Seven Years Later…

It had been seven years since "Raise Your Weapon" had been released. Sofi had graduated high school and was headed to college to study magic and music under Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia in Canterlot. Joel decided to stay in New Canterlot with Sonny until he graduated high school, which was only a few months away.

In these several years, Joel had made a few songs with Sofi until they graduated, then they just lost touch when they parted ways. Sonny tried making new songs, but he never seemed to have enough time.

Joel was now a full-grown stallion. His wings had grown to above his head, allowing him to fly better and higher than before. Sonny was almost full-grown, but he was still on the smaller side of stallions. Maybe he was just short, or still had to grow more.

Just a few more months until Sonny graduated high school, then he could spend all his time making music. School was pretty much just a waste of time to Sonny now, but his mom made sure he wouldn't drop out early. His dad never comes back for more than a few days each month, now that he was working under Shining Armor for the army.

Sonny guessed that's the reason his mom has been so depressed lately. Ever since his dad got the new job she barely gets to see him, but Sonny tries to help her out as much as he can.

Joel moved out of his parent's home and got his own apartment, where he, Sonny, and Sofi all hung out until the day Sofi announced she was going to college…

"I'm sorry to say this, guys…" She started, their eyes glued to her, "But…I'm leaving for college in a few days."

"What?!"

Joel jumped up and shouted, but sat back down when he saw how sad she was about leaving. Sonny just stared at her, wide-eyed behind his glasses, waiting for her response.

"I know…as much as I really don't want to go, I have no choice. The main college in Canterlot offered me two discount semesters for me to enhance my magic ability under Princess Twilight Sparkle and Celestia's training." She was shaking as she squeaked the words out, trying not to break down in tears.

"But, can't you enroll later in the year?" Sonny asked.

Sofi shook her head, "It's a one-time offer. If I wait any longer, the deal is off."

Joel looked down at the floor and shook his head sadly, "When do you have to leave?"

Sofi squeezed her eyes shut, and a tear rolled down, "Two days." It was hard to watch her silently cry about leaving her friends, especially since they had known each other since middle school. Sofi balanced things out between them, if it was just two colts everyone would think they were gay, but Sofi didn't let that happen since she was a filly.

"I'm sorry, Sofi." Sonny said, reaching out his hoof to pat her on the back, but she fell into his arms, her head pressed against his shoulder. Sofi broke down crying, saying how she didn't want to leave them and wasn't ready for college. Sonny just held her and comforted her until she stopped crying.

One other thing Sonny was good at was comforting ponies and making them feel better. He glanced at Joel to see him rolling his eyes and shaking his head disapprovingly. Sonny just smiled as he held her, until she was able to stand up without crying again.

Sofi sniffled and wiped her eyes with her hoof, "Th-thanks, Sonny." She weakly smiled, her brown eyes red from crying and eyeliner was smeared all over her cheeks, "You-you could've gotten a mark in caring for ponies instead of making music and being Skrillex." They both laughed about it for a minute, until Sonny realized that this might be the last time they would see Sofi for a long time, and a wave of sadness washed over him.

"No problem." He smiled back as she turned to leave. Joel was still just sitting there, but now looked at Sonny.

"Sorry guys, but I have to go." She trotted out of Joel's apartment and closed the door with her purple magic.

Joel looked at Sonny and raised an eyebrow. After a minute, Sonny looked over and said, "What?"

"You like her, don't you Sonny?" Joel did an awkward smile, imitating an episode of Spongebob they had seen several years ago.

"Shut up, no I don't!" Sonny pushed Joel with his hoof then stood up, flicking his tail.

"What was that, then?" Joel just raised an eyebrow again, smiling.

"I was just trying to be a good friend, god." Sonny walked over to the window where he could see Sofi running down the street toward her house, "But…I am going to miss her…and I know you will too!"

Joel sighed and nodded in defeat, knowing he didn't want to fight with Sonny right now, "Look at your arm!"

"What about it?" Sonny asked, trying to look. On his shoulder was a stain of black makeup rubbed into his grey fur. He sighed, and used his magic to clean it off. Sofi had always seemed to be the strong one of their group, but Sonny guessed that leaving her friends was one of the hardest decisions to make, so he didn't blame her for breaking down like that.

Sonny sighed as he trotted out of his home and down the street. His mane had grown a lot, and now fell over his face and was impossible to brush through anymore, so he just let it fall since he never felt like cutting it. Sonny stopped once he got to the monorail station. It was a new addition to New Canterlot last year, and it made going to Joel's house a lot easier than walking. Ponies filed out from the monorail, and many more piled inside. Sonny pushed his way through and jumped on it the last second.

The monorail ride was only five minutes long, versus the half hour walk from his house to Joel's apartment. Sonny sighed and tried to shake the memories from his head. The monorail stopped, and Sonny hopped out, running along the street to get to Joel's house.

When he got there, he tapped his hoof on the wooden door until the familiar pegasus opened the door.

"So, what did you want to show me?" Sonny raised an eyebrow as he let himself in Joel's house.

"There's a new tattoo and piercing place in town! I think we should check it out." Joel smiled, "We should both get something today."

"I guess so…" Sonny had never really thought about getting piercings or a tattoo, but he was only in high school so maybe they wouldn't even give it to him, "Ok, let's go."

Joel almost began to fly away, but remembered Sonny didn't have wings and couldn't fly, "Dude, is there some spell thingy you can perform to give yourself wings?"

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"I dunno. I guess since I'm a pegasus and all, I've come more accustomed to flying than walking and all that crap, but whatever man." Joel tucked his large wings to his sides again as he landed next to Sonny.

Sonny thought about if there actually was a spell that could give an earth pony or unicorn wings, but wouldn't that make him an alicorn? He pushed the idea from his head as they neared the new shop.

Neon lights flickered from the words "New Canterlot Tattoo" above huge purple double doors. Sonny used his red magic to open the door, and they stepped inside the lightly lavender scented shop. Joel tapped a bell on the counter with his hoof, and the sound rang out throughout the empty store. Hoof steps were heard from a back room, then a mare with a long black mane stepped up behind the counter.

"Hey, guys." She said in her deep mare's voice, "What can I do for you?"

"We're just checking out the place." Joel replied.

She smiled, and said, "No problem. Let me know if I can help you. My name's Kat, by the way."

Joel smiled, "Joel, and this is Sonny." Sonny snapped back from zoning off into space and awkwardly waved. Kat has star tattoos running from under her left ear to the corner of her left eye, and disappearing under heavy eye makeup. Her forelegs and neck were covered in tattoos, and a few on her back. Kat's long hair was cut in layers and dyed jet black, and her bangs were braided down forward in front of her right ear in a thin line, keeping them out of her face.

"Nice to meet you. I'm so stoked about this new location for my shop!" She lifted a few boxes with hooves and lifted them on her back to carry them to the back of the room. Her mark was a half-colored, half-grayscale rose with a tattoo gun coloring it in. She unloaded the boxes while Sonny and Joel looked through tattoo magazines for what they want.

"Where was your shop previously?" Joel asked, stretching out his wings since he hadn't flown in awhile.

Kat walked back over to them, "Well, I first opened a shop in Manehattan, but I moved it to Canterlot for a change in scenery. Then, well…the guy I rented the place from in Canterlot kind of held a grudge against me, so he kicked me out. That dumb bastard." She rolled her brown eyes, "So I packed up my stuff and came here to New Canterlot."

Joel nodded and set down the magazine, "Can I get a tattoo?"

Kat walked behind the counter again, "Sure. Just a single tattoo or a sleeve?"

"I want four pixel hearts on my left arm." Joel waited for Kat's response.

"That's cool. Are you a gamer?" Kat sloppily wrote something down on a paper with the pen in her mouth, as all ponies besides unicorns do.

Joel nodded, "Yeah, I am."

Kat took the pen from her mouth and said, "Well, Joel, your tattoo will be one hundred fifty bits." He threw a sack of bits on the table and Kat counted them out.

"Is that enough?"

"Yeah, it's a hundred fifty even. Thanks!" She put the bits into the register and told Joel to sit down at the first table, "Will you be getting anything today?" She asked Sonny.

"I um…" He thought about it for a second, "I want snake bites."

Kat nodded, "Nice choice. Fifty bits, please." Sonny tossed his money on the counter and she put it in the register, "Wait over by your friend for me."

Joel sat down by the table as Kat trotted over to him and got her tattoo gun. She sterilized it and laid out a towel, "Is this your first tattoo?"

Joel blushed, "Yeah…it is."

Kat smiled, "You're gonna love it after you get it." She asked him to put his left foreleg on the table as she examined it. After sketching out a design, she held it up to his leg. He nodded and told her it would be perfect.

"Only fill in two and a half hearts instead of all four." He commanded and Kat nodded. She fired up the tattoo gun and began her work. Sonny watched as Joel was trying to stay expressionless, but it was obviously hurting. Joel gritted his teeth together as Kat finished outlining the hearts.

"Now we have to color them in." She said teasingly, knowing how painful it must be for him right now. Joel sighed as he braced himself for the next wave of pain.

After his tattoo was complete, Joel looked at Kat's hard work and said, "Wow…thanks Kat! It looks amazing."

"No problem." Kat smiled and cleaned up the table before turning to Sonny, "Ready, kid?" She motioned to a door on her right.

Sonny slowly walked inside and sat down in the single chair in the center of the room. Kat walked inside and grabbed a sterile wipe from the counter.

"I'm just gonna clean your lip first, then I'll pierce it." The cold wipe felt like an ice cube against Sonny's warm face. When she threw it in the trash can and grabbed a needle, his heart began to race.

"Just try to relax, ok?" Kat's smooth words flowed into his ear and made him a bit more relaxed. She knows what she's doing…don't flinch…don't flinch…he kept telling himself as Kat drew the needle closer to his face.

Beads of sweat began to form at his hairline as the tip of the needle barely poked his skin.

"Hold still, Sonny. This is gonna hurt a bit." She said as she poked the first hole under his lip. From outside the room, Joel heard Sonny wince in pain several times. After a few minutes, Sonny and Kat came out, and Sonny had two metal studs under his lip.

"They look nice." Joel said as they turned to leave, "Thanks again, Kat."

"Thanks Kat!" Sonny shouted as they walked toward the door.

"Come back anytime, guys." She waved, and then turned to unload more boxes.