Disclaimer: This is in no way associated with Hasbro. All rights go to the owners of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Author's Note: I finally saw the error of my ways, using the name Nexter45 in the original story. . . so I bring you an edit. If you are reading this after and have no idea what I am talking about that's fine. It was really only a minor detail anyway, all the story is the same with minor tweaks (very, very minor tweaks). Also, I have decided to make this a side project to Sonic: Adventures of the Blue Blur. This means that I now have an outlet for all the ideas I've had since writing the original, intended to be one-shot. However my main focus is and will remain to be Sonic. This is mainly a way to get my story lines out of my head, and to keep myself from burning out on Sonic, much like I did on Scott Pilgrim vs Fallout 3. Well, thanks for reading and brohoof /)!
The young stallion stood at the counter of a record store. The cashier was listening to music off the record player behind the counter. She was absorbed in the music, slowly swaying to the beautifully orchestrated piece. The stallion watched for a moment and cleared his throat. He didn't really want to interrupt, but he had a schedule to keep.
"Oh. . . uh, sorry. How can I help you?" the mare asked, turning to the stallion. She looked at him strangely, mostly because he was wearing dark sunglasses, a black hat, and what appeared to be a black vest made from velvet. A broken horn stuck out of his hat, and his coat was brick red.
"I would like to purchase these," He paused, levitating a large crate full of records to the counter.
The cashier was looking at him even more strangely now, "All of these? No one ever buys this many at once, even with all the big wigs here in Canterlot."
"Really? Well, I am sure an audiophile such as yourself can appreciate my love for music," He replied, looking over the top of his sunglasses, revealing his blue eyes.
"It's just. . . well, I've never had to ring up such a large order," She laughed, removing records to check prices.
He smiled, looking at the price on the register slowly rise. He looked out to the bustling Canterlot street. Ponies passed, some stopping to window shop at the various shops across the street. Some were just strolling along, talking casually to a friend. Others were trotting by, clearly needed somewhere else. Occasionally a guard would pass, causing him to turn and look back into the store. He was obviously hiding something, but no pony in the store or outside seemed to notice.
"Okay, that will be. . . three-hundred bits," The cashier's voice rung with disbelief. She had literally never rung up an order more that twenty bits.
"Here you go, and keep the change," the stallion smiled, putting about four-hundred bits on the counter. He had been saving money for so long he could afford to leave extra.
"Sir, you gave me one-hundred bits more than I need," the cashier stammered as he began to walk out the door. She held them up so he could see. He didn't turn around, but continued out the store.
"Consider it a tip for your company," He replied, stepping out to a cart parked out front. He loaded up the crate and put on the harness. He walked down the street, keeping his head low. He slowly made his way towards the train station. Then a couple of guards stepped around the corner. They stopped, looking at him and his cart.
"Good afternoon gentlemen," he said nervously, looking for a way around the two.
"And where are you headed with all these records on this fine day?" one of the guards asked.
"Just home, my fine gents," he replied, still looking for a way through.
"You wouldn't be planning on broadcasting these, now would you?" the second asked.
"Why would I risk being thrown in jail?" he chuckled nervously. With the rise of radio broadcasting in Equestria, there were laws put in place making it highly illegal to broadcast anything without a permit. If any pony was caught doing so they were thrown into jail and fined a large sum of money. Ponies walked past the three, some stopping to watch the exchange. One pointed and whispered something into the ear of her friend. They giggled, and turned to the ponies to their sides and began to talk. There was a long silence between the stallion and the guards. The murmur of the crowd grew as it did. It wasn't often an exchange like this happened, so it was more interesting than anything that had been happening anyway.
"Isn't that the host of EPR?!" a pony yelled. The stallion froze, a bead of sweat running down his brow. The crowd began to murmur louder, as the guards began to approach the stallion to apprehend him. The stallion picked up the crate with his magic and pushed his way through the crowd. The guards pursued, pushing through the crowd just behind him. He ran as fast as he could through the crowd, which had grown even larger with the realization of who this stallion really was. He pushed through as fast as he could, trying his best not to rough any one up. He finally pushed his way out of the crowd, and with a quick look at a clock-tower nearby, he ran off towards the station. His hooves pounded the cobbled streets, the crate still floating in front of him, and the guards still in hot pursuit. He was prepared for this situation, full knowing that he most likely wouldn't go unnoticed. After all, his voice had been broadcasting across Equestria ever since he lost half his horn.
***Two Years Ago, Canterlot Broadcasting Group***
"Now to broadcast, we have to charge these cells with magic," The older pony turned to the red stallion, still pointing to the boxes around the tower,"The more magic, the more power we have. The more power we have, the better range we have. However, if you overcharge the cells it can back fire, just be careful."
"I'll be okay," The red stallion's brown and dark orange mane blew in the wind, as he turned to look at the tower. He had been working at the CBG for about a month now. He had always wanted to be a radio DJ. His cutie mark, a radio broadcast tower, was gained when he knew that he had that voice, the voice for radio. He stepped over to a cell and began to charge it. His horn glowed a bright blue, like his eyes, as a beam extended from it to the cell. His mind began to wander and he put more and more power into the beam. The magic rebounded from the cell back to his horn. The pain was intense, and his horn shattered. He passed out after his horn exploded, either from the explosion itself or the intense pain he endured.
***Present Day***
That day was the last day he was allowed in a broadcasting station. Now he was running from guards down the streets of Canterlot, with a box of records in front of him. Not what he expected to happen two years ago, but it put excitement into his life. He smiled as he ran, because he was on the home stretch. He pulled out a ticket from his vest as he approached the station. He had timed it just right, as he stepped on the train the doors closed behind him and it pulled away, He sat down with his crate, tired from using his magic. Having half a horn, he was easily fatigued from magic use. He laid his ticket on his crate and drifted off to sleep.
***A Few Hours Later, Ponyville Station***
"Ponyville Station, all who are heading ashore, go ashore," A grizzled pony conductor yelled. The stallion jolted awake and moved towards the door with his crate. He stepped off the train, looking around. He slipped his glasses and hat off and placed them on top of the crate.
"Now to get home before-," the stallion cut himself off and stepped behind a door, "Pinkie Pie sees me."
Pinkie walked past the station, almost as if she sensed him. Not that he didn't love one of Pinkie's signature parties, it had just been a long day. He walked out as she went past and hurried home. The house wasn't actually his. No, he was renting the basement as a studio/bedroom. He stepped in to see a white mare with purple glasses and blue hair. She was sitting in a large beat up arm-chair, reading a book. Her magenta eyes left the book and met him at the door.
"Hi Vinyl," the stallion said, putting down the crate nest to the door. He hung his hat on a rack on the wall and placed his sunglasses on a shelf.
"Yo, whats up my man Radio Tran?" Vinyl replied, immediately getting up. She walked over to the crate and began looking through the records.
"Oh you know, nothing like a mad dash from the Equestrian Guard," Radio Transmission said jokingly.
"Really, all that jazz again, huh?" Vinyl chuckled, tossing records on the floor next to her.
"Yeah," Tran looked at Vinyl, who was still busy looking through the crate, "Uh, what are you looking for?"
"My new album," She replied coldly, absorbed in looking through the crate.
"You gave me one, remember?"
"Mmmhmm."
"I leaked it a week before release. It's downstairs in the studio. Why are you looking for it in there."
"Well you said you loved it. I figured you'd want to, you know, support the artist." Vinyl replied.
"I pay you rent to live here and run a pirate radio station out of your basement, and you want me to give you money for an album you already gave me?" Tran said his voice dripping with disbelief.
"Well. . . when you say it like that," Vinyl looked embarrassed, "Uh. . . hey are you gonna broadcast tonight?"
"Why? I hadn't planned on it."
"Well. . . Pinkie may be having a party, and I may have promised you'd be broadcasting." She said.
Tran ran over and got in her face, "You did what?! Did you use my name?! My real name?!"
"No, I used your alias," She backed up a little.
"Which one? Disc Turner, The Jockey-"
"The Stallion," She replied.
"Really?" He said down trodden, "I don't even know why I use that one. It's so common. . . why do they like it?"
"I don't know, but everypony seems to love it," Vinyl laughed, "So are you going to broadcast?"
"Why aren't you making an appearance, Miss DJ-Pon3." Tran lifted an eyebrow.
"I am, but not as a DJ," She smiled, "I got to take a day off sometimes, you know."
"Oh," Tran paused for a moment, then his face lit up, "I just had a great idea! I'm going to need a mask and some help moving my equipment."
"What are you going to do?" Vinyl asked, following him to the basement.
"My first broadcast for a live audience."
***Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Family Barn***
"Hi, I'm The Stallion," Tran was sitting in front of a mirror, wearing a simple masquerade mask, "Deeper, needs to be deeper. Hmm, hunh. Hi, I'm The Stallion, broadcasting live from a sweet party!"
"Wow I didn't realize you were such a ham," Vinyl said walking into the small side room Tran had commandeered to get ready.
"Gotta make sure I got the voice right," He laughed, "I mean it's bad enough I had to sneak here. I have to stay anonymous, or I could have a serious problem on my hooves."
"Yeah, well I got everything set up just like you wanted," Vinyl pointed a hoof out the door, "The sound system and the broadcasting equipment are wired to work together. They are covered and look inconspicuous enough. Oh, and I wired the weather vane to be your tower like you wanted."
"Is Octavia coming," Tran turned to see Vinyl looking upset, "She's still recording with the orchestra in Canterlot, isn't she?"
"Yeah," Vinyl smiled in spite of this, "I told her to tune in though, by air mail of course."
"Well you'd better get out there, and stick to the plan, okay?" Tran said as he heard ponies shuffling in.
"Got it," Vinyl said stepping out into the barn proper. The crowd began to murmur about the lack of music. Tran heard ponies begin to shuffle out. These days, it seemed, you couldn't keep anypony at a party without music.
"Okie doki everypony!" Pinkie yelled over the crowd, "I promised that the radio would be working, but it seems it isn't. There's still cake! Oh, and streamers! Oh, oh and games! Plenty of games!"
"I got this Pinkie," Vinyl yelled, turning the radio to a static station. All the ponies doubled over, as the static was deafening. Tran used this as a prime distraction to sneak to the tarp covered equipment. He whipped it off and turned the broadcasting switch on, cutting the static.
"Good evening ponies!" Tran yelled into the microphone. He paused as the ponies began to look up and whisper, "I am The Stallion, and this is Equestria Pirate Radio!" The crowd cheered at this point, almost overloading the microphone, "Tonight I am at an awesome party, playing the best hits, old and new. Boy do I have some good ones for you too, some of the newest hits, from my turntable, directly to your ear holes. Are you ready?!"
The crowd cheered again as Tran loaded up the first record. He played one of Vinyl's newest hits first. Everypony he knew was out on that dance floor and not one of them realized who was really behind the mic. That was good, because while Tran would've loved to tell them, he was an outlaw. A new kind of pirate for a new age. A pirate of the air waves.