Author's Notes: I HATE this chapter with a PASSION. It was aright pain in the ass to write, but hopefully it sets up Vinyl's backstory a bit as well as the awkwardness of chapter 3.
The sound of a radio playing in the far off distance was the first thing the slowly stirring DJ noticed as she regained consciousness. The second thing she took notice of was the wet feeling on the left side of her face, which seemed to have something attached to it as well. The next thing she sleepily took note of was the hard surface her head rested on, and the fact that she slumped on something that must have been a table, or more likely a desk.
Giving a low groan as she slowly sat up, Vinyl yawned widely before raising a hoof to swat several times at whatever was stuck on her face. After a few seconds of missing the piece of paper, she finally managed to wipe it off and place it on the desk that had been serving as her pillow for the past few hours. Vinyl stared blearily down at the drool covered parchment and realized she had fallen asleep while in the middle of composing a song the night before.
Vinyl blinked slowly a few times before yawning widely and looking around for the source of the music, soon spotting an old fashioned radio that rested next to her bookcase. Frowning slightly as she listened to the music playing, she realized that Rhapsody in Blue was playing. The composer couldn't help the grin that spread across her muzzle as she finally got out of her chair and plodded over to her radio to turn it up.
Satisfied with her current music selection, Vinyl trotted into the kitchen to cook something to eat. Rummaging through the cabinets until she found a box of noodles, Vinyl couldn't help but to hum along to the tune playing on the radio. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder sounded and shook the building slightly, causing Vinyl to give a startled yelp and let loose a sudden flash of magic as she was using it to levitate a few pans around. Blinking in confusion as to why she was suddenly wearing a pot on her head, Vinyl gave a soft sigh and used her magic to float the pot to the sink and dropped it in to wash later.
Trotting to the window to chance a glance outside to see how bad the storm was, Vinyl stared outside with mild amusement. The rain was coming down so hard it made visibility hard if trying to see more than five feet in front of you. A sudden flash of lightening made Vinyl beat a hasty retreat from the window as thunder shook the building once more. The lights flickered slightly and Vinyl gave a soft sigh as she trotted back into the kitchen and turned the stove back off, slightly wary of using it in this nasty storm.
Before Vinyl could decide on something else to eat, she heard someone knocking rather loudly on her door. Frowning and wondering who would be crazy enough to go out in this weather, Vinyl trotted to her front door and grasped the handle with a hoof. Pulling it open she barely had time to open the door before a soaked Bonbon came trotting in. Vinyl blinked slightly before shutting the door with a kick from her right hind leg and chuckled slightly at the sight of Bonbon's mane plastered to her head.
"So sorry to come barging in like this, Sticky; but no one told me that the Pegasus ponies were planning on drowning Trotlanta today. I was on my way home from my mother and father's when this downpour started." Bonbon said as Vinyl used her magic to levitate a towel to her from a closet in a nearby hallway. Vinyl chuckled softly as Bonbon dried herself off and hung her friend's soaked saddle bags on a hook by the door.
"It's quite alright, although I don't think the Pegasus ponies meant to let it get this out of hoof." Vinyl had to shout over a rather loud clap of thunder. By now the unicorn was used to the subtle shaking of the building, although Bonbon looked a little surprised by it.
"Sticks... How do you stand this awful shaking? I'd be terrified that the whole building was going to collapse!" The cream colored mare stated looking somewhat nervous. Vinyl gave Bonbon a comforting smile as she trotted back to the kitchen to finish preparing something for lunch.
"It's not so bad once you get used to it. Actually, the building rarely shakes when there's a storm outside; it's usually when there's a really bad storm like this one. Trust me, the building is VERY sturdy; it's just that I'm on the top-most floor and so it seems a little more terrifying than if you were on the lower floors. Oh, do you want something to eat?" Vinyl's rather long-winded explanation fell on semi-deaf ears as Bonbon looked around the living room at Vinyl's various awards and pictures.
"That sounds wonderful. What are you making?" Bonbon asked as she trotted to the kitchen and peeked in. Vinyl was still digging through the cupboards and pulling out random boxes and jars.
"THAT… Is a good question…" Vinyl said in a muffled voice as she almost climbed into the cupboard, digging as far back as she could to find something interesting. Bonbon giggled slightly as Vinyl seemed to get stuck after twisting and turning her way into the cupboard. Before Vinyl could say anything another bolt of lightning lit up the sky and the lights suddenly shut off, causing Bonbon to let out a squeak and almost dive into the cupboard with Vinyl.
"Well….. That's not a good sign. Help me out, will ya, Bonsie?" Vinyl asked as she lit her horn up to provide light; a soft blue glow filled the cupboard she was currently stuck in. Bonbon, from her position beside Vinyl, quickly grabbed her by the hips.
"Sorry to grab you like this, Sticks." She said, tugging as hard as she could while Vinyl tried to wiggle her way out. Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder sounded; causing Bonbon to let out another startled squeak and pull a little harder than she had intended. Vinyl gave a yelp as she was suddenly yanked from the cupboard and sent tumbling backwards onto Bonbon.
"Well, I suppose that's one way to do it…" Vinyl said; looking around for Bonbon before realizing the lump she was sitting on was rather soft and warm, almost like a pony. Looking down, Vinyl gave a laugh as she quickly climbed off of her friend.
"Sorry, Bonsie; didn't realize I landed on top of ya." She said, holding out a hoof to help the cream colored mare up. Bonbon took her friend's hoof and slowly stood up.
"Come to the living room with me, Bonsie. I'll make lunch when the power comes back on. For now, I'll play you some music on my violin to help take our minds off the storm, okay? It'll be just like when we were foals and we'd play music or tell stories to keep our minds off how dark and scary it was." Bonbon gave a silent nod and smiled slightly as she followed Vinyl. The unicorn trotted over to a case tucked away in a corner, hidden behind the desk she had woken up on earlier.
Gently taking out the violin that rested inside the case, Vinyl tuned it then rosined up her bow before levitating the music she had been writing over to her music stand. By the light she had softly emanating from her horn, Vinyl was able to read the notes she had scratched all over the paper. Giving a soft chuckle to herself, Vinyl pulled the bow across the strings and filled the room with the sound of relaxing music that would, every now and then, pick up tempo and turn into a raging storm of emotions and thoughts written into music form.
A few blocks away, however, an utterly soaked and frantic mint green unicorn was hurrying towards her own apartment, when she crashed into another pony; this one a grey earth pony mare who was carrying what appeared to be groceries. Quickly getting to her hooves and holding one out once she was standing, Lyra helped the earth pony up before recognizing her.
"Y-you're Octavia Philharmonica! I saw you perform at the Staccato Legato Symphony Hall a few days ago!" Lyra stammered as Octavia gave a blink in surprise and waved a wave dismissively.
"Please, please; now is not the time to start a conversation. I'm glad you recognize me and hope you enjoyed the show. However, this weather is simply dreadful and I would prefer to get back to my residence." Octavia spoke in a rather quick, but not unfriendly, tone. Lyra gave a nod as she started to hurry off once more.
"I would prefer to be at home myself. However, I must find my marefriend; she was due home several hours ago." Octavia gave a blink as she watched the mare leave.
"Wait! You can't stay out in this weather!" She yelled over a loud clap of thunder, jumping slightly as a flash of lightening cracked the sky. Lyra froze and looked up at the sky then back to Octavia before frowning slightly.
"I have to find my ma-" Whatever she was about to say was cut off by another loud crash of thunder. Octavia scowled and shook her head, there was no point arguing with a stubborn unicorn like the one she was currently dealing with.
"I know you have to find her, but this weather is too dangerous! I doubt she'd want you out wandering around looking for her!" Octavia shouted back, feeling rather annoyed now. Lyra stared at the ground before sighing in defeat. Octavia was right, of course; but that didn't make it any easier to let up the search.
"Fine; but I still have to walk in this storm to get back home…" She grumbled to no one in particular as she started to walk in the direction of the apartment she shared with Bonbon. Octavia sighed in frustration as she pushed a hoof to her forehead, shaking her head slightly before speaking once more.
"My apartment building isn't too far from here, you are more than welcome to stay there until this rain lightens up if you so desire." Octavia really wasn't sure why she was offering this unicorn a place to stay; perhaps it was simply because she felt sorry for her? Lyra paused as she stared at the grey earth pony, seemingly wary of accepting the offer. However, a rather loud clap of thunder and a sudden flash of lightening seemed to make her mind up for her.
"That sounds a lot better than wandering the streets," Lyra said scurrying back towards the earth pony. Octavia raised an eyebrow and sighed once more as she picked up her sodden bags of groceries and led the way back to her apartment building.
Meanwhile, back at Vinyl's apartment, the power had just flickered back on and the two ponies were quite happy to be able to see without the use of Vinyl's magic. Trotting back towards the kitchen, Vinyl started searching for lunch once more. Bonbon sat quietly by the doorway and watched her start prepping a few rose and daisy sandwiches.
"What was that song you were playing, Sticky? I've never heard it before; is it a new one you wrote or just some classical piece that few know about?" Bonbon was the only one that seemed to know Vinyl's real identity and often called her by an assortment of 'stick' names. A chuckle escaped from the unicorn as she added a few choice spices to the spread she was making to compliment the natural flavors of the flowers on their sandwiches.
"It's one I have been working on for the past few days. After hearing Octavia playing some of my older compositions, I thought to myself: 'Vinny, you used to write awful music. They were sloppy, half of them were an unorganized mess, and you earned your cutie mark writing that slop!' So I decided to scribble up a few new compositions; if only because seeing what can be done with even the sloppiest of a child's 'composition' by a master musician."
Vinyl levitated the sandwiches over to the table as Bonbon trotted over to it and hopped onto a seat. Grabbing a sandwich and nibbling on it as Vinyl took a massive hungry bite out of her own, Bonbon giggled before replying to Vinyl's comment.
"Your compositions were anything but 'slop', Vinyl. They were simply ahead of their time; as is the case with most composers. The music you write is most definitely among the best I've ever heard; and you know how many classical music concerts I get dragged to by Lyra. Quite honestly, I feel like if you've seen one classical music concert, you've seen them all. The newer composers have nothing on you, Sticky. Even your violin skills are amazing, but then I suppose that's what happens when you have four musicians as your parents." Vinyl gave a sigh and dropped her sandwich on her plate as Bonbon winced, remembering how much Vinyl hated talking about her parents.
"Sor-" Bonbon started to apologize but was cut off by Vinyl raising a hoof and sighing as she then pressed the hoof to her temple before speaking once more.
"It's not your fault, and you are right; my particular parenting situation was, uh, 'helpful' in making me what I am today. I use the term 'helpful' very loosely, of course. But in all; I suppose I can't complain too much; my fathers were exceptionally bright, and my mothers were very kind. It's weird though, getting passed between two sets of parents. I suppose it was for the best in the end." Vinyl shrugged before taking another massive bite of her sandwich while Bonbon pondered what her friend had said while taking smaller bites.
"Hey, Bonsie; I'm gonna go check the mail since supposedly they come in 'rain or shine'; or whatever that silly motto is. I almost want to see if it's true or not; wanna tag along? We can go on an adventure! We're goin' on an Adventure, Bonsie!" Vinyl said in an overly-excited voice to add effect to her last two sentences. Bonbon covered her mouth with a hoof as she laughed at Vinyl's wide eyes and broad grin.
"If only because you made that face and said it in that particular tone, I will go with you, Vinny." She giggled once more as Vinyl's grin grew wider; it made Bonbon's face hurt just looking at it. Vinyl shoved the rest of her sandwich in her mouth before quickly trotting to the door and waiting for Bonbon who finished eating her sandwich like a normal pony.