It was a cold winter night, not that it mattered to her. Her neon blue, short, ragged hair blew in the biting breeze, which caused her to huddle deeper in her silver jacket. Her signature purple sunglasses, which she wore for reasons she didn't like to talk about, protected her eyes from the frigid temperatures, while a black scarf wrapped around her face to keep her nose from freezing. Her legs weren't as well protected, only sporting a pair of tight black jeans. Her fault for taking a gig during the winter, she noted. She was thankful that they at least took the time to set everything up for her beforehand. She would have lost it had she needed to carry her entire set-up from her apartment to the venue and back. She hefted a backpack, which held a few records, along with a change of clothes for later that evening.

She grumbled nonsense as she approached the familiar sign of the local club, the Black Mare. The familiar thumping bass greeted her before anyone else did, to which she was grateful. She didn't have the energy to deal with any more people than she had to. As she approached the back door, a tall, well-muscled man came up to her, holding a broad hand in front of her. His black ensemble hid his body, which would serve as an advantage to him if anyone looked to cause trouble. The woman sighed.

"Relax, man. I'm just here to play my set and get out. Not looking to make any trouble for ya," she said, flashing a pass that was given to her by the club's owner, along with her trademark cocksure grin. The bouncer nodded and stepped aside, quickly opening the door for her. She stepped inside, grateful to be out of the cold, if only for a few hours. She made her way down the dingy hallway, the distinct smell of alcohol reaching her nostrils. The bite of the aroma made her wince a bit, but it reminded her of how much she loved this job. Providing something that helped people take their minds off of their problems, allowing them to become closer than they thought possible. Of course, she wasn't serving alcohol.

"Vinyl! Ya made it!" Came a familiar voice. A stout middle-aged man stood before her, clad in the most garish coat she'd ever seen. Beneath it, he wore a pair of purple suit pants, a purple vest, and white dress-shirt. He made a motion to hug her, which she accepted.

"You haven't changed a bit, have you, Z?" She teased, playfully punching his shoulder. He laughed and ruffled her hair, which fell back to its usual unkempt appearance quickly.

"Alright, the other guy's just about to finish up. That'll give ya a few minutes to warm up and get ya'self ready. Sound good?" The manager asked, to which Vinyl nodded.

"Sure thing, Z. I'll be ready in ten," she said simply as the man turned to walk away. Just as he did, he turned back around, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a bit of money. He handed it to her, a kind smile on his face.

"Good ta have ya back, kid. We missed ya," he said softly, a twinkle of familiar doting in his blue eyes. She took it gratefully and hugged him again, sighing and blinking back tears.

"It's good to be back, Z. I missed this place," she murmured, pulling away and smiling. He chuckled and walked away, whistling a tune as he left earshot. Vinyl took another look at what he'd given her before turning to the green room. She closed the door behind her, removing her jacket and placing it on a hanger. Beneath it she wore a white tee-shit with her own logo on it, which spelled out "DJ PON-3" in various manners of script. A long-sleeved mesh undershirt was beneath that, which ran past the hem of her sleeves and stopped right at her wrists. She stretched her arms out, enjoying being free from the large, cumbersome jacket she wore while walking. She then surveyed the room, taking in each familiar detail.

There was an old, beaten-up couch at the far end of the room, which she remembered passing out on during several occasions. She chuckled at the vague memories, remembering the kindness that Z had shown her when she was first starting out. He had given her as many spots on stage as he could, let her sleep on the couch in the green room. He even treated her to dinner every once in a while. He was like a father to her, and she was more than happy to be back. She then turned her attention to the vanity, which lay flush against a nearby wall. She took a few steps and ran her fingers over the wood, catching her own reflection in the mirror. She was lean, but not exactly wiry, as she had enough meat on her bones, as men often harassed her, "in all the right places." She was just above five-foot-six, which she reached when she was fourteen. She sighed as she caught her sunglasses, and reminders of what lay beneath them welled up inside of her.

That's why he took her instead. She had the most gorgeous eyes. But me? Hmph.

She shook her head violently. It wasn't the time for those kind of thoughts. She looked to the ceiling, fighting back wave after wave of sorrow just as she heard a knock on the door. Had she really been lost in thought for that long?

"Yeah?" She called out, fixing her glasses and turning to see who entered. She knew even before the door opened that it was Z, coming in to check on her, or to tell her it was time for her to go on. The man opened the door and grinned a familiar, fatherly grin.

"Alright, kid! Your turn! Knock 'em dead!" He said cheerfully, raising a slight laugh from Vinyl. She took a few records and a pair of headphones from her backpack, quickly leaving the room and closing the door behind her. She set the headphones around her neck and tucked the records under her arm, turning to Z and smiling gratefully.

"Thanks a lot for getting me in today, Z. I needed this," she said softly, to which Z smiled and put his hand on her arm.

"Anytime, kid. Anytime," he said, leading her through the hallways, up a flight of stairs, and eventually to the familiar door to the booth she had come to call home so many times. It opened slowly, and a man wearing very nondescript tan clothing stepped from it, nodding to Z as he left. Vinyl sighed and nudged the manager's shoulder.

"New talent?" She asked softly, causing a derisive snort to force its way from Z's throat.

"Talent? That's what they're calling him? Kid wouldn't know good music if it came up and punched him in the pecker. Gotta tell him what to play whenever he's here. Getting' on my last nerve, he is," Z grumbled, Vinyl letting loose a peal of laughter at the manager's frustration. "It's why I'm glad you're back, Vinyl. Heard some of your original stuff. You have some pretty nice beats. Lotta potential. You just lemme know if you need some extra help in the studio. And don't forget me when you're playing arenas," he said, gripping her arm again before turning around to announce her. She sighed and waited behind the door for a moment, before Z's voice came over the club's sound system.

"Alright, alright, let's get someone who knows what she's doin' out here!" To this, the crowd gave a raucous cheer of agreement, causing Vinyl to chuckle. "Now, if any of you partiers've been here before, chances are you've seen this lady working the booth. If not? You'll find out what made this place great! And here she is! DJ Pon-3!"

And just as he announced her name, she threw the door open, stepping out into the booth. As the cheers of approval met her ears, she threw her arms out and her head back, basking in the glory of the clubgoers. She quickly plugged her headphones into the jack, setting them on her ears and setting a record on the turntable. Before she began the music, she leaned down and angled the small microphone to her lips.

"I just want to say that I'm excited to be back, and I hope you all had a decent enough time with the last guy," she joked, getting a few laughs from some of the more inebriated patrons. "Anyway, you don't want to hear me yakkin' all Celestia forsaken night. You came here to have fun!" She finished, pushing the microphone away before spinning the record and adjusting a few dials. Deep, primal drumbeats and a dark, foreboding bass filled the club, bringing people to their feet and out onto the dancefloor. Vinyl smirked and nodded along with the rhythm of the song, making small adjustments as needed. The melodic sounds of the music rang through her ears, causing a sense of euphoria to rush through her veins.

I'm home.

As the next few hours rolled by, the music became more and more intense, and Vinyl was lost in every minutia of each pulse. Everything else faded, her world becoming a haze of swirling colors, pulsing with each beat of the bass. Her fingers danced along the dials, causing such minute dips and turns in each moment that everyone on the floor went along for the ride with her. She forgot about everything, about her apartment, about the cold air outside...

About him.

In those few hours, she felt truly alive. Her body ached with each purposefully injected drop of silence, but as the sounds flared to life once more, she felt herself writhe in their embrace. The violent pulses wracked her frame, the deep bass rooting her to the spot. She kept her hand on the stand, keeping her anchored in the world of the living so she wouldn't pass unwittingly into the unknown of her own creation. As the final song of the night began to die down, she felt herself slowly returning to her senses. She opened her eyes for the first time in hours, grinning loosely as she gazed down to the crowd of people, each entranced by her works. She sighed as she rooted herself in reality once more, bringing the microphone to her lips.

"Alright, everyone. My work here is done. But! Don't let that deter you. Keep on partying, my friends! Until next time!" She stated, causing a collective cheer and a few shouts of "Encore!" to erupt from the crowd. She waved to the crowd, blowing the occasional kiss before she left the booth. She sighed and shut the door behind her, starting down the flight of stairs and towards the green room. Just outside the door lay a rose and an envelope. Her name was scrawled in Z's familiar handwriting. She picked up the rose and smiled before opening the letter. Inside was a check for the night, something that she was looking forward to, along with a note.

"Hey, kid. Sorry I couldn't be there to give these to you in person. The misses needed me at home. But you ROCKED it! Gimme a call sometime, and we'll book you another gig. Take care.

~Z"

Vinyl smiled and pocketed the check and the note before heading into the green room. She placed her records and her headphones into her backpack before pulling out her change of clothes. After making sure no one else was in there with her, she shut the door and locked it. She quickly undressed to just her undergarments before slipping into a pair of loose blue jeans. She took a minute to look at herself in the mirror. She had removed her glasses in order to change, and the deep crimson of her eyes caught her sight. She turned away, forcing herself to turn away as a black sweatshirt made its way onto her torso. She shoved her other clothes into the pack before zipping it up, sighing as she threw her jacket on and hefted the backpack onto her shoulders. She left the green room, rose still in hand, and made her way down the hall and out of the club. The bouncer greeted her with a friendly nod, which she returned as she made her way down the street. She wasn't about to go home just yet. She had someone she needed to meet.

Hey, everyone! I've been having this idea stew around in my brain for a while, and I decided to finally give it a whirl! This is based in the universe Leigh-Anne G has created in her stories, "The Way You Love Me" and "Desperado." Definitely worht a peek if you haven't already! Especially since some of the moments in this story won't make much sense if you haven't read those two. XD Anyway, read and review! Hope you enjoy!