Rhythm of Hearts: Vinyl Scratch's Story
"DJ Pon-3! DJ Pon-3! DJ Pon-3!"
She heard the crowd chanting her stage name as the beats from the previous song faded out. She felt the heat from the strobe lights around her as she wiped her forehead with a hoof. She could see the crowd below the stage jumping, clapping, and waving their arms over their heads. They wanted another song, more music, more beats.
And Vinyl was happy to oblige. The white unicorn grinned as she scratched a hoof across a record, causing the crowd to quiet down instantly. She scratched again, then again more vigorously, and she saw the expressions of excitement on the faces of the ponies through her purple shades. Adjusting her headphones a bit, her horn began to glow as she used her magic to lower the needle onto the record.
"Alright, everypony. Are ya ready to party?" She started the next beat, and the crowd went wild. Cheers and hollers traveled across the dance floor as the speakers echoed the thumping of the bass to everypony out on the floor. As always, Vinyl found herself getting lost in the beat; the thumps of the drums, the kickin' of the techno, the drops of the bass. It was soothing, it was exhilarating, it was her thing. This was her passion; being a DJ.
During the day she was just plain ol' Vinyl Scratch. But at night, she wasn't just Vinyl Scratch, she was DJ Pon-3. The only DJ in Ponyville, at night she came alive to the beats of the music she mixed. She swayed back and forth and side to side and bobbed her head to the jams blasting through the speakers, and she watched with great pride and a feeling of accomplishment as ponies danced along to the music, her music. This was her life.
"Bye, everypony. See ya Friday." A cool breeze blew outside as Vinyl stepped out into the cool night air. It was a relaxing spring breeze, one that she loved feeling blowing against her. It was the perfect finale to another awesome night of DJing at the local dance club. The club could get pretty hot inside with all the strobe lighting and all the song mixing. So stepping out into the cool night air was a relaxing welcome and the perfect way to end the evening.
Lifting her iconic purple and black shades, she blinked, her magenta eyes readjusting to the moonlit sky and the twinkling of the stars above. Folding them, Vinyl placed the glasses on the edge of her saddle bag, the very thing that contained all her records. Using her magic to levitate the larger equipment, she set her gear down and just inhaled, enjoying the smell of the spring night air, and the relaxing and calming feeling Princess Luna's night always brought. It never failed to relax her and clear her head. As her horn began to glow once more, she picked up her gear and made her way over to her car, a '74 Ponmouth Road Galloper. It was white with blue interior and blue pin striping down the body. The muscle car packed plenty of horsepower, so to speak. Getting her keys from her bag, she unlocked the door, then popped the trunk. Gently setting her equipment inside, she closed the trunk and walked around to the driver side, climbing in. Turning the key, the engine thundered to life. Buckling her seat belt, Vinyl put the car in drive and pulled out, beginning the three minute drive back home. Her home was conveniently located close to the only dance club in town, which meant she didn't have far to go.
FLASHBACK
Vinyl's tale began when she was just a little filly. She, like many other fillies, was a "Blank Flank". She had yet to get her cutie mark, and was curious about when she'd get it, how and what it would be.
One day, while strolling through town trying to think of ways to possibly earn her cutie mark, Vinyl stumbled upon an old music shop in Ponyville. She was born and raised in Canterlot but she traveled frequently to Ponyville. More open spaces and more beautiful scenery. The shop itself was modest in design, no flashy signs or neons. Just a plain old sign that simply said MUSIC.
Curious, Vinyl trotted inside to check it out. She liked music and thought it was a cool little shop. Inside sat an older stallion behind the counter. He was older than her dad but just a little younger than her grandfather. He spotted the little filly as she walked in and smiled down at her.
"Well, hello there, little one." His voice was kind and gentle, reminded her of her own grandfather.
"Hiya!" little Vinyl replied, looking around at the instruments on display. "Wow, these are cool!" She looked at a guitar with a double neck.
The older stallion got up from behind the counter and walked over to her. "It certainly is a beauty. You like playing guitar?"
Little Vinyl looked up at the older stallion as she sat on her haunches. "I've never tried before. But I think it'd be fun to learn."
"Music has a very important part in everyponies life. Each and every tune we hear has a different meaning to each of us, but that's why there's so much great music. Every song appeals to different ponies."
"Huh... Never really thought of it like that..." Vinyl looked at the guitar again, then at the set of drums. She hopped up on the stool and looked at the symbols and drums before her. "...Every song has a meaning, and every song means something to somepony..."
"That's right." The older stallion cocked his head. "Sounds like you know a thing or two about music."
"Oh, I love listening to music! I love to dance and sing and just have fun!"
The older stallion chuckled, and watched as the filly picked up one of the drum sticks. "I'm Cleff Tenor. What's your name?"
"Vinyl Scratch."
"Think you could play the drums?"
Vinyl hit a few symbols and drums, and shook her head. "I doubt it. Drums... just aren't my thing."
"So what do you like to play?"
"I don't know..." Vinyl sounded saddened. "I'm not sure what I like to do, or what I can do..."
Cleff smiled. "Well, Miss Scratch, I'll bet there's something in my store that you can play. Come on, let's see what we can find, shall we?"
Vinyl looked up, her magenta eyes a glitter. "You really think so?"
"I'll bet my cutie mark on it!" Cleff said confidently.
"Alright!" Vinyl hopped off the stool as Cleff started giving her a small tour, showing her the different instruments. In the back of the store was a mixing machine. "What's this thingie?"
"That, my dear, is what a DJ uses to mix songs."
Vinyl cocked her head. "What's a... DJ?"
"DJ stands for Disk Jockey. A DJ is someone that... Here, let me show you." Cleff pulled a stool over for Vinyl to hop up on. "Now then..." Cleff pulled out a record, blew the dust off of it and placed it on the turn table. Gently setting the needle down onto the record and hitting play, the music began to fill the room. Next, he placed a hoof on the record and scratched it. Filly Vinyl cocked her head in curiosity and interest. "Heh, I'm not as good as real DJ's but this is how they do it." He did it again a couple more times, showing the tiny filly the basics that he knew.
By now, the tiny unicorn was quickly learning. "Ohhh... You mean like this?" She placed a hoof on the record and started scratching it, and Cleff was surprised by how quickly she'd caught on. Even more impressed by how good she sounded already.
"My stars, that's it! You've got it, Vinyl!"
"This is fun!" Vinyl continued to play the record and in mere seconds she was already mixing like a pro. "This is awesome!"
Cleff smiled warmly. "Looks like you found your talent, my dear."
"Huh?" Vinyl stopped playing to look up at Cleff curiously, then to where he was pointing at. Right there, on her flank, was a black music note; her cutie mark. She gasped in surprise. "My... My cutie mark! I got my cutie mark! Awesome!"
Cleff could only smile as he watched the soon to become DJ Pon-3 jump off the stool and start hopping and jumping around the room, excited that she finally found her talent and got her cutie mark.
From that day on, Vinyl stopped by the music shop almost every day. She'd play around with the mixing table and try out some tunes she'd made up, and she offered to help clean the shop and organize the music. Cleff decided to let Vinyl have the mixing table for free, as it brought him too much joy seeing her play it and he didn't have the heart to make her pay for it. She, of course, decided to help around the shop to help pay off for the mixer. However, Vinyl opted to leave the mixer there at the shop so she could play there, and Cleff let her have one of the empty storage rooms upstairs to keep it in and so she could mix in peace.
Cleff looked at Vinyl like a granddaughter and she looked at him like a second grandfather. Cleff had no children of his own, so it felt almost like passing the torch to Vinyl. As she grew older, she continued to play on her mixing table, and of course she continued to help out at the shop. She began to put on shows for some customers which helped to draw attention back to the shop.
When she was old enough to, she got a job at the music shop, helping Cleff out who was beginning to show his age. It wasn't long before Vinyl scored her very first DJing gig. It was a show for up and coming new artists and such and Vinyl decided to see what she could do. She was nervous at first, but Cleff was there to see her perform. She hadn't told her parents about the show as they didn't really understand Vinyl's infatuation with DJing. So Cleff was there to see her perform her first DJing gig.
And it was a huge success.
Vinyl was a hit at the show with her mixing skills, and Cleff was proud to see her do so well and have so much fun. Vinyl saw the lack of business the store was generating and decided to help put the place back on the map, as a huge thanks to Cleff for the support and kindness he'd shown her over the years. She printed out flyers and was able to use her DJing to help market the store, which caused more and more customers to flock to it, and before long, the store was back on the map and a huge success. Vinyl never would forget the expression on Cleff's face.
She had just bagged the last customer's several CD's and watched them leave. She took a deep breath as she relaxed, wiping a hoof across her forehead. "Whew... Whatta day..." She smiled with satisfaction, another big day for the store. She hopped off the stool as Cleff walked over and swung the OPEN sign to CLOSED. "We got a lot of customers today," Vinyl remarked, looking over the few empty shelves on the racks. She suddenly heard a sniff and looked over to Cleff, seeing him standing at the door. "Cleff...?" She stepped over to him, beginning to get worried. But when she looked up at his face, she saw he was smiling.
"Vinyl... This lonely shop hasn't seen this many customers in years. It was always so... so empty." He turned to her. "But you changed all that. You put this little store back in business, you breathed new life into this place."
"Hey, it was nothing, Cleff," she dismissed modestly. "I was happy to help."
"It is something," he said. "You changed this place, gave it a second chance. You made this place what is is now, and you've also given me a new lease on life." He placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Thank you, Vinyl. For everything you've done for this old store, and for me."
Vinyl couldn't help it, but she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. "I'm the one who should be thanking you. You helped me to become who I am today, you introduced me to my special talent. I'd still be a 'Blank Flank' if it wasn't for you."
Cleff smiled at the young mare. "You've grown into a beautiful young mare, and I just know you're gonna go far. You're gonna be the best DJ this town has ever seen."
"I donno about that..." she blushed.
"I do. Because I've seen you perform. I can see how much your heart and soul are put into what you do and how much DJing means to you. You're gonna go far, kid, and that is something I don't doubt."
Vinyl sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Thanks, Cleff. That really means a lot to me."
The two hugged, and that was a moment both would savor for the rest of their lives.
A couple of days later, a shipment of sunglasses arrived at the store. As Vinyl sat going through them as she placed them on a rack on the counter, she found a single pair that caught her interest. They were black rimmed with purple lenses and no ear supports.
"Whoa, these are pretty cool," Vinyl mused as she held them up.
"Try them on," Cleff suggested from behind one of the CD racks as he placed the newest shipment of CDs on it.
Vinyl put them on. "How do they look?"
Cleff looked up and smiled. "I believe we have a new DJ in the house."
Vinyl looked in a mirror and grinned. "Wow, these are pretty sweet." She liked the look.
"Keep 'em. No need to pay for them."
Vinyl shook her head. "Oh, no, I couldn't do that. Lemme pay you for 'em."
"No, you keep them. Every DJ needs something to make them stand out," Cleff insisted.
"Then why won'tcha let me pay for them?"
"Consider it a gift," Cleff smiled. Vinyl opened her mouth to object but Cleff held up a hoof. "Now don't object, young lady, you're gonna take those. It's the least I could do for what you've done for this place."
Vinyl smiled a little smile. "You know I wanted to help out."
"Take the glasses. I insist. It'll make this old stallion feel better." Cleff grinned.
"Ahg... Fine," Vinyl agreed. "But I'm gonna order the next shipment as payback, and don't you disapprove." The two grinned.
"Alright. Deal."
"Deal." Vinyl looked at the shades in the mirror, her now iconic purple shades, and smiled. She loved the new shades.
It was during her next gig that she wore her shades, and when asked about her stage name after her performance that night, she thought for a moment before she decided on a stage name she liked.
"DJ Pon-3." That name would go on to become known all over Ponyville.
For the next couple of years the store continued to flourish. Customers from all around came by to see the store's wares, and the store was making better business than it ever had. Cleff had opted to finally change the name of the shop. Together, he and Vinyl decided on the name BEATS & JAMS. And the new name took off.
By now, Cleff's health was declining. He had to stay home from work several times because of it, leaving Vinyl to run the shop in his absence. A few times Vinyl had a DJing gig and opted not to go to help take care of Cleff. He, on the other hoof, insisted she go. He didn't want to be a burden on her, yet she also insisted she stay. Cleff was grateful for the company and Vinyl was happy to be there for him.
One day, things took a downward spiral...
Vinyl was cleaning one of the CD racks while Cleff went over some paperwork from the recently ordered inventory. Glancing over, she noticed him shaking, more than normal. "Cleff, you okay?"
"Yeah... Yeah, I'm okay. I just... started feeling chilly, that's all."
"I think I should call an ambulance." Concerned, Vinyl headed over to the counter and reached for the phone.
"No, Vinyl, I'm okay. Really. It's just my old age." He tried to offer a light smile but Vinyl wasn't buying it.
"Look, I'm calling an ambulance whether you like it or not. And you're gonna go to the hospital."
He tried to remain a little defiant and cocky. "And what if I don't?"
Vinyl gave a little grin. "I know a levitation spell. I'll take you there myself if I hafta."
"Alright, you win." Both shared a light smile. Although she was scared, their little humor helped to lift her spirit and lighten the atmosphere. The ambulance arrived shortly afterward and Cleff was taken to the hospital. Vinyl stayed in his room with him that night, though he insisted she go home to rest, she didn't want to leave. She knew that he had no kids of his own and very few surviving family members, so she opted to stay.
Cleff remained in the hospital for the next few days, and insisted that Vinyl run the store and get out of the hospital. Against her better judgment, she did as he asked and ran the store. It wasn't hard, as she had learned a lot from him on how to take care of everything, so it was all second nature to her. She visited Cleff in the hospital that night after she closed up. He wasn't any better, but thankfully didn't appear any worse. That night, Cleff insisted that Vinyl go home and get some rest. She first objected but he insisted that she go home to rest.
"You sure you'll be okay?" she asked, leaning over his bed.
"I'll be fine, my dear. Go on. Go home and get some rest. You need it," he insisted.
"I can stay here, Cleff. It's no big-"
"No, you go ahead and go home. You need the rest. Besides, heh..." He grinned. "I've got some pretty, young nurses her to take care of me."
Vinyl rolled her eyes and snickered. "You ol' player, you." She looked at Cleff with concern again. "Are you sure ya don't want me to stay?"
"I'm sure, my dear," he responded. "I'll be fine. Go on. Go on home. I'm in good hoofs."
"Okay..." She leaned down and gave him a hug, squeezing him tight. "But you know I'm not comfortable with this."
"I'll be fine. Go home and rest." He held her. "Thank you, Vinyl."
The unicorn pulled back, curious. "Huh? For what?"
"For everything you've done for me and the store. You gave this old stallion a purpose again, and you showed me something."
"What did I show you?"
"You're living your dream. You followed where your heart lead, and you're not letting anything stand in your way. You don't know how happy it makes me to see you following what you believe in." He hugged her again. "So thank you. For everything."
Vinyl sniffed, and returned his embrace. "Thanks, Cleff. For everything you taught me. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for you."
Cleff let her go. "Enough of this stuff. You need to go home and rest. No go."
"Okay, I'm going." Vinyl gave a slight chuckle as she rose from the bed and started for the door. "Night, Cleff."
"Good night, Vinyl. Be careful on the drive back home."
"I will. See you tomorrow."
"See you later."
The two waved at one another and Vinyl slipped out the door and started walking down the hall. She still felt uneasy leaving him alone, but she felt better knowing he was in good hoofs. Ponyville Hospital was known for having some of the best doctors and the newest medical equipment, so it did help to put her mind at ease.
That night before she climbed into bed, she said a prayer like she did every night, asking for Cleff to be watched over. Although she knew he was old and that he could pass away at any moment, it wasn't something she wanted to think about. But she knew he had some family that had passed on that he would love to see again, and that brought her peace, knowing that he would be with his family again someday. Vinyl crashed in her bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. It had been a long day.
At around six the next morning, Vinyl was awoken by the ringing of her phone. Groaning, she sat up and looked at the caller ID. Her eyes shot open as she saw the numbers on the green screen.
Ponyville Hospital.
She grabbed the phone and answered it. "Hello? Hello?"
"Miss Scratch?"
"Yeah?"
"This is Doctor Scalpel at Ponyville Hospital. I... don't know how to tell you this, but..."
"...No..." Vinyl knew what he was going to say, but her heart couldn't handle it.
"Cleff passed away this morning."
Vinyl dropped the phone, her eyes squeezing shut in an attempt to suppress the tears that threatened to fall, but it was useless. They did anyway. She started to cry. In the cold, alone in her room, she cried.
She didn't go back to sleep that morning. She couldn't. Instead, she picked up a guitar she'd bought off of Cleff and started to write a song in his honor. Cleff had played guitar in his younger days and taught Vinyl how to play. Though DJing was her thing, she would sometimes pick up that guitar and play. It was simple in its design, being black, white and silver, and because she worked at the store, she got an employee discount. She poured her heart and soul into that one piece, and before she knew it, she was playing a whole song with no lyrics. She quickly set up some recording gear she'd saved up for and bought and recorded the track.
What few of Cleff's family were left made the arrangements for the funeral. Vinyl left the store closed on the day of the wake service, as it was mostly too painful to walk in there with so many memories of Cleff inside. The wake service was hard for the young unicorn. It was everything she could do to keep herself together as she peered inside the casket at Cleff's still body. She was crying, but trying to be strong. After the service, she was approached by a stallion in a suit that turned out to be Cleff's attorney.
"Miss, Scratch?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"Hello. I'm Chris Win, Cleff's attorney."
"Oh. Uh, hello." The two shook hoofs.
"Cleff told me a lot about you. He said that you were partners with him."
"Yeah, I worked at his store."
Chris reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. "Cleff... wanted you to have this."
Vinyl looked at Chris curiously and took the letter. Opening it, she recognized Cleff's hoofwriting in an instant.
Vinyl,
I'm writing this because I know I don't have much time left. I'm old, and I feared I wouldn't have a chance to tell you this, so I wrote it.
I'm proud of you. So very proud of you. Although we weren't blood, I looked at you like my own grandaughter, and I loved you like you were my own. You reminded me of myself when I was your age. Full of vigor and hope for the future, full of strength and fight to keep moving on, and you were also full of something else.
Love. You had so much inside you. For your passion of DJing, and for others. You have a heart of gold, my dear, and I could tell from the moment you walked into my store all those years ago that you were special. You renewed my store, and you renewed me. And for that, and for being there for me, I can't ever thank you enough.
I only ask one thing of you. Don't stop following your dream. Be what you want to be, who you want to be. Follow your heart, make friends and show them the same love you showed me. You are Vinyl Scratch. You are DJ Pon-3. The best DJ in Ponyville. No... in Equestria. I'll never forget you and I'll be watching over you from above.
I left a Will. My attorney, Chris Win, will handle it. But I want you to be there, for I have left something for you...
Your friend,
Cleff Tenor.
A tear fell onto the paper as Vinyl finished reading the note. She clutched it to her chest as she sniffed, and wiped her eyes with her other hoof. "...Cleff..."
"Miss, Scratch," Chris began, "I'll be reading the will at my office in Manehatten. Cleff wants you to be there for the reading of his will."
Vinyl nodded. "Of course."
The reading went differently than Vinyl expected. The few surviving family members got a few things and then Chris said that was it. After the family members left, Chris looked at Vinyl.
"There's more, Miss Scratch."
Vinyl cocked a brow. "But I thought that was it."
"That's what Cleff told me to say. There is more." Chris held up the will and began. "I also leave my store, BEATS & JAMS, to Vinyl Scratch."
Vinyl's eyes widened as her mouth hung open. "W-Wha...?"
"He left the store to you," Chris said with a smile. "He wanted you to have the store. I spoke with him a few days before he was hospitalized and he told me to make sure that you got the store. He wanted you to have it."
"B-But..."
"He also wanted me to give you this after I read his will." Chris handed Vinyl another letter, and she opened it immediately.
Vinyl,
I'm leaving my shop to you and you only. You made the store what it is today, and for that, I can think of nopony any better for it than you. I have an upstairs to the shop - it's unused and needs a little work, but you're welcome to turn it into your own recording and mixing studio if you wish. The shop is yours to do with what you wish, but I felt you should have it. You made it come alive again, so it's yours now.
Thank you once again for everything you've done for this old stallion. And please take care of yourself, and always know I'm always watching over you. You were a very dear friend, and the granddaughter I wish I had. Although, it still felt like I had one. Thank you, Vinyl. For everything.
Your friend,
Cleff Tenor.
Another tear splashed down onto the note as Vinyl wiped her eyes. At his funeral, she brought her guitar and played the song she wrote for him. Vinyl decided to keep the store and run it in memory of Cleff. The first time she walked into the shop since his passing, it hurt almost too much to even be inside. But for a moment she felt like he was there with her, and it was oddly soothing. As she made her way upstairs to the second floor of the shop, she saw that it was mostly empty, save for a few boxes and dusty instruments.
Vinyl managed a smile. "Well, Cleff... Whaddaya think about a home slash recording and mixing studio?"
It took about a year, but Vinyl got everything set up. During that time, she'd met some wonderful friends; Octavia, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and later a new pony that had moved to town, Twilight Sparkle. She was close friends with all of them, and looked at each like a sort of sister besides a best friend.
END FLASHBACK
Vinyl turned the key to her home and opened the door. Stepping inside, she used her magic to close and lock the door and levitated her DJing gear upstairs and into her small studio. Her studio was a simple room that she dubbed her "studio". It was just an empty room before, and since she needed someplace to mix her records and record her tracks, she decided to transform it into a little mixing and recording studio. It worked perfectly.
Walking back down the hallway, Vinyl turned the corner into another room, the living room and kitchen. It was a decently sized room, with a love seat, a TV, a coffee table, a few lamps, a cordless phone, a few pictures, a couple of posters, and a light brown hardwood floor. The walls were white, and although the kitchenette was small, it provided everything she needed. A fridge, stove, sink, oven, a bar, several cabinets, and a few counters.
The young unicorn placed her saddle bag on the bar and stood on her hind legs as she opened the fridge door and looked inside. Finding a cold glass bottle of Sweet Apple Acres' finest cider, Vinyl smiled, and took the bottle from the fridge, closing the door with her right hind hoof as she used her magic to open a drawer and levitate a bottle opener out. Popping the cap off, she put the bottle opener back and stepped over into the living area. Adjacent to the love seat was a set of light blue curtains. Pulling them open with her magic, a set of sliding glass doors stood before her. She placed a hoof on the brass handle and slid the door open.
Vinyl was met with a refreshing breeze as she stepped out onto the small balcony, taking in a deep breath as she smiled. Closing the door behind her, she stepped over to the railing and leaned up on her hind legs, resting her forearms on the railing as she looked out at the view.
The balcony was on the second floor, the same height as the upper rooms in Sugarcube Corner, and provided a nice view of the town. The street lights illuminated the streets below, which were empty save for a few stray passersby. Lights inside the houses gave off a soft glow in the distance, as the stars twinkled in the clear sky above. Miles away in the distance, was Canterlot, perched on the side of the mountain in all its glory. A faint glow could be seen from it, giving a sense of peace and security.
"What a beautiful night..." Vinyl sighed to herself with a calm smile as she looked up at the stars. Holding the bottle in her right hoof, she brought it up to her lips and took a sip of the cider, giving a soft moan as the cold, delicious liquid flowed down her throat. "Ahh... Now that's the good stuff..." This was what she needed after a long night of DJing. A nice, peaceful, relaxing, quiet night on her balcony with a cold bottle of cider. The young unicorn stood on the balcony for a while, just enjoying the peace and tranquility of the evening. Glancing up at the stars again, she saw the Little Dipper to the west. "Heh. Wow... Wouldja look at that..." Vinyl smiled, and took another sip of cider. As she looked out over the town again, she used her magic to levitate her MP3 player out onto the balcony.
She walked over to the glider and sat down as she found the song she was looking for. Leaning back, she let the relaxing music of the orchestra fill her ears. It was one of the many performances that her friend Octavia had been in, and right now Vinyl could pick out Octavia's cello clearly. Vinyl's favorite kind of music was techno, pop and rock, and that was what she played every night during a gig. But sometimes it felt good to just kick back with some of Octavia's kind of music; classical and orchestra. Nopony else knew it, but Vinyl liked listening to the music sometimes. It was the perfect tune to help relax her after an intense night of DJing. Although she loved her kind of music and loved mixing up beats for ponies to dance to, it felt nice to just unwind and relax to some calm, soothing music.
Vinyl finished off her bottle of cider and laid back on the glider, allowing her body to fully relax. With a deep exhale, the very pale yellow unicorn closed her eyes as the soothing rhythm flowed through her ears. After listening to the music for several minutes, Vinyl switched off her MP3, pulled the earphones out of her ears and laid them on the small round table that sat beside the glider. Looking back up at the starry night sky above her, she felt her eyelids growing heavy. She first opted to go inside and go to sleep, but she decided to just remain outside. It was a quiet, peaceful night, and sleeping underneath the stars was always fun. Lifting her magenta eyes upward again, she saw the moon overhead, lighting up the night with its luminous beauty. Her eyelids became heavier and she could fight sleep no longer.
As her eyes drifted shut, Vinyl drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
The sound of birds chirping is what awoke Vinyl the next morning. Her eyes blinked open and she squinted instantly as she was greeted by the morning sun. "Ooohh... Man, I really need to consider sleeping with my shades on next time..." Vinyl groaned to herself as she sat up with a raised hoof, attempting to block out the suns rays from her magenta eyes. The pony yawned as she stretched her arms over her head, and cracked her spine back into place. Sleeping outside may have been fun, but that didn't mean that the glider she slept on was comfortable. It was okay for lounging around, but sleeping... whole 'nother story.
Vinyl got up, grabbed her MP3 player and headed back inside. It was Saturday, so she didn't have to be a work for an hour later than normal. Yawning once more, she placed her MP3 on the coffee table and headed for the kitchen for some breakfast. Rubbing her eyes, she opened the cabinet and levitated out a bowl and packet of oatmeal. As she put half of her breakfast into the microwave, she pulled a loaf of bread out of the cabinet and put a couple of slices into the toaster on the counter. Once her breakfast was finished, Vinyl sat at her bar, said a silent prayer and started to eat.
After breakfast, Vinyl started getting ready for work. Which was simple, considering her apartment was located right above the shop where she worked. Vinyl had transformed the second floor of the music shop into an apartment when she first moved into the shop. The name of the shop:
BEATS & JAMS
Plain, simple and to the point. The shop sold mostly CDs, but it also sold some instruments and equipment too. Guitars, bass guitars, drums, symbols, speakers, and picks were on display at the front window. The shop was the same size as Sugarcube Corner, and provided enough space to display some rad instruments. Of course, Vinyl also liked to keep things organized to her personal preference. She kept things categorized so customers could find what they were looking for easier. She also had a connection with some other shops in Manehatten, Los Pegasus, Phillydelphia and Baltimare that allowed her to special order CDs and instruments that her store didn't have in stock.
Entering the lobby of the shop, Vinyl headed over to the front door, unlocked it and swung the CLOSED sign to OPEN. She walked back over to the counter and dropped her iconic purple shades over her eyes as she flipped open the latest issue of Rocker Monthly and sat upon the stool behind the counter.
However, unbeknownst to the young unicorn, her life was about to change forever...
A half hour had passed, and only a couple of customers had came by. A pal of Vinyl's, Rainbow Dash, had stopped by to check out the latest guitars and had bought a new Jon Bon Pony and Cannons and Thorns CD. And another friend, Applejack, had also stopped by to check out what country music CDs had come in, and bought a new Alan Mackson and Carrie Underboard CD. But that was it.
The door opening drew Vinyl to glance up from her magazine to see a new customer walk in. He was a unicorn, like her, and was ash gray with red and black hair, mane and tail. He was taller than her, and had a light build to him. Through her shades she watched the stranger while maintaining the appearance of still looking at her magazine.
Hello, tall, dark and handsome... Vinyl thought to herself. She titled her shades down and watched as he looked around the aisles of CDs, giving her the certain impression that he had never been in the store before. She knew she'd certainly never seen him before. Score!
The stallion wandered between two aisles and she noticed him looking through the CDs. Placing her shades back over her eyes and hoping off her stool, she decided to see of she could help him with anything. What she was really hoping for was his phone number.
As she approached him, she suddenly felt a twinge of nervousness. Nervous? Her? She can perform on stage for thousands, but this one stallion is making her nervous? Weird.
"Can I help you?"
The stallion looked up and seemed to smile a little embarrassingly. "Uh, yeah, uh... Do you happen to have Rock of Ages' Rockin' and Jammin'?"
"Their new CD? Hay, yeah!" Vinyl smiled. She lifted a hoof to flip through a couple of CDs before using her magic to levitate the correct CD up to the stallion. "Here ya go." She got a good look at his eyes. They were bright blue, such a shade of blue that Vinyl thought they were... beautiful and intense.
"Thanks. I've been tryin' to find it but every place I've tried is sold out."
"Well, then, good thing ya happened by this place. Ya name it, I've got it. I don't have it, I can order it." Vinyl gave a confidant smile. "So ya like Rock of Ages, huh?"
"Oh, yeah, love 'em. I think my fav song of theirs is Wanderin'."
"Ohh, mine would have to be Heartbeat."
The colt quirked a brow. "You listen to 'em too?"
Vinyl grinned. "Yeah! Got all their CDs! I bought this one just a few days ago - been listenin' to it nonstop since I opened it."
"No way!"
"Way!"
Both ponies started to laugh.
"I love Faithfully Yours from their New Day Dawning album," Vinyl said.
"Oh, me too! And don't forget One Day," the colt said.
"Ooh, how could I forget that awesome one? And don't forget..."
"...Their awesome hit..."
"Breakaway!" they exclaimed together, and started to laugh.
The colt held out his hoof. "I'm Burn. Rox Burn."
Vinyl held out a hoof and shook his. "Vinyl Scratch. Nice to meetcha." She cocked her head. "I've never seen you around here before. You new?"
"Yeah, I just moved here day before yesterday. I've been out checking out the town and I found this little music shop."
"Well, welcome to Ponyville," Vinyl smiled. "And thanks for comin' by my shop."
"Thanks. And you're welcome." Rox's smile was sincere and genuine.
"Oh, and since you're new here, ya might wanna stop by Sugarcube Corner. There's a pony there, Pinkie Pie, that'll wanna throw ya a 'Welcome To Ponyville' party. She's not hard to miss." Vinyl snickered.
"Thanks. I... think I saw her yesterday at the shop. I didn't go in, but I saw a pink pony outside cleaning the windows."
"Yep, gotta be Pinkie. She loves to party, but she's cool. Make sure you stop by there. S.C.'s got the best sweets this side of Los Pegasus. She lives and works there, just like I do here."
"You live here?" Rox said surprised.
"Yep! Got a small apartment right above the store. I'm close to work and to home, so I'm never late, heh."
"Wow. Gotta be cool livin' in a music shop."
"Yeah, it's cool. I mean, I can't beat that."
"I thought working in a music store would be cool, but living right above it..."
"You work at a music store?" Vinyl quirked a brow, her curiosity piqued.
"Used to. I used to work in a shop in Manhatten, but then the store sold out to a salon."
Vinly winced. "Ouch. Harsh. Sorry to hear that."
Rox shrugged. "It's no big deal. They weren't gettin' very much business anymore and the manager decided to sell it, and a salon now sits in its place."
"Soo... whadja do?"
"Ehh, I was kinda tired of the city anyway. Not really much left for me there. So I packed up and moved out to the country."
Vinyl chuckled. "Well, I doubt you could get more country than here. Unless you wanted to move out to Appleloosa or Dodge Junction."
"Nah, Ponyville seemed just right to me." Both ponies shared a laugh.
"So what are you; a city boy or a country boy?" she asked with a grin.
"I was born in a standard suburb, waayy out of the city, but I got a job at the music store in the city. The city life isn't for me. Too much noise and traffic."
"I hear ya, dude," Vinyl remarked.
"So what're you; country girl or city girl?" Rox asked.
"I'd say about in between, like you. I was born in Canterlot, and grew up there, but I moved to Ponyville once I got old enough to stike out on my own. And I don't regret it."
His eyes widened slightly. "You were born and raised in Canterlot?"
"Yep."
"If ya don't mind me askin', why didja move away from there?"
Vinyl cocked a brow. "Dude. Have you ever been to Canterlot? About half the ponies there are stuck up snobs. They dress and act like they're better than everypony else, and I hate that. Okay, there are some really nice folks there, I'll admit that. But about half of them aren't. Also, my parents thought I would enroll in a school of magic or something, and that just wasn't for me. It wasn't my style. I mean, magic's cool and all but music is more my thing, ya know?"
"I hear ya," Rox agreed. "I do use magic some, but I mostly play music when I can."
"You play music?"
"Yeah. I've done a bit of DJing before but I also play a little guitar."
Vinyl's jaw just about went through the floor. "You. DJ?"
"A little, but nothing professional. Just a little mixing here and there, nothing special."
Vinyl was struck with an idea. "Would you... be interested in coming to a club and watching a DJ mix, maybe learn a thing or two?"
"Sure, that'd be cool."
Vinyl smiled big and squeed. Yes! "Come to the Club Pony on Steeple Drive, ya know where that is?"
Rox shook his head. "Uh, no."
"Okay... It's near Main Street, on Steeple Drive, just past the Quils and Sofas shop."
"I saw that store! Alright, I can find it."
"Great! Come by there Friday night at seven. I'll show ya 'round the joint."
"You got it! I'll be there."
"Awesome." Then Vinyl remembered the CD he was still holding. "Oh... Guess you wanna go ahead and get rung up, huh? Heh..."
"Ah, I ain't in no hurry. I was just out checkin' out the town," Rox said as they started toward the counter.
"Well, if ya need a tour guide, just lemma know. I'm your girl."
He handed her the CD and she scanned it. "You free tomorrow?"
Vinyl stopped, almost dropping the CD. "Wha...?"
"If you're free tomorrow, maybe you could show me around," Rox said with genuine smile. "If you're free, that is."
"'Course I'm free!" Vinyl collected herself, trying to avoid jumping over the counter in excitement. "Uh, I mean, yeah. I've got nothing special planned for tomorrow."
"Awesome. Thanks. Where should I meet ya?"
"Um, right here's good. I can meet ya here at noon if you're up for it."
Rox hoofed Vinyl the bits for the CD and she dropped it in a bag for him. "You bet. I'll meet ya here at noon."
"Right on. Oh! And since you're new here, if ya like, I can sign ya up on the store's membership plan. I give ya a special card that takes ten percent off every purchase, and I can send ya flyers about my latest stuff."
"Well, sign me up!" Rox said happily.
"Alriiight!" Vinyl got a card ready and activated it for him, then hoofed it to him. He also gave her his new address.
"Thanks! I really appreciate all this."
"Hey, no prob, dude," Vinyl said earnestly. "Thank you for comin' by my store."
"I'm glad I came in here. And I'll see ya at noon tomorrow."
"I'll be here."
Rox started toward the door and turned back with a wave. "See ya, Vinyl."
"See ya, Rox." Vinyl waved back. She watched as he started down the street, and waited till he was out of sight before she leapt across the counter and started dancing around the store and pumping her hoof in the air. "Yeess! Yes, yes, yes! Wahoo!" The unicorn did a couple of backflips in her excitement and finally calmed down, adjusting her shades and taking a few deep breaths. "Aww, yeeaah, tomorrow is gonna be totally boss." Now Vinyl couldn't wait until tomorrow.
To be continued...
Author's Note
Ponyville Ranger: Hey, everypony, and welcome to my 3rd MLP: FiM fanfic. This fic centers on another pony that is one of my favs; Vinyl Scratch, also known as DJ Pon-3. Now seeing as how she's currently only been seen in two episodes of the series - "Suited for Success" and part 2 of "A Canterlot Wedding" - nothing is known about her personality or even her voice. I have read some wonderful fics on here and FimFiction that have portrayed her incredibly well. But hopefully she'll have a speaking role in season 3, along with Octavia! XD
However, this is me we're talking about here, so I'm gonna try to keep things on a calm, general, cannon level for this fic. Now then, I've seen two wonderful, totally awesome videos on Youtube about Vinyl, and I love both equally. The first being "Vinyl Scratch Takes Off Her Glasses" and the other being "Epic Wub Time: Musicians of Ponyville". Now I love both versions of her personality equally and can't choose one over the other. So I'm gonna try to blend the two together for my fic.
Also, a lot of people are causing a frackus about her eye color. I'll admit, I loved the red eye color and thought she looked kickin' with red eyes. But from what the evidence suggests, her real eye color is the exact same as Rainbow's, which is magenta/rose/dark pink, and I'm totally fine with that. I like the magenta eyes myself, and think she looks more common with them. As far as her voice is concerned, between the two vids, I love both voices, as I can't pick a certain one. But I'll admit that as I was writing this, I could kinda hear Vinyl speaking with the same voice she did in Epic Wub Time. XD
