The Woes of a DJ

Beat Two: Destined for Better

"Listen, I know I'm an hour late, sir, but I was caught up in something else-"

"What, Vinyl?" Her boss Karel said skeptically. "Caught up in that ridiculous pastime you call electronica? Give it a rest. You can do whatever stupid things you want outside of work, but between nine and five, you're here to code and program. You got that?"

Vinyl gave Karel a look of pure hatred. "Yes, sir. I got it." Vinyl didn't wait to be dismissed from her boss's office before she got up from the chair and left.

"What did he do to you this time?" Vinyl's friend Ferite asked as Vinyl sat down at her cubicle.

"Nothing, Ferite, he just chewed me out for the umpteenth time." Vinyl said, plugging her headphones into the computer and pulling up music sharing software. "No biggie."

"You say that, but I think he's on his wit's end with you." Ferite warned, sitting back down and chatting with an  unsatisfied customer over instant messaging. "He's close to firing you, I just know it."

"Ferite, he's wanted to fire me since I showed up here. He's been this close to firing me for years, and I get the feeling he WILL be this close to firing me until I quit."

"Okay then..." Ferite concluded. "Wanna grab lunch with me in a couple of hours? I'm buying."

Vinyl smiled as she maxed the volume out on her music. It's rude to reject when someone offers a free meal.

"So, what's been going on in your life recently, Vinyl?" Ferite asked as they sat down in the food court of Canterlot's mall. "Anything interesting?"

"Well, I did buy some new synthesizer software a couple of weeks ago." Vinyl said through a mouthful of food. "If you play a chord, it makes the best trippy chorus sound, I swear."

"Yeah, about that, Vinyl..." Ferite sighed, swallowing the last of his cider. "I think you're becoming a little obsessed with your music lately."

Vinyl stopped chewing, and looked at her friend with a combination of confusion and disgust. "Oh yeah? What makes you say that?"

"Well... it's all you ever do." Ferite said, trying to soften his words while maintaining the message. "It's all you ever buy, it's all you ever spend time with! The only time I get to talk to you is at work, you never come out with me anywhere! Hell, you never go out at all!"

"I went out!" Vinyl yelled, but she quickly covered her mouth when she heard her voice echo throughout the food court, and she blushed when she felt some of the mallgoer's eyes on her. "Last night. I had dinner with a friend."

"Oh yeah, Octavia..." Ferite smirked. "I know why you went out with her..."

Vinyl's face was steaming at that remark. "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" she yelled, standing up from her chair; she didn't give a damn who noticed her at that point. "WE'RE JUST FRIENDS!"

"Jeez, Vinyl..." Ferite said, laughing. "I was just kidding you! Sweet Celestia, take a joke, will you?"

Vinyl sighed and sat back down. "Sorry, Ferite. It's just that I don't like talking about that type of stuff with... well, with anyone really."

"It's probably because you haven't been in a relationship recently." Ferite said, finishing up his meal. "You need to get back in the swing of things."

"... I'm gonna head back to the office, okay?" Vinyl said, needing some time alone after what was just said. "I'll see you at the office, okay?"

Ferite frowned. "Did I fuck up or something?" Vinyl smiled in response. "You fucked up MASSIVELY, dude, but that's not why I'm leaving. I just have some things to think about."

Ferite smiled now that he knew she wasn't mad. "Alright, Vinyl, Catch you later."

The nerve of some ponies... Vinyl thought as she walked down the chilly streets; Winter was Vinyl's favorite time of year, but at times the harsh weather was a bit too harsh for her liking. It doesn't matter that I haven't been on a date in a while, it just means I'm preoccupied with other more important things...

Vinyl stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and pondered what she had just said. "... I'm pathetic." She finally concluded before continuing her trek back to her office, Before she could, however, a multicolored piece of paper on the window of the music shop caught her eye, and she went back and inspected it.

"Deejay needed... local rave... electronica, house, dubstep, breakcore, glitch... meet event organizer Ampheta Mine in the Canterlot City Hall to apply..."

It took Vinyl all of ten seconds to figure out what she needed to do next. She took a mental snapshot of the flyer, thanked Celestia for the opportunity, and hauled flank towards the Canterlot City Hall.