell and the front doors of her school Vinyl prepared herself. The headphones and music could only do so much to dull the pain brought on everyday by the combination of dirty looks and hateful words that Vinyl saw herself on the receiving end of. Walking up to the front desk of the office she thought back it hadn't always been like this.

She slid back her headphones to their resting place around her neck. The day was here the world had finally given her a chance to prove herself. It was going to be her first year at celestia's school for musically gifted ponies and she was one of the very first students to be accepted with a piece that was completely electronic in nature. Walking onto campus she was excited it was a completely new start a new place where she could really come into her own and define her musical style. She walked forward towards the front doors eager to meet her new classmates. Vinyl had heard that most of those who attended were noble ponies and nature that was ok though. Vinyl knew that they would all find common ground creating and playing great music.

‘How stupid I was to believe that’ Vinyl thought. While it was true that not everyone at the school had been noble ponies, not even a tenth of the students truly were. But being the only student who wanted to pursue a career in the somewhat new electronic scene of music only proved to separate her from the rest of the students. The first few days had been nice enough she talked to a few people and really thought that she had made some friends. Then the rumor got around that she was only interested in electronic types of music. Ponies would come up and askif it was true and she would casually reply that it was. The expressions Vinyl got in return was enough to know that, that was the wrong answer. That's when Vinyl took on the title of ‘Class Outcast’ she was shunned by most of the other students in her class and those who weren't avoiding contact rarely had anything anywhere close to nice to say to her. That was when her hell began.

Grabbing her headphones with her magic and sliding them down to a resting spot on her neck, Vinyl stared at the earthpony beyond the counter of the offices front desk, intently sorting through some papers. Vinyl cleared her throat.

“Oh excuse me miss I didn't see you there.” She said looking up at Vinyl. “Is there something you need?”

“Yes i’d like a copy of my schedule for this semester.”Vinyl replied.

“Alright and what name would that be under.” She said hooves moving to a computer on the side of the desk.

“Vinyl Scratch.”

“Vinyl Scratch?” Questioned a voice of someone standing behind Vinyl. A chill went down her spine as Vinyl froze. She knew that voice it was the same voice that constantly clawed at the thoughts in her head, the same voice that haunted her nightmares. It was the voice of the main source of all Vinyls frustration and problems at school. The voice of Lyra Heartstrings.

“Vinyl its been too long. How have you been over the summer? Fantastic I hope.”Lyra said. Vinyl could hear the vehement hatred and dishonesty disguised in the voice’s cheery tone as she turned around to face her.

“Oh it was fantastic, I had so much fun.” She returned in a flat tone.

“You must tell me all about it, but later I have some business to attend to,” she said standing up and walking towards the back of the office into the principal's office.”Talk to you later.” Vinyl was not excited to see what new ways Lyra had of tormenting her.

“Ms. Scratch.” The secretary said as Vinyl turned around. “I have your schedule ready.”

“Oh thank you,” Vinyl said grabbing the paper from the pony’s mouth with her magic and bringing it to her face. Vinyl reviewed her classes and headed off to her first class of the day. Pulling on her headphones she waded through the numerous other ponies arriving for the school day. Finally finding the door to her first class she walked in and found the desk the farthest from the front and sat down waiting for the class to start. Looking around she noticed she was the first one there besides the teacher of course who was arranging papers on his desk and looking over a paper intently. Vinyl turned up the volume of her music and leaned back in her chair. As students slowly filtered in through the doors Vinyl was met with one small source of solace Lyra wasn’t in this class.

Vinyl glanced at the clock, the teacher of her first period had been prattling on about the rules of the class that Vinyl was already well versed in after reading the disclosure the teacher had passed out at the start of the class. Taking a look at her schedule Vinyl saw that her second class was orchestra. A class that she had every year with every student of the same class it was what the title described an orchestra composed of the students at the school. This sent a shot of dread through Vinyl She knew that Lyra would be in that class and worse than that she would be the lead of the section Vinyl was in. Vinyl tapped her hoof on her desk waiting for the bell to ring and signal the beginning of her torment. ‘Brrring’ the schools bell rang cutting the teacher off mid sentence and signaling all the other students to pick up their belongings and get to class. Picking up her violin and hefting it on her back Vinyl heard the teacher try to finish saying something as the majority of the class exited the room. Vinyl honestly didn't care what he was trying to say and exited the room quickly heading to her next class hoping to beat Lyra there and set up before she had to deal with her.

Walking through the double doors of the classroom Vinyl recognized the familiar slanted semi circle room that was the home to the orchestra class. Quickly walking down to the center of the room Vinyl spotted stacks of sheet music on the desk of a white unicorn who was the conductor and also teacher of the orchestra class.

“Hello Vinyl glad to see you back for another year. Grab a paper from the end.”He said tilting his head to one of the ends of the desk. “How was your summer? Didn’t slack off on practice I hope.”

“Maybe a bit more than i should have. But I did manage to mix up quite a few songs over the break I have to show you.” Vinyl replied happily.

“I’d love to have a listen but show me after class I’ve got to sort out some papers and you probably need to tune your violin.” He said focusing on a few other sheets of paper on his desk. Grabbing a piece of sheet music with her magic and levitating it over to her stand Vinyl took a seat among the first string violins. Unclasping her case and withdrawing the bow and violin inside Vinyl began tuning her violin as other students filled in the empty seats of the room. Including a certain mint green mare who claimed a spot right next to Vinyl making her very uncomfortable and giving her a sense of uneasiness.

“Hey Vinyl I hope you’ve been practicing over the summer. We wouldn't want you getting kicked out of the school for poor performance.” Lyra said poison oozing over the words that came out of her mouth.

“You mean like what almost happened with you and the harp incident?” Vinyl spat back. Knowing this would get a response out of the mint green unicorn. The harp incident had happened while Vinyl and Lyra were still Freshman at the highschool Lyra had been the harpist for the orchestra at that time and was renowned as a pretty bad one at that. One day something had been off about her performance. She had been called out on it numerous times by the conductor and other students. Every time getting more and more frustrated with the piece they were playing. At one point she finally snapped taking all the strings on the harp with her. By using too much force or by some surge of magic lyra had broken every single string on the harp and stormed out of the room.

She had caused a huge scene and the question was raised on whether or not she would be expelled from the school luckily for Lyra her father was the Principal so the incident was largely forgiven and she was merely transitioned to a different section, the violin. Which in her sophomore year she had come to lead mostly through her father's influence. In truth she wasn't much better than Vinyl at the Violin.

The harp incident had largely been forgotten but it was known that lyra would get infuriated anytime someone would mention it. and that was the exact response Vinyl hoped to elicit out of Lyra. all she got in response was Lyras face to turn a brighter shade of red and a few harsh words.

“You’ll pay for that in time Vinyl.” She said in a hushed tone quiet enough for only Vinyl’s ears to hear. Vinyl knew that this wasn’t just some empty threat from Lyra and she questioned why she even wanted to provoke her. regretting her decision and turning her mind back to the task at hand Vinyl resumed tuning her instrument idly looking over the sheet music they were to play.
“Alright class since this isnt your first year here we can spare the introductions I am your teacher and conductor Markus Sympho. You can all call me Mr.S I’ll be leading your class once again this year through the wonders that is the orchestra.” He said standing in front of the class looking out at all the ponies now gathered in their seats. “All of you have one of these pieces of sheet music in front of you for your respective sections. As i see some of you are still tuning your instruments I will let you all have 5 minutes to look over it and chat amongst yourselves.”

The chatter around Vinyl began as she looked over what parts she would be playing and familiarized herself with the first few sections of the piece. The five minutes passed and as Markus rose from his desk the students quieted down and waited to begin playing.

Markus had found his position working for Celestia’s school for the musically gifted by being offered it by the pony whose name brandished the schools title. He was the first common pony to ever hold a title at the school and it was through no lack of talent or skill that he found himself holding the position. He was world renowned as one of the best composers and conductors it was a shock to most of those in the loop when he accepted to be the teacher of an orchestra class at a highschool even one that was run under celestia’s name. His overwhelming talent and esteem was one of the reasons so many students at the school had the amount of respect for him that they did.
Slowly leading the first string of violins and then the rest of the orchestra in the piece they began to play.

The rest of the day passed in a blur teachers repeating the same thing about their courses, no goofing off, this will take a lot of hard work,blah, blah, blah. Vinyl quickly became disinterested and distracted in each of her classes.
Walking through the hallways Vinyl glanced down at her schedule one final class and then she was free, reading the name of the class, independent study brought a smile to Vinyl’s face it was a class that everyone at the school had. A period to do nothing but work on perfecting ones art, creating music or some other form of musical study. The class was loosely based around that with a teacher to guide the way and look over the class. But it was the overall freedom that the class provided that made Vinyl excited she would be able to work on whatever she pleased and be left completely alone.

Practically bursting through the door Vinyl looked around surveying the classroom there were some ponies setting up their musical instruments around the room but Lyra was not among them. Vinyl cracked a smile this entire semester Vinyl had only one class with that shewitch Lyra. She loved it, now in this class she didn't have to deal with a teacher standing at the front constantly telling her what to do. This was her spot of freedom her safe haven the place where no one could tell her what to do and she could just do whatever felt right.

Pulling her laptop out of her satchel bags and setting it on a desk in the back of the classroom. Vinyl set to work on her latest project a slower song than what she was used to and was giving her troubles. As she began her work the classroom filled up with other students. Focused so much on her work Vinyl didn’t notice the teacher announcing a project they would be working on, feeling the room grow more silent than normal Vinyl looked around the room to see almost all the ponies in the room staring at her. Slowly Vinyl took off her headphones and shut the screen to her laptop.

“Thank you, Ms. Vinyl Scratch I presume.” Said the stocky light blue unicorn sitting at a large desk at the front of the classroom “Well as I just got done telling the rest of the class for your first assignment you will all be working on crafting collaboration pieces with one of your classmates. You are free to choose your partners as you please.”
Great another project meant to introduce us to our classmates I’ll just wait until everyone's paired off and ask to do it on my own. Vinyl thought gazing around the room when she saw a beige earth pony with a black mane headed towards her. Expecting her to pass right by Vinyl thought she was probably looking at somepony behind her she didn't think much of it. But it did look like she was staring straight at Vinyl. Then she noticed the bowtie and a wave of recognition washed over her. As she walked up she said, “Um, hey… Vinyl.”

The flame blooms

It was another sleepless night for Octavia, alone in her room she stared out of her windows to the streets that winded their way through the town. She sighed and wondered if that strange unicorn she had met was out on the streets that night. Her thoughts had been centered on that crazy unicorn and that strange night weeks before. She longed to be outside and feel the freedom that the open streets provided but she couldn't risk being caught on the night before school started. Octavia left her window and plopped down on her bed. 5:00 read her clock only 2 more hours and then I have to go to school. She thought her eyes drooping heavily. Closing her eyes Octavia waited for the sweet embrace of sleep but it never came. As she lay there eyes shut she wondered if she would ever be able to get a full nights sleep. An hour later Octavia heard a bang on the door it seemed that any chance for sleep had passed.

"Octy get up you need to shower before school." It was her sister Melody. Octavia got out of bed with a heavy sigh maybe I'll get some sleep tomorrow. Opening and walking through the door Octavia was greeted by her sisters frizzy mess of a mane that covered her eyes and most of her head. Octavia failed to stifle a laugh." Its not funny Octy not all of us can get a good nights sleep and wake up with a perfect mane like yours." Ahh yes a good nights sleep when was the last time I had one of those. Octavia rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me Octy you know how I hate that nickname." Octavia said walking past her sister.

"Well just make sure to be quick in there I've got to get this mess under control." Melody said pulling at her hair with her hooves and magic. "Agh, gah, just unknot." She said pulling at her hair as she stumbled backwards falling down the stairs. Lying at the bottom of the stairs in a cluttered mess of hooves and hair Octavias sister groaned. "Oooooooooooow." Failing to stifle another laugh Octavia walked into the bathroom.

Looking at herself closely in the mirror Octavia noticed darkened bags underneath her eyes. Only noticable if you were too close or looking very intently at the areas around Octavia's eyes. Turning on the faucet of the shower Octavia stood waiting for the water to warm up. As she stood in the middle of her bathroom hooves glued to the cold tiles of the floor she could feel the exhaustion that was welled up in her limbs and bones become more pronounced and slowly turn into a dull ache. Stepping into the shower Octavia felt the warmth of the water course through her body and relive her of the dull ache of exhaustion that seemed to be ever present in more recent times. Her exhaustion was replaced with a heat that grew and grew in her muscles until that was all that was left. Absentmindedly Octavia stood on her hind legs holding herself as though she was playing her cello she started to hum the few lines of a intro to a song she had been learning on her cello. Warm water raining down on her head Octavia felt her hair fall around her neckline as the last few lines of the intro on her imaginary cello ended.

Casting away the imaginary cello Octavia began to sing "When I was a child I heard voices." She sang on, lifting a hoof close to her head as if she was holding a microphone "Some would sing and some would scream." Octavia sang getting more and more into the music and starting to sway her body with the beat. "You soon find you have few choices." This line struck a chord with Octavia as she started to sing the rest of the song. "I learned the voices died with.-"

"Octavia?" Questioned the voice of Octavias sister from behind the bathroom door. "Are you singing in the shower." She said poorly concealing a small chuckle.

"Y-yes." She said coming to rest on the ground of the shower with all four hooves solidly rooted to the ground.

"How much longer are you going to be, I need to get all of these knots out of my hair." Knowing how long it would take her sister to get ready, Octavia knew she would need to get out of the shower soon. To give her enough time so that the both of them weren't late for their first day of school.

"I'll be out in a minute I just need to wash my hair."

"Alright breakfast will be waiting." Melody said leaving the bathroom door and heading down the staircase, on sturdy hooves this time.

Finding herself alone once again Octavia got on with her routine as quickly as possible, starting with washing her hair. Halfway through the menial task Octavia could feel the coursing heat that the water was causing through her being begin to burn, slowly at first and then turning into a fire that raged through her soul. It hurt, the heat was suddenly unbearable Octavia turned the faucet to a colder temperature to cool the burning heat that was now consuming Octavia. Feeling relief as soon as the cool water washed over her, putting out the fire that was burning within her muscles and throughout her being. Bringing back with it the dull ache of exhaustion and reminding Octavia how very tiered she was. She sighed she felt weak and worn she was so tiered.

Stepping out of the shower Octavia walked over to the mirror and with one hoof cleared off the steam that had built up on the mirror. She studied the strange mare staring back at her. Her mane and tail were messy and hanging loosely around her face and flank the dark spots under her eyes gone Octavia could hardly recognize herself. Grabbing a towel she dried herself off adding to the mess that her tail and mane were currently making. Grabbing a brush she took it to her hair all the while staring at that strange mare that resided within the mirror. Slowly brushing her away as she brushed her hair back to the same style it had been since she was a foal. Tying her bow tie was the last step to getting ready as she tied it she watched as the strange mare in the mirror disappeared and in her place was the same Octavia that stood before the mirror everyday, ready to get on with the arduous tasks that would present themselves. Except today was different something about her reflection was off. She stared into the mirror intently looking at her mane and tail finding nothing wrong with them they were perfect just like they were everyday she glanced down at her bow tie same pink bow tie fashioned around her neck. She looked at her face and found where the problem lied. She was scowling this confused Octavia she wasn't sad or mad about anything but she was still scowling for some reason. Adjusting her facial muscles she forced a smile onto her face and walked out of the bathroom ready for her first day back to school.

Octavia arrived on campus with her younger sister in tow about an hour early seizing the opportunity Octavia asked. "So what's your first class? I'll show you around."

"Hold on a second let me find my schedule." Melody said bringing her bag to her face in a hue of blue magic. After sorting through a few papers and notebooks she sighed. "I think I left it at home." She said.

"That's fine we've got plenty of time to go and grab a new one from the office, come on." She said pushing her way through the schools front doors. Walking through the main hallway and into the main office Octavia realized she had lost her sister somewhere along the way. Looking back through the window in the office door she could see Melody had stopped to talk to a few other freshman in the hallways. Refocusing her attention back to the task at hand she looked around the office and spotted a brown earthpony behind the desk staring intently at a computer screen. "Ahem." Octavia said clearing her throat.

"Oh sorry, how can I help you?" The earthpony said turning to face Octavia.

"Yes I need two schedules one for Melody Harmonia And the other for Octavia Harmonia."

"Alright let me pull those up real quick." The brown earthpony said typing the names into the computer. A few seconds later the printer on the desk whirred to life. "Alrighty there you are have a great day." Grabbing the two papers in her mouth she leaned over the desk and motioned for Octavia to grab them. Octavia leaned forward and bit down on the ends of the papers. Turning to leave the front office and opening the door with a hoof she approached melody who was still talking to a group of freshman students.

"Meloy." She said trying to speak around the papers in her mouth. Turning around to face Octavia melody grabbed the papers out of Octavia's mouth with her magic and after looking over the first one floated it back over to Octavia. Standing up on her back hooves Octavia grabbed her schedule and began to read over it in her head. First period new music theory 11, second period orchestra, third period classical music theory, lunch, fourth period music exposure and finally independent study. "
Ok Melody whats your first class?"

"Looks like its classical music theory." Melody said levitating the schedule back into her backpack.

"Alright then what was the room number?" Octavia asked.

"240."

"Alright follow me."

Octavia led her sister around showing her to her different classes until they got to her fourth period when Octavia noticed students filing out of the hallway and into nearby classes. "Alright see you later Melody I have to get to class I'll see you at lunch." Octavia said.

"Ok bye." Melody replied, As the two sisters headed in opposite directions. Octavia hurried to class barely beating the bell and taking a seat on the front row of the classroom noticing a piece of paper already laying on the desk.

"Alright class settle down." The teacher said from the front of the class cutting into some students conversations that soon went silent. "Thank you. Now that I have all of your attentions we can get started. Some of you may have noticed this paper on the desk in front of you. If not you must be blind." The teacher said with a long pause. "Come on people that was a joke lighten up." He said flatly.

"Yeah that was about as much of a joke as this class is." Octavia could hear someone behind her say. Soon followed by snickers that were quickly quieted down. Looking a shade redder than he had before the teacher stared into the back of the class and continued his speech.

"Anyways like I was saying this is new music studies and the paper in front of you is your syllabus for this class. You will find on it the schedule for the rest of the semester and I suggest you heed it. It will cover the different genres and styles of modern music that we will be covering over the course of the class. We will begin today with the most broad of our topics electronically produced music." A collective sigh was issued from the class as the teacher started flipping through slides on a projector covering the various techniques and methods of creating electronic music.

The class passed in a bustle of hurried notes and dazed confusion for Octavia. The core concepts were the same as creating any type of music. Melodies, accompaniments, rhythm, etc all things Octavia was completely comfortable with it was the concept of creating these things with a computer instead of writing notes down on a paper or playing them with actual instruments that was giving Octavia trouble. Remembering all the synthesizers equalizers and the way they all meshed and worked together to create 'music' was a hard topic for her to wrap her head around. She felt like this was a common feeling with those around her taking a look around there were many faces contorted into a look of frustration quickly flipping from their notes to the slides on the screen.

The bell rang interrupting the teacher in the middle of his lecture as everyone packed up their notebooks and pencils he spoke up. " We will continue this lesson tomorrow. And I hope you all bring better attitudes."

"Yeah like that'll happen." Someone said as Octavia exited the classroom. What a rude remark.

Thinking back to her schedule Octavia headed towards the Orchestra room ready to ease into the groove of playing her cello and relax. Walking through the double doors she set on her way down the steps and towards her seat on the left side of the semi circle making sure to grab sheet music off of the teachers desk on her way. Unpacking her cello from its case she started tuning the instrument focusing in on the soft soothing sounds carefully adjusting the strings so that they all played the right notes. Setting her sheet music out in front of her Octavia glanced at the music it was a classical piece she was already very familiar with. Octavia's gaze drifted from the paper as she looked across the room and began to play, drawing out the deep tones of her cello checking once again to make sure that everything was perfect. As they gazed out upon the world her eyes fixated on somepony across the room. She recognized her instantly blue mane purple shades and all. That night all those weeks ago came rushing back to Octavia. Her cello fell silent as she stood there in shock Octavia had wanted to talk to her again but this was the last place she expected to see her. She wanted to get up and say something to her but as she continued to stare across the room it looked as though she hadn't been noticed or maybe Vinyl had just forgotten what she looked like. Plus she was absorbed in a conversation with a mint green unicorn sitting next to her.

"Alright class since this isn't your first..." The teacher said as Octavia tuned him out she was still looking at Vinyl who still hadn't noticed her. Snapping out of her trance Octavia realized she had dropped her bow on the ground. Regaining her composure she picked up her bow and began going over the sheet music. The rest of the class passed by in a blur Octavia constantly staring past her sheet music at a certain white unicorn across the room. After what seemed like an eternity the class was finally over packing up her cello and music in a hurry Octavia quickly surveyed the room looking for Vinyl only finding that she was already gone. Octavia gave the room one more sweeping glance and quickly hurried out into the hallway not finding any sight of the white unicorn. With a sigh Octavia set off to her next class and continued on with the motions of the day.

Octavia focused on the task at hand looking around through the hallways she searched for signs of that unique electric blue mane and tail or a glimpse of those bizarre purple sunglasses. Finding no results as the other students filtered into their respective classes Octavia sighed and began to head to her class. There's always tomorrow I can get to orchestra early and talk to her then. She thought as she walked into her last class of the day. Finding a seat near the doors Octavia quickly sat down as the bell rang and the teacher Started to give his introduction telling the class his name and something about a project. Octavia was paying him little mind as she unpacked her cello and grabbed a stand from the side of the room readying herself to practice any pieces she had been working on as she usually would during her free period. She heard the teacher clear his throat looking up expecting him to be staring disapprovingly at her Octavia surprisingly saw him staring towards the back of the class. Following his gaze Octavia found the pony she had been searching for at the back of the class staring at a laptop with headphones encompassing her ears and purple shades covering her eyes . She was shocked, her mouth agape she stood there as the teacher cleared his throat louder than before. Vinyl finally taking notice looked up from her laptop screen and slowly removed her headphones letting them to rest around her neck and shut her laptop.

"Thank you Ms. Vinyl Scratch..." The teacher began but Octavia couldn't hear him she was staring at Vinyl thinking how she was going to do this."Hey remember me. I'm that pony that you helped out on the streets a few weeks ago you know the one that was knocked out on the sidewalk." No that would be a terrible way to lead things off. Maybe I should just go over and say hi. Octavia got up resting her cello on her chair and started walking towards the back of the class staring intently at Vinyl. Oh god she doesn't notice me. Maybe I should just go sit back down. Vinyl tilted her head towards Octavia. Oh no, she saw me, well no backing down now.

"Um, hey." Octavia said. To which she only got a blank stare in return.Ahhh shes just staring quick Octavia say something else quick. "Vinyl." She remained quiet and stared back at Octavia for a few awkward seconds. Oh god she doesn't remember you.Octavia thought as she began to turn around.

"Oh hey, Octavia was it?" Vinyl said.

"Umm yeah hows it going?"

"Its going good. How about you is everything feeling okay, no loose ends in that head of yours." She said cracking a smile.

"I sure hope not, none that I've noticed so far at leasy."

"So I'm guessing that you want to work on that project together."

"Project?" Octavia said clearly confused.

"Yeah... The one he just got done telling us about."

"Oh I must have been spaced out for a little while i was just getting ready to practice some stuff on my cello." Octavia said gesturing with her head towards her cello.

"Cool we can use that in the collaboration. drag it over here and pull up a chair." Vinyl said opening up her laptop and resuming whatever it was she was doing. Huh she must not be in the mood to practice her instrument today. Octavia thought walking to her cellos resting place to retrieve it. Walking over cello in hand Octavia glimpsed the screen of Vinyl's laptop and saw what looked like musical editing software on display,

"What are you working on." She asked staring at the computer screen.

"Oh just a little song of mine. Nothing big."

"Oh cool, are you adding some vocals to a song you made on your violin?"

"No its an original piece I created using a bunch of different samples and some editing and mixing."

"Oh so what kind of song is it, mind if I listen in?"

"Its my brand of techno its not really finished yet and still sounds pretty basic, I usually wait till my songs are done before I let people listen."

"Oh that's alright techno really isn't my sortof thing I mostly stick to classical." She said holding up her bow.

"Well got any ideas what you'd like to do our project on probably best to get it out of the way quickly."She said changing the subject

"Hmm well we could write a duet you could play your violin," She said motioning towards the violin case lying on the ground. "Or really anything I'm open to ideas."

"Nah a duet sounds cool, lets get started." She said using her magic to pull the violin from the case. The two of them worked on their duet for the rest of the class setting down a basic rhythm and melody. It had taken on a faster tone than Octavia was used to the violin carrying the melody and the cello handling the rhythm. Hearing the bell ring the two of them began to pack up their stuff Octavia storing her cello in its case and grabbing her bag packing up the sheet music they had been using to write down the beginning of their duet.

"Well I guess we can work on it some more tomorrow."Octavia said looking at Vinyl.

"Damn I was really hoping we could just get it out of the way really quickly today." She said slumping down in her chair.

"Well even so we got a lot done today."

"By the way class I would like to remind you all that this project is due Friday so keep that in mind." The teacher announced to the class as students were packing up to leave.

"Well shit it looks like we don't have a lot of time to do this anyways. How long were you saying you wanted this to be again?"

"Somewhere between 5 and 8 minutes." Hearing this Vinyl groaned.

"Alright then we've got some work to do after school. Do you know any place where we can work that's nearby."

"We could work on it at my house its not too far from here."

"Ok just let me finish packing up my stuff." She said shoving a few stray papers from the desk into her bag. "Lead the way." The two ponies walked through the hallways and quickly exited the school.

On their way leaving the campus Octavia spoke up. "So what exactly were you doing out all those nights ago I don't remember asking you?"

"I was just walking around clearing my head. What about you?"

"Really? Well I was just walking around I just wanted to be out of my house."

"Seems like a weird reason to be out of the house."

"I just had this feeling this, need to be out of the house."

"Yeah I get like that sometimes to it feels nice to just get out of the house and be out in the open for a while."

"Yeah I don't know if it was worth it in the end though."

"Yeah maybe not, but hey you did meet somebody new that's always good."

"I guess I did. Thanks again for saving my ass back their."

"Don't mention it."

The two of them arrived at Octavia's house as conversation ceased.

Walking into the house Octavia and Vinyl were greeted with a voice from one of the side rooms "Melody, Octavia is that you?"

"Its me mother," Octavia said "I brought a friend, were working on a project for school today."

"Oh, a friend?" Octavia's mom said with a hint of surprise creeping into her voice. "What's their name Octavia." She said walking into the main foyer.

"Mother this is Vinyl, Vinyl this is my Mother." Octavia said as her mother stared at Vinyl gauging her personality.

"Nice to meet you uhhh."

"Miss Harmonia is fine."

"Its nice to meet you miss Harmonia." Vinyl said her voice wavering.

"And its very nice to meet you Vinyl, you must excuse her but my daughter forgot to mention your last name."

"Oh it's Scratch."

"Ahh Scratch," She said pausing a moment, "I cant recall ever hearing that name before, by chance do your parents not work in the musical industry."

"No they don't my mom's a nurse and I'm not exactly sure what my dad is doing lately. I'm the first musically talented pony in my family."

"Oh, how curious to be accepted into such a prestigious school with no prior heritage, it must have been quite the challenge. There was always that worry with Octavia being an earth pony and her sisters musical talent being singing that neither of them would pass the entrance exams"

Vinyls look changed to puzzled, "Why would Octavia being an earth pony worry you?" She asked inquisitively.

"Oh you know so very few earth ponies are musicians it was terrible trying to find her a teacher and even worse trying to find a good one and there was always that fear that she would never truly develop it to the same level as a unicorn would."

"Oh." Vinyl said a hint of shock creeping into her voice.

"Anyways mother Vinyl and I are here to work on a project for school so if you wouldn't mind." She said trying to escape the situation.

"Oh, yes I shouldn't hold you up any longer. Your free to go." She watched as they climbed the stairs towards Octavia's room and called after them. "Work hard you two."

Closing the door behind them Vinyl said, "no offense but your mom seems a bit, harsh."

"Oh no that's just the way she is sometimes she might come off as a bit much but shes really a great person." Octavia lied.

"If you say so, well anyways lets get going on the project, We've got a lot of ground to cover."

"Well I better get going." Vinyl said interrupting their playing after a few hours working on flushing out the rest of the song.

"Alright let me walk you out." She said setting down her cello.

"Oh its no problem I can see myself out."

"No, no its no trouble."

"Well, alright." She said finishing packing up the last of her things. Octavia led her down the stairs and into the foyer. They could see Octavia's mother and her sister in the kitchen chatting idly in the kitchen. On sight of Octavia and Vinyl Melody smiled and waved at them from the kitchen. Opening the door for her Vinyl walked out. "See you tomorrow," She said as she walked outside.

"Octavia can I speak with you for a moment." She heard her mom call from the kitchen.

"What about?" She asked walking over.

"Its about your... Friend after speaking with your sister for awhile I'm still uncertain of her so I thought to simply ask you. Do you know what type of pony she is and do you know whether or not her family comes from the nobility or not?"

"She seems like a very nice person as for her family I'm not sure." Octavia said obviously confused.

"That's what I was afraid of Octavia even though these people may seem nice I'm not so certain you should be associating with someone of such a questionable upbringing. Did you notice that when she mentioned her parents she couldn't tell me what her father does. I don't want you to sully your reputation by associating yourself with those sorts of people." This only added to Ocatvias confusion.

What? why would she not want me to be hanging around Vinyl. So she might not be noble shes still nice and plus shes one of the only ponies I know at that school. Why would it be a bad thing for me to hang out with her. Sullying my reputation, what reputation. Shes only worried about herself. Octavia thought standing still in the kitchen, a fire slowly burning inside her.

"Octavia? Do you hear me. I don't want you hanging out with that street trash pony." She said in a demanding tone.

"No." Octavia said the fire building inside her.

"No? No what? Dear you must finish your sentences." She said with a glint of teeth in her smile.

"No I'm not going to do that." The fire now raging inside.

"What?" She said in shock.

"I said I'm not going to do that. Shes a nice person and I'm not going to stop being friends with her just on your say so."

Octavias mother sat there shocked by what she was hearing this was one of the first times Octavia had shown defiance and before she knew it Octavia was already walking out of the kitchen and up the staircase. "Octavia!" She called out. "Where are you going."

"To my room. If you still want to talk you can come talk up here." She said curtly.

"I'll go talk to her." Melody chimed in. As she followed her out of the room their mother retrieved a wine bottle and a wine glass from a cupboard.

Octavia could feel someone sit down on the floor outside of her bedroom door while she was sitting on the inside. She felt like crying she was angry sad confused and tiered, so very tiered. As she sat there head in her hooves she heard the voice of her sister from the other side of the door.

"So you finally did it, you finally stood up for yourself."

"Yeah I guess I did." She said. Her voice came across uneven and cracking.

"Good, don't worry about mom I'll try and calm her down although I can't say you won't catch some flak for this. I'm glad you finally stood up for yourself." Octavia could hear her sister get up and walk back down the stairs to console their mother who was drinking in the kitchen.

Octavia picked up her cello which had been resting in its case and brought it over to her bed she began to play softly the fire slowly seeping out of her muscles with the music. She awoke the next morning with her cello laying at the end of her bed. She couldn't remember going to bed or falling asleep all she remembered was playing her cello and then waking up. She couldn't believe it she actually felt rested and when she looked at her clock and realized she had slept through the entire night.

Opening up

Vinyl stepped outside of Octavia's house noticing that the sun had long since set and that the streets were empty. The walk home was long and with no distraction but the music coming from her headphones Vinyl could feel the exhaustion of the day begin to seep into her bones.

She approached the apartment door a sense of apprehension welling up inside of her she could already smell that something awful was being smoked inside the small confines of the apartment. It wasn't that uncommon for Vinyl to come home to find a few other ponies in her house some of which might look familiar but most of the time she just ignored them and went to her room. Today she was in no mood to be dealing with her brother or the myriad of other people who could be in her apartment hopefully he kept them out of her room this time. Taking a deep breath Vinyl used her magic to turn up the already obscenely loud music coming through her headphones hoping to avoid any confrontation with Dimitri or any of the other ponies inside of her house. Using her magic she swung open the door a powerful skunk like odor filled her nostrils as she barged into the small apartment.
Peering through a haze of smoke that had stagnated in the air she saw the two responsible for the assault on her senses. Her mother and her brother sitting on the couch red eyed with a bong nestled between them currently sitting down on the couch in the middle of the living room. Vinyl spotted the source of the foul stench

"Hey honey where ya been all day."

"Um it was the first day back at school." She said a slight frown quickly forming on her face that she hid as soon as it appeared.

"Oh right right." She said as Dimitri used his magic to hand her the bong the two of them had been smoking out of. Using her magical grip to grab it Vinyl's mother lit one end with her magic as she inhaled through the other.

"Sup Vines." Dimitri chimed in thick smoke exhaled with the words. "You want in on some of this." He said taking a swig from a water bottle and motioning towards the bong. A hoof sailed into his chest causing him to choke on the water he was drinking.

"Dimitri! you know Vinyl doesn't smoke." She said pulling her hoof away from Dimitri's chest who was still coughing up a storm. "So how was school sweetie?" She said passing the bong back to Dimitri who had stopped coughing.

"Oh you know the same as always." She said cracking a fake smile and walking past the two of them into the kitchen. "I actually met someone new we're working on a project together she seems pretty nice." She said rummaging around in the empty refrigerator. "Oh hey mom do you have work tonight."

"Mhm." She said after inhaling from the bong. "I've got to be there in," She paused focusing, magically making the time appear before her eyes. "Fuck ten minutes." She said hurriedly standing up from the couch and rushing to the back of the apartment. Coming out a few moments later in her nursing outfit. "Alright see you two later." She said rushing out of the door.

"Hey wait are you going to be back tonight?" She called as she walked past her and out the door.

"No sorry I'm working the midnight shift I'll be back early tomorrow morning." She said closing the door behind her. Vinyl's smile fell as the door shut there was no reason for her to fake being happy anymore. Her mother had left and she knew Dimitri didn't care enough to notice. She left Dimitri lying down in the living room still working his way through whatever was loaded into the bong. Walking into her room she closed the door behind her she wanted no needed time alone.

Retrieving her headphones from her neck Vinyl slumped onto her bed. She was worn out, the day had taken its toll on her going back to school and dealing with Lyra and the constant fear that she brought was exhausting in its own way. And to top it all off the ever present nightmare that had been plaguing her dreams was keeping her from getting any rest at night. Vinyl was tired not just physically she was tired of having to deal with ponies at school snickering behind her back making off handed remarks. Most of all Vinyl was tired of coming home to a family she could hardly interact with. She would love to vent and open up to her mom but Vinyl knew with the long hours she worked and the stressful job she had that she didn't need to come home only to hear about Vinyls problems. Dimitri was different he was home almost all of the time but was hardly the person Vinyl wanted to open up to. He was harsh and his solutions to problems were often found at the bottom of a bottle or the end of a joint.

Vinyl had to face it at school and at home she was alone with no one to listen and no one with the time to care. Grabbing her headphones she stared deeply at the dark purple tones and the overpoweringly striking blue stripes covering the whole thing. I hate these things so much. The overly big ear pieces and flamboyantly loud and obnoxious way they were designed. They were only used by Vinyl as a part of the facade she would put on daily to help further the divide between herself and the other ponies at her school. VinyI liked that divide in some ways it helped her feel different and far away from those who had tormented her but at the same time she hated it. She was alone on her side of the divide completely isolated from her tormentors along with everyone else. Vinyl liked the feeling that came with being separated from those who tormented her it helped to numb the pain. But the isolation that came with it brought its own kind of pain she was so alone all thanks to that divide, that mask, that show that she put on it kept her away from everyone friend or foe. She hated it she completely despised the solitude that she had forced Upon herself. Staring back at the headphones still held with in the grasp of her hands she felt all that frustration and loneliness begin to well up. She couldn't handle it anymore all the loneliness and frustration that came with it taking her frustration out on her headphones she sent them sailing across the room. As they weakly collided with the wall and tumbled to the ground She took off her glasses and threw them towards the wall as she started to cry. Tired and frustrated at her isolation she wept into the folds and crevices of the blankets on her bed after a long while Vinyl could feel herself falling into a deep cold sleep.

Vinyl was woken up by someone vigorously shaking her as she opened her eyes she saw two deep pools of purple staring back at her. Not knowing what was going on she began to scream frantically looking around her for a way to escape the crazed pony who had been shaking her as she quickly got up from the ground taking in her surroundings she noticed all of the houses seemed to be blurred and misshapen.

"Calm down you're safe don't worry." Said the grey mare calmly as she backed up giving her some space. Vinyl getting a more clear look at the pony in front of her realized that it was Octavia.

"Octavia what are you doing, where are we?"

"Shh be quiet you don't want them to know we're here." The area around them had suddenly shifted now she was behind Octavia following her down some street she had never been in before.

"Octavia where are we, whats going on?" She asked letting a tinge of fear escape with her words. She felt around her neck searching for her headphones. Nothing, That was strange Vinyl always left the house with at least some pair of headphones groping around her horn and her hair she realized she was without her trusty pair of shades aswell. Not paying attention to Vinyl's question Octavia quickly ducked into an alleyway motioning for Vinyl to follow her. looking around the corners she said "Alright the coast is clear."

Vinyl felt a chill run down her spine something was wrong something was very wrong. She could hear the breathing of someone lurking behind the two in the shadows of the alleyway. There had been no one that they noticed on the way in but Vinyl had the unmistakable feeling that someone was watching them now from the shadows of the alleyway. Turning around quickly Vinyl saw Lyra behind the two levitating a knife with her magic pointed at her and Octavia.

"Run!" Octavia screamed bolting from the alleyway and grabbing the unicorns hoof dragging her along with her. The pair raced through the streets following Octavia's lead as they rounded corners and sprinted down streets. As they ran through the blurred streets of the city Vinyl began to regain her bearings and noticed they were running towards the school. "Come on we'll be safe inside." Octavia said rushing past Vinyl into the school the front doors slamming shut behind her.

Running inside after her Vinyl questioned. "Octavia what are we doing at the school?" She faxed around her at the familiar school foyer and found it empty. "Octavia!" She called out to the darkness to no response. Beginning to panic she started to scream out the name desprate for someone, anyone to reply to her cries. "Octavia! Octavia where are you! Where did you go?" Vinyl collapsed in the foyer amidst tears and sobs. She could feel the foyer begin to melt and blend with the darkness. It was the same never ending darkness that she found in her nightmares. Bracing herself for the onslaught of abuse that she always felt in her dreams Vinyl curled herself tightly into a ball. But it never came all Vinyl could hear was the sound of music playing somewhere far off in the distance. Vinyl let the soft tones gently carry away her worries as she drifted further away into the darkness free of any fear.

Vinyl opened her eyes slowly to a world of darkness she wasn't even sure if she was truly awake. The only thing that separated her waking world from her dream world was the soft yellow light filtering in through the blinds. The music hadn't stopped it was still playing loud and clear in Vinyl's mind it was one of the most soothing melodies Vinyl had ever heard. Rushing over to her mixers and laptop she set to work composing it. She reached instinctively to her neck for her headset forgetting her earlier bout of frustration. Realizing they weren't on her neck she looked around the room. She saw them lying on the ground next to her glasses. Disregarding them both she strode over to the shelf that housed the rest of her headphones. Scanning the shelf she searched for her favorite pair they were completely white with two double eighth notes on the sides of the earmuffs. They were missing scanning the shelf again she confirmed what she already knew. Her headphones were lost. In a panic she rushed around her room upturning cabinets . Any other pair it could have been any other pair. Why those why did it have to be those that went missing. "Fuck!" Vinyl said giving up the search lying defeated on the ground.

Hearing the door open Vinyl rose from the floor to see Dimitri standing in the doorway. Suddenly something clicked She would never somehow lose her favorite pair of headphones and seeing Dimitri, Vinyl realized what had happened to her missing headphones. She could feel the music inside her begin to change, she was pissed. Dimitri must have taken them at some point. She stared at him with seething anger.

"Hey Vines you want something to eat I'm going out to get something."

Ignoring the question Vinyl replied, "Where are my headphones?"

With a clueless expression Dimitri stared at Vinyl. "What?"

"I said where are my headphones I know you took them," she said pointing a hoof accusingly.

"I have no clue what your talking about, what headphones." He said trying and failing to look innocent.

"You know the white ones with my cutie mark on the side." She said her voice rising with her anger. "You know the ones I played my first show in, You know my favorite pair of headphones," She said taking a step closer to him. "You know the ones I've had the longest," She said walking into the hallway backing him against the door. She could see that he was getting uneasy. "Those headphones, ringing any bells," She said shoving a hoof into his chest.

"So," he said pushing her hoof away from his chest, "what do you want to eat." Dimitri said desperately trying to change the subject.

"Don't, fuck with me Dimitri what did you do with my headphones." She said bearing her teeth angrily.

"I really have no clue what your talking about." Dimitri said trying to defuse the situation.

"Oh come on Dimitri don't play dumb you've taken things out of my room without me asking before. Now where the fuck are my headphones!"

Sighing in defeat he replied, "I sold them."

"You what!" She screamed. She was an inch away from his face now forcing him to back further against the wall. "How could you fucking sell them do you have any idea how important those headphones are to me!"

"I don't see what the big deal is you have plenty more pairs of headphones in your room." He said trying to save his skin. Vinyls hoof sailed swiftly through the air into Dimitri's face and landed with a resounding whap.

Vinyl was angry and she wasn't about to stop ripping into him."Those were one of a kind they were the pair I got my cutie mark while wearing, they were the pair I was wearing when I wrote my first song! How could you just sell those how would you feel if I sold your first guitar." Vinyl was angry but she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes not wanting to let him see her cry she stomped into her room slamming and locking the door behind her with her magic. As the tears began to flow she drove her head into the blankets and sheets covering her bed and screamed. Her scream was wordless it was filled with sorrow, anger and pain. Crying into the blankets of her bed for the second time that day Vinyl began to feel herself drift away into the darkness of sleep once again.

Vinyl awoke to the infinite abyss of darkness that she knew was a dream searching around herself she saw nothing felt nothing she was hanging in the darkness. Fear flooded her mind, alone in the darkness Vinyl curled into herself knowing that it wouldn't stop what awaited her she hugged her legs close takingp the little comfort they gave her.

Vinyl waited for the voice to come from the darkness but when it did something was off. "How pathetic look at yourself all crawled up and crying." It wasn't Lyras voice calling out from the abyss it was her own. "It's no wonder why you're so lonely It's not that act you put on at school or all those flashy colors that make you stand out. Its that you're a cold distant and angry person to anyone who gets too close."

"That's not true." Vinyl called back to the darkness.

"Really, is that so because as I see it you just smacked and yelled at your brother and if I'm remembering right you had to put on an act to keep your mother distant."

"That's different Dimitri deserved what he got," Vinyl said still feeling the anger she had felt for Dimitri. "And how am I suppose to act when my own mother forgets that today was my first day back to school and has no idea what's going on In my life." Vinyl was beginning to cry again She hated that she could never get a good night's sleep and now on top of lyra being in her dreams it seemed like even her own mind was turning on itself.

"Oh you pathetic little thing." Lyras voice had joined in with her own and soon the two voices were tearing her down with harsh words and insecurity vinyl had.

Vinyl awoke from her dream to a world that was still dark. Not knowing if she was still in the dream or not despite the lack of voices. Vinyl curled up and wrapped her hooves around herself for comfort. After several minutes of waiting to see if the voices would start again Vinyl decided it was the waking world. Rising from her bed she glanced at the clock Vinyl frowned 2 o clock great it's the middle of the night. Wandering out of the hallway and into the kitchen Vinyl noticed a muffin next to a coffee cup with a note on the side.

"Sorry about the headphones. I felt bad so here's your favorite coffee and a blueberry muffin - Dimitri" Vinyl frowned no amount of coffee and blueberry muffins could ever get her headphones back and that was what she really wanted. Vinyls stomach grumbled, looking in the fridge to find nothing she sighed and looked back at the muffin and coffee. Well fuck it I might as well. Grabbing the food and heading back to her room.

Setting her drink and muffin down next to her laptop on the corner table she opened up her laptop. She knew she would be tiered in the morning but after that nightmare she didn't want to go to sleep again. Grabbing a pair of headphones from her shelf she set to work on a song that had been giving her troubles.

Leaning back in her chair she had noticed that a couple hours had passed and that she should start getting ready for school. Getting out of her chair she felt her vision blur as she began to stumble but caught herself mid fall. Placing her feet firmly on the ground she could feel a great throbbing sensation in her head and it felt like a great weight had been placed on her back. She was used to this by now of course. Vinyl's near blackouts were a side effect of the lack of sleep the nightmare had caused her. Standing still and steadying herself Vinyl continued albeit it very shakily getting ready for the day. Grabbing her phone which she had forgotten to place on its charging stand the night before she loosely trotted her way to the bathroom.

The hallways of the school were deserted just like they often would be when Vinyl arrived at school. She enjoyed this time of day being able to walk around freely in the hallways which were normally chaotic and filled with other ponies. Turning a corner Vinyl caught sight of a mint green pony Vinyls' heart skipped a beat, it was Lyra. Quickly turning back around the corner Vinyl trotted in the opposite direction. Not paying attention to her surroundings she turned another corner running face first into somepony sending her headphones and glasses clattering down towards the floor.

"Oh my god I am so sorry I should really be more careful." Vinyl heard the familiar voice of Octavia say. "Oh Vinyl, Here let me help you out with that." She said bending down to pick up Vinyls' glasses and headphones.

"Thanks." She said Grabbing her headphones and glasses in her magical grip. A look of concern washed over Octavia's face as she re adjusted her headphones and glasses.

"Vinyl are you ok. You look terribly sleepy."

"Oh don't worry about it just a bad nights sleep is all."

"Ok if you say so. So where are you rushing off to this morning." She said reminding Vinyl of why she turned that corner so quickly in the first place.

"Just trying to avoid running into someone." She said starting to walk down the hallway.

"Well if it was me you were avoiding you've got some terrible luck."

Vinyl chuckled, "Don't worry it wasent you."

"Then who was it?" Vinyl sighed.

"Do you know Lyra Heartstrings." She said hurriedly trotting past Octavia and walking down another hallway away from Lyra

"The name sounds familiar but I'm not sure." Octavia said matching her stride and quickly walking beside her

"Green coat, greenish hair, snarky attitude, insufferable bitch. Ring any bells?"

"No but it seems like she's done quite a lot more than just ring your bells. Wait isn't Lyra that name of that girl who sits next to you in orchestra? Octavia questioned.

"Yup that's the one."

"Well if you dislike her so much why do you sit right next to her."

"Trust me I've tried"

"Can't you just talk to the teacher or try switching instruments so you'd be in a different section. oh, I could try teaching you the cello sometime."

"Nah it's pointless I've already tried talking to the teacher and if I changed instruments she'd just follow being the daughter of the principal gets you some 'special privileges' " Vinyl said rounding a corner.

"Well that stinks. Why does she ha-" Octavia said getting cut off by Someone calling out to Vinyl.

"Hello Vinyl." A sickening voice called out from behind the pair.

Vinyl froze she could hear her footsteps behind her but she couldn't turn she was petrified

"And who's this?" Lyra said eyeing up Octavia, "your newest hookup no doubt."

Octavia looked dumbfounded "Excuse me, latest hookup?"

"Oh my, your telling me you didn't know. Oh," She said glaring at Vinyl, "I see how it is you lure in the unsuspecting ones then when you have them all alone that's when you ponce on them."

Vinyl turned gritting her teeth. Lyra cracked a sly smile she had struck a nerve somewhere and she knew it. "Well I guess I'll be leaving you two to it you probably want some 'alone time' before class starts." Vinyl glared at her with a hatred that could melt steel as she left.

"What was that all about?" Octavia questioned more confused now than ever. "I mean latest hookup what was she talking about Vinyl." Vinyl sighed.

"Come on I've got a lot to explain." Vinyl said walking further down the hallway. Octavia hesitantly followed behind her. Finding a nice corner of one of the hallways Vinyl sat down and motioned for Octavia to sit down next to her. "Where to begin." She said lifting her glasses onto her head and rubbing her eyes. "I guess I should start with what you want to know," She said looking at Octavia. "So, shoot."

"What was she talking about me being your 'newest hookup'." Octavia said sitting down next to Vinyl.

"Just promise you won't be too angry with me." Vinyl said as she looked away from the other mare.

Octavia was taken aback "What could I possibly get angry over it's not like you've done anything to me." She said staring quizzically at the magenta eyed mare.

"You might not feel that about me after I tell you this." She said as she lifted her eyes to meet the other mares.

Octavia could see the conflict present on vinyl's face she was really wrestling for the right words. "Vinyl I don't think something is going to change my opinion of you. It's ok tell me."

" You've probably already pieced it together from what she said. But well I'm... I'm a lesbian." Vinyl said flinching away and looking towards the ground as tears threatened to poor over.

"Oh," Octavia replied. Vinyl waited to hear Octavia leave, She waited for her to start yelling curse words in disgust she waited for the worst to happen but nothing happened. Looking up from the ground she saw Octavia still sitting there looking straight at her no look of disgust or hatred on her face only the same gentle face that was always there. "Was that the big deal?"

"Well, yes aren't you embarrassed to be around me? I mean when people first found out everyone sort of just started avoiding me."

"Well I know why they did most of the students here are born into noble families or try to adopt their way of life and growing up in one I can tell you anything out of the ordinary is not something you want to be or even be associated with."

"So then why are you okay with it?"

"Pft come on look at me Vinyl," she said rubbing her forehead. "I'm an earth pony in a family of unicorn's How much more out of the ordinary can you get. Plus your an awesome person lesbian or not."

There were tears welling up in Vinyls eyes she finally had someone who would be there for her somebody she could count on. "Thanks Octavia it means a lot to me." She said leaning in for a hug that Octavia returned without hesitation.
Vinyl noticed the disapproving glares passerbys were shooting her way but she didn't mind for the first time, in a long time she finally wasent alone anymore she actually had somebody she felt comfortable with. After a few seconds the two of them separated.

"So speaking of you being a fillyfooler are you actually interested in me?" Octavia asked

I'm not even sure of that myself I mean I like Octavia but I barely even know her. "No I'm not."

"Oh thank God."

"Jeez you don't have to sound so relieved about it."

"Oh sorry it's just I've never had somebody be interested in me before."

"Really, nobody?" Vinyl said. Even she had some experience before she got into highschool

"Yeah well its not really been by choice nobody's really been interested or at least not to my knowledge."

"Well I don't see why not your nice you've got a good looking body and anyone would be lucky to go out with you. I mean you are a noble are you sure they weren't just too intimidated." Octavia scoffed

"I doubt anybody has been intimidated by me I'm not really all that intimidating. So wait there's still something I don't understand why does Lyra hate you so much?" Vinyl sighed.

"Well I guess it all started in freshmen year she came up to me in the cafeteria one day and just asked me out. I didnt know too many people here and at the time I did think she was pretty hot so I went along with it. We talked for a while and when we made plans for our first date I showed up and Lyra didn't I was confused so I tried to call her to talk about it but she didn't pick up and then when I went to confront her about it she told me it was her plan to Expose me to the whole school as a fillyfooler. I didn't really know what she meant I thought it had been fairly obvious before. But as the day went on I saw more people whispering behind my back and calling out some terrible names by the end of the week I was known as the schools resident outcast. Its like I wasn't set apart enough so Lyra decided to come along and set me more apart. Freshmen year was really tough but as things started to die down people started to forget. They still avoided me but that was better than the constant pestering of other students into my private life. But Lyra, She didn't forget she kept that with her and for some reason still vividly hates me."

"Vinyl I'm sorry I had no clue people could be awful." She grabbed the other mare who had barely managed to keep tears from spilling out and pulled her in for another hug. Vinyl could feel her face turn a bright red as she was pulled closer by the grey mare. Ponies were now filling the hall gazing questioningly as Vinyl realized she had lost track of the time explaining her situation to Octavia.

"Oh well I better be going I need to get to class. I'll see you at lunch." She said sliding her sunglasses over her now bleary eyes as she steeled herself against the exhaustion another day would provide. Leaving Octavia behind Vinyl pulled her headset over her ears and let the blaring beats and rhythmic synth fill her ears. The day blearily passed by, Vinyl fighting to stay awake and before she knew it it was already lunch time.

Vinyl was sitting alone working away on a song at her table in the corner of the cafeteria when Octavia found her. "Hey whats going on Vinyl." Octavia said. Vinyl didn't flinch she couldn't hear Octavia through her headphones and was too busy to notice her standing next to her. "Hello Vinyl," Octavia said waving her hoof in front of Vinyl's face. Vinyl attempted to levitate her headphones off of her head but felt her magic start to falter and fade, sighing she used her hooves to pull them down around her neck. "What was that all about." Octavia said sitting down across the table from Vinyl.

"Huh?" She said using her hooves to lift her glasses up to rest on her forehead.

"Your magic it was all flickery and then just gave out."

"Oh," Vinyl said looking away, "I'm just really tired." She said facing Octavia again. Octavia could see dark bags around Vinyl's eyes which were laced with red veins showing just how tiered the unicorn really was.

"Vinyl are you alright you look insanely exhausted."

"Hmm," Vinyl said snapping out of a stupor, "yeah, yeah I'm fine just haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Are you sure I feel like losing your magic is a bit more serious then just not getting a few nights worth of rest."

Pft I wish it was just a few nights. "Yeah I'm sure, I'll be fine tomorrow." Vinyl said shakily.

"Well do you still want to work on the song today. I can't see us getting much done if you cant hold up your violin."

"Don't worry about that I'll be fine, I've played being more tired than this before."

"Well if you say so. Do you want to go get some coffee I know this great place close to the school."

"Sure why not." She said packing up her computer and getting up from the table."

Walking into the coffee shop Vinyl noticed more than a few students from their school some she knew were good friends of Lyra. Oh god I Hope that they don't notice me. She thought as the two of them approached a cashier with a thousand yard stare on his face.

"Hello." Octavia said seemingly not shaking the cashier.

"What will it be." He said hardly seeming to notice the two mares.

"Two iced vanilla coffees." She said while the cashier pressed buttons automatically still staring straight forward

"What sizes." Octavia took a glance back at Vinyl and then looked back at the cashier.

"One medium and one large."

"Name." The cashier said expressionless.

"Octavia."

"Will that be to stay or to go."

"To go." Vinyl said chiming in. Octavia looked back giving Vinyl a confused glance.

"That'll be thirteen fifty." He said snapping Octavias focus back to the the cashier Octavia pulled a small purse from her hair and handed the cashier the money.

"Ok coming right up." He said walking of to the side of the cash register using a strange machine to brew the drinks.

"Why are we getting these to go we have plenty of time before lunch is over."

"I just don't feel like sitting down in here." Vinyl said glancing over to Lyra's friends who still seemed unaware of the duo. Vinyl noticing Octavia following her gaze attempted to change the topic of conversation. "I could have bought my own drink you know."

"Nonsense I'm the one who invited you here and plus I need you awake if were going to keep working on our song you know."

"Octavia." The cashier called out carrying the drinks in hoof. Octavia rushed up to the counter handing the larger drink to Vinyl and leading her out of the cafe. Casting another glance toward Lyra's friends Vinyl saw them mouths agape staring at her and Octavia. Oh no this isn't going to be good. She thought quickening her pace out of coffee shop.

Getting back to the school the pair rushed off to their next classes parting ways.

The duo met back up in their final class of the day and set to work diligently working on their project for the entire period. Sensing that the class was about to end Vinyl asked Octavia. "Do you want to keep working on it for a little while longer?"

"I don't know are you sure that your up to it?"

"Don't worry about me I'll be fine that coffee gave me a lot of energy." Vinyl said tapping her horn with her hoof. Octavia wasn't buying it.

"Well... Ok" she said hesitantly. "We can work at my place."

Walking into Octavia's house was different the second time there was no sudden barrage of questions and no snotty parents to deal with upon entering the house. There was only one sound in the entirety of the house the hum of some song on the radio coming from the kitchen. "Mom I'm home me and Vinyl are going to be working on our project upstairs."

Octavia's mother called back after a long pause. "Ok, work hard." She said to the duo from inside the kitchen out of sight. Octavia led Vinyl up the long staircase to her room down the hallway. As the two prepared to get to work Vinyl tried lifting her violin out of its case with her magic only to find that it would shakily create a field around the violin and then disappear.

"Come on come on work damn you." She said fruitlessly trying to use her magic to lift her violin.

"Can you play your violin without your magic?"

"I could try but I've never really needed to up until now."

"Alright can we get any work done without you playing your violin?"
We'll hold on let me see if I can do this." Vinyl interjected hefting the violin out of its case with a forehoof and grabbing the bow with the other. Slowly she lifted herself onto her hind legs taking the base of the violin between her chin and her shoulder. Carefully maintaining her balance she tried to use the bow to draw out a few simple notes of the violin only to hear the violin shriek in discordant tones. "Well that does it for that idea." She said teatering back and forth on her hind legs. "Plus I don't think I could keep my balance long enough for that to be a permanent soloution."

"Hmm well maybe we could write out the sheet music." Octavia said slowly setting her cello back into its case as Vinyl did the same.

"Yeah ok"' Vinyl said lifting up her glasses and getting out a sheet of paper from her satchel bag. Without her glasses to hide her eyes Octavia quickly noticed the gigantic dark circles under her eyes and the numerous tiny red veins that showed themselves in her eyes.

"Or maybe we could take a break from working on the project for now I'm getting preety tired." Octavia said feigning a yawn. "Maybe we should just hang out and relax for a bit." Vinyl was shocked Octavia had seemed so foucused on the project that she doubted that she wanted to stop working on it and just hang out.

"Um sure I guess did you have anything in mind." She asked

"Yes" she said jumping at the opportunity, "I'd like to hear some of the music you've been working on."

"Well that's going to be a little hard considering I don't have any magic to play on my violin." Vinyl stated tapping her horn with a hoof.

"No nothing you've been working on with your violin I'm interested in what you have on your laptop."

"Oh I can show you that I just didn't think anyone at that school would ever ask to hear any of the music I had on my laptop." She said sliding the aforementioned device out of her bags.

"Well you made it right? From all of your contributions to our duet I doubt it would be anything bad."

"Oh trust me it's all good just not sure if it fits your type of style." Vinyl said opening up the screen.

"Hey now, I like trying and listening to new things."

"Alright then let me show you a few things."
The pair spent the rest of the afternoon listening to the others musical creations going back and forth about songs the two had been working on and the ways each of them could improve or refine the style that they were done in.

"So Octavia, how do you keep that thing balanced the whole time your holding it dosent it get heavy and your arms get tired. So how do you keep your balance the whole time I was holding up my violin I could barely stand on two legs much less imagine playing that way."

"Well I guess you get used to it after a while it's not like I really have any other way to play, besides I'm sure that keeping your violin and your bow floating for such a long time must be very mentally draining."

"Oh believe me it is but I dunno I still think that if I had the option between the two I'd pick magic every day."

"What if you didn't have the option between the two?" Octavia asked

Vinyl was caught off guard by the sudden question she had never thought about it before. "Hmm," she said taking a moment to think "I'm not sure I guess I'd have to learn to play again by hoof and I can't imagine I'd ever be as good as I am now with my magic."
"Oh." Octavia said with a small frown. "So does that mean that someone who has to play with their hooves can't be as good as someone who plays with magic?" She asked her voice holding a slight quiver.
Vinyl seeing her new friend clearly distraught realized she had messed up and said something carelessly. She walked over to her and put her hoof on her shoulder. "Hey that's not what I meant. I meant that I could never be as good as I was before not that those with magic were just better out of the gate. Look Octavia the way you play is amazing it's perfect in every way you never miss a note and you do all that while balancing yourself and that big cello. Your one of the most talented cellists I've ever met. Trust me not having magic doesn't mean that your worse than anyone else hell your a better player than anyone else in the orchestra." She said attempting to cheer her up.

Octavia wiped the tears that had been welling up in her eyes away and looked at the tool deep pools of magenta that were staring at her. "Thank you Vinyl that means a lot." She said wrapping her arms around the mare and pulling her in for a hug. "It really means a lot to me."

Vinyl blushed for the second time today in this mares embrace as she squeaked out the words. "Sure anytime." Looking out of the window Vinyl saw the sun setting and realized that she'd rather get home while it was still light out. Breaking the embrace she said, "well I should really be going now it's getting preety late."
Octavia glanced out the window to the setting sun as Vinyl packed up her belongings. "Alright I'll see you tomorow." Octavia said as her friend walked out of the door.
"Ok see you tomorow." She said walking out of her room and down the stairs passing Melody on her way up the stairs. The walk home was a long and boring trek through familiar streets but to Vinyl it was a hard one. She hadn't noticed it while she was at Octavia's but she felt it on the walk home she was exhausted. And with every step down the cold hard roads she could feel the weariness in her limbs her head was drooping her posture was poor and the only thing on her mind was the sweet relief of sleep. The nightmare she had the night before still terrified her to her very core but Vinyl knew that she couldn't fight against the sleep forever and sooner or later she would lose the nightmare would have its way with her again. Walking straight into the apartment Vinyl could feel that she was about to give in to her tieredness moving quickly to her room and shutting the door behind her she threw herself into the bed not even bothering to take off her headphones as the dark embrace of a deep sleep took its hold.

Author's Note

Wow it has been a long long time this chapter is a new years treat to anyone but me who's reading this next chapter is pretty much already all written out should be up in a few days thank you to anyone who's reading this

A chance encounter

It was a regular old warm summers night under the starry sky of Canterlot. Everything was right, all the shops shut down the streets deserted. With nopony anywhere and only the faint hum of the light crystals hanging from their poles up and down the streets. Vinyl thought It was the perfect night to be sneaking out. She didn't really have any particular reason to be leaving her house. To get away from the other inhabitants if only for a short time was a blessing in itself. Every hoofstep away from that house felt like it was setting her just a little bit more free.

Vinyl would often walk these same streets to clear her head or just to be out and away from her family. She liked taking walks under the starry sky. Nighttime was one of the few times Vinyl felt like she was truly alone it was the only time she could think to herself. Sure there was always the option to think at home but there was a certain air of oppression that hung in her house stifling any kind of thoughts never leaving until she got out of the house. Whenever Vinyl wanted to do some real thinking she was forced to leave that place very seldom could she find peace within the walls of that house. Out here in the seemingly abandoned streets of Canterlot she felt like she could truly express herself and that nothing was going to hold her back.

She walked up the street in no particular hurry just enjoying the electric humming of bass pounding in her ears and the sights of the night sky above her. The stars seemed to glow and shine down like thousands of tiny pinpricks in a black cloth giving way to sunlight. Vinyl could stare at the sky for hours whether it be picking out the constellations or just enjoying a nighttime sky filled with stars. Vinyl had always been somewhat nocturnal never really being awake until the night.

The starry sky was one of the most beautiful things in the would she never knew how some ponies could neglect how beautiful the night sky could be. There was no moon out tonight What a shame. Vinyl thought. she had always loved looking at the moon scanning it from the top to bottom moving from darker spots to lighter ones. She had probably stared up at the moon for more hours than she would care to count but she could never quite remember what it looked like once it was gone.

Glancing up and down at the lit streets of east Canterlot's suburbia nopony anywhere in sight, that was just the way she liked it. In the day she might not seem like a shy pony but the truth was people genuinely scared her. It hadn't always been like that but ever since she had started going to highschool everything had changed partly because all her friends hadn't got into her music school and partly because of the ponies that did. The act she put up in the day was a mask carefully constructed in the past two years it wasn't really Vinyl it was there purely to keep other ponies away. The only time Vinyl could ever really stop her act and be herself was when she was alone She was different enough from the snooty ponies in Canterlot already but the act she put up with Djpon3 was enough she thought to push her over the edge too unapproachable and it worked fairly well to be honest. In the two years she had been at Celestia's school for musically gifted ponies she had only ever been approached once. And that was before she had donned her signature purple shades and became djpon3. The way that had ended made Vinyl want to have nothing to do with anypony else at that awful highschool.

The music played through Vinyl's headphones at a volume threatening to blow out her eardrums. Vinyl hardly even noticed the mint green mare slowly trotting over to her lunch table. Vinyl looked up, finally noticing the mare now at the side of her table and took hold of her headphones in her magical grip gently pulling them down till they were hanging at her neck. The light green mare spoke up "Hi um Vinyl is it" she said while taking a seat.

"Yeah that's me i don't think we've ever met. Who are you?" Vinyl said curiously eyeing the green mare.

"Oh sorry I'm Lyra we have musical theory together but we've never really talked before."

Vinyl vaguely remembered a light green mare from here musical theory class but to be fair musical theory to Vinyl was just code for nap time.

"Look, I'm going to be really blunt about this. Would you want to go out with me sometime."

Vinyl sat there stunned not sure what to say"Is she really asking me out?" Vinyl thought to herself

realizing the green unicorn was staring at her expectingly. She spoke up "I-I don't know maybe sometime i'm not sure." The green unicorn slowly stood up sliding a piece of paper over to Vinyl with her magic.

"Well when you do decide just give me a call." She said slowly walking away. Vinyl took a look at the paper on it were scrawled 7 numbers.

Vinyl struggled to push the memory out of her head she started walking again not realizing that she had stopped. That was almost two years ago but it still hurt just as much as it had all that time ago. Vinyl thought back on her time from highschool it seemed like as soon as she had started everything in her life had become exceedingly difficult. From the kids at school constantly tormenting her to the yelling and screaming at home the past two years had been nothing but terrible for Vinyl. The only way she had made it this far was music if it wasn't for music Vinyl would probably be dead. Music was the only thing that brought her any small amount of happiness. Her Ipod and headphones went everywhere with her if somepony had to guess they would probably say the headphones might as well be glued to the inside of her ears.

Vinyl started making her way down another street a gust of wind blowing her mane into her face. Vinyl brought a hoof to her face brushing her mane out of her eyes. When she noticed something a grey blob on the sidewalk up ahead it looked surprisingly pony like. "Oh my god." Vinyl said in shock her pace picked up to a full canter rushing over to the unmoving grey pony lying on the sidewalk. Stopping right next to the grey earth pony Vinyl noticed she wasn't moving. "Oh please don't be dead." No response. Vinyl gulped, looking closer Vinyl noticed her chest slowly moving up and down. Vinyl leaned down slowly poking her in the chest with a hoof. "Hey wake up." She said perhaps a little too quietly. Vinyl poked her again, "Come on wake up." Vinyl thought she saw the grey earth ponies hooves move slightly but she still didn't wake up. Now grabbing her by the shoulders Vinyl shook her practically screaming "Hey wake up!" The grey earth ponies eyes shot open an ear shattering scream emanating from her mouth.

Thirty minutes before

Octavia slowly crept out of her home carefully closing the backdoor to her house. She had been extremely quiet in walking through the house to get this far if she slipped up now all of that wouldn't matter. She was being extra careful not to wake up her parents or sister at this ungodly hour she walked ever so slowly towards the sidewalk next to her house. Carefully stepping to avoid making any unnecessary noise. even though she was outside now and there were no floorboards to creek or steps to trip on now but she couldn't ever be too careful. Finally making it to the sidewalk she relaxed a bit and started steadily walking down the street.

Octavia was always a careful mare never one to make rash decisions she had always planned out everything she did down to the very last detail. So one might ask what a pony who spent so much time making her choices and planning her actions was doing making such a impulsive decision like sneaking out of her house late at night. Truly Octavia had no reason to be out so late. In fact the punishment her parents would surely give her if they found out she was sneaking out should have been enough to steer her away from doing anything like this. But for some reason Octavia couldn't understand the pull to be outside the urge to feel her hooves hit the cool slabs of concrete under her hooves outweighed all common sense or reason.

This wasn't the first time Octavia had felt like this but every time she told her parents or her sister about the strange urge to be outside they had simply dismissed her. After enough time Octavia had just simply stopped mentioning it. For Octavia a lot of things had been like that her parents offered her almost no support in her musical career and Octavia believed they had always thought her sister was better than her in every aspect. Because of this Octavia had pushed herself as hard as she could her entire life hoping that one day she would look equal in her parents eyes that day hadn't come and Octavia feared it never would. Octavia never held this against her sister instead turning her resentment to her parents. At the end of the day it all boiled down to one thing her sister and parents were all unicorns in fact everyone in Octavia's family besides her grandfather were unicorns.

Octavia was an outcast, a sore thumb sticking out in both her family and at school. She had never really made any friends at school instead of socializing with other ponies she had reserved herself to being quiet and attentive. That's not to say she had never tried to make friends with anypony she had numerous times every time ending in bitter failure. Whether at school or at home Octavia was one thing, lonely.

Octavia could only ever find comfort doing one thing, playing her cello the way her bow moved across the strings producing the most haunting of melodies to the brightest of tunes always calmed her mind. every time she played those strings it was like her mind was sent to another world where all her worries and troubles seemed to melt away into nothing. Without her cello Octavia didn't know how she would have made it through the sixteen years of hell that she called her life.

Octavia had been so lost in thought she hadn't realized where she had been going not that she really had a goal of getting anywhere. A quick look at the buildings surrounding her revealed that she had only walked a few blocks away from her home. Her gaze drifted from the buildings to something far far above them. The stars in the sky were beautiful they took her gaze and held it captive within their beauty. Before she knew what was going on her legs started moving again towards some unknown destination. She was so caught up in looking skyward that she hadn't realized where she was stepping she tripped on a piece of concrete that was jutting an inch above the rest. It all happened so fast she barely realized that she was falling before she the side of her head hit the ground knocking her unconscious.

Author's Note

Well here it is one of my first attempts at writing feel free to leave a comment advice or anything you can think of in the comments. Any advice, praise or criticism of any kind is greatly appreciated and if anyone is interested in editing just P.M me