Chapter 6 – A Night Out on the Town

ARGH! This is becoming so frustrating!

It’s been almost a week since I’ve been teleported into Equestria, and ever since then, I haven’t regained any of my drawing skills I’ve developed all my life back on Earth! If I was a Unicorn, then at least in given time, I can use a simple levitation spell to hold one friggin’ pencil! But no! As a non-Unicorn Pony, it’s frustrating to see how other ponies can grab and hold onto small objects with their hooves, yet I can’t even grasp on this impossible concept! How are they even doing that?!

Everyday, whenever I’m not helping out on the farm or doing my daily exercise routines to improve my flying, I try to take a moment to practice my drawing. Hopefully, if I do a good job at it, then I can finally earn my Cutie Mark.

Right now, I’m in my room, staring at my ultimate rival when it comes to drawing a still-life: the ceramic bowl. I take a breather from my training to take a look at the progress of my work: nothing but crumbled pieces of paper overstuffed into a trash can. It certainly is not as easy as it looks. Since I haven’t figured out how to use my hoof to hold a pencil (if that was even possible), I have to resort into using my mouth instead. Surprisingly, my equine jaws is very strong and can manage a lot when it comes to holding objects, but my jaws aren’t delicate and dexterous enough when it comes to holding my artistic tools.

I stare back at my nemesis and prepare for another round. Ready… set… DRAW!

With my pencil at hand-- hoof-- mouth-- whatever, I carefully draw some contour lines of the bowl. Unfortunately, my lines are still not as neat as I want them to me. As I keep trying hard, I just get even more frustrated than ever. As soon as I reach my boiling point, I sigh in anger as I crumble my latest failure and aim it at the trash can. I look back at the ceramic bowl, which looked like it was just standing there and secretly mocking me for my pitiful attempts at creating art.

“MARK MY WORKS, YOU ABOMINATION OF EVIL, YOU WILL BOW BEFORE MY ARTISTIC MIGHT ONE DAY!!”

…

Great. And now I’m just shouting at random objects as if they were talking to me.

…

Sigh… I really need a drink.

I’ve decided to take a break by exploring around Ponyville. Usually I don’t go out when it’s nighttime, but this calm night feels so tranquil, that I’ve decided to not let my usual fears get the best of me. In Ponyville, there are not that many ponies out and about at night, but there are some establishments that are still open. One place that catches my interest is when I see a club up ahead as techno music echoes from the building. Huh, never been in a club before. Mostly, it’s because I believe that clubs are meant to be with friends, and not for single, lonely guys like me. But either way, the music sounds so entrancing, that I’ve decided to give it a look inside before jumping into conclusions like that. Especially if this club has booze to offer.

Once inside the club, wild colors flash before my eyes as I look around for the bar. I then find the bar and approach it thirstily. As I take a seat, a barmaid turns around and greets me with a friendly smile.

“Why hello there! What can I get for you tonight?” the barmaid greets me kindly.

“May I have some whisky on the rocks please?” I ask politely.

“Sure thing!” she replies cheerfully as she prepares my drink. In about a minute, my beverage is ready.

“Here you go! That will be four bits please.” she says.

Then it hits me, I didn’t bring any money with me! I get so embarrassed by this mistake!

“I… don’t have any money with me.” I fluster apologetically. “Sorry for wasting your time like that.” I push the glass of whisky back towards the barmaid.

But surprisingly, she pushes the glass back towards me. “No worries.” she says with a gracious smile. “This one’s on the house.”

“Thank you.” I say to the nice mare humbly.

After thanking her, I approach the glass carefully. I try to grip it with one my hooves, but the glass slips away with every attempted grab. Before my boiling point got the best of me like before, I sigh in defeat and ask for the barmaid’s assistance.

“Excuse me, may I have--”

“Way ahead of you!” she interrupts casually as she places a straw into my drink.

“Thanks.” I say modestly before taking a satisfying sip.

“Hey, you must be that new pony from a week ago.”

“How did you guess?” I inquire gingerly.

“Well seeing how that you’re the only one without a Cutie Mark--” She covers her mouth before finishing that line, but I’ve already lower my head slightly in shame as I let out a sad sigh.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” she apologizes immediately with a bit of a blush. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

“It’s alright.” I say to her with a comforting smile. “It doesn’t bother me that much.” It was a small lie, but one I want to let it slide to ease my comforting bartender.

“Well, let me be the first to welcome you to our club! Enjoy the complementary drink!”

After fulfilling my taste buds with the whisky’s strong, sugary goodness, I take a look around the place. Lots of ponies are dancing crazily on the dance floor. Soon enough, I see who the mastermind behind the hypnotizing techno beat was, which I should have guessed in the first place: Vinyl Scratch, a.k.a. DJ-PON-3. Yep. That’s her alright, with her electric blue, short haircut, her cocky grin, and her trademark purple shades. I’ve got to say, I don’t listen to techno music that much back on Earth, but her music is quite catchy and upbeat when you take a moment to listen to it.

As I turn around to finish my drink, another familiar pony has caught my attention. Through a sideways glance on my right side, I see an elegant, gray Earth Pony with long, flowing black hair and a pink bow tie, who’s also holding a glass of whiskey. I couldn’t believe it! Sitting right next to me is Octavia, another well-known background pony I cherish! I don’t know what astonishes me the most right now: the fact that Octavia can hold her glass with impossible ease using her hoof, or that she’s actually smiling while listening to this music! And… she is… bobbing her head along with the beats of Vinyl’s music? Huh, I wonder if there’s more to this than what meets the eye?

I really want to simple go up to her and simply talk to her. But what can I say? I certainly wouldn’t want to say something like, “Oh hi, Octavia! I’m a big fan of yours from all of the fanfics I’ve read about you and Vinyl! Best shipping ever!” Maybe I can just ask her about her music? Yeah. That sounds like a good starting point.

But before I can take my chance, somepony else has already beaten me to it. And by the looks of it, this stallion must be a complete lunkhead. And I think the unimpressed Octavia would agree with me.

“Well hey there beautiful!” the lunkhead says with an egotistic smile. “Can I buy you a drink?”

“Sorry.” Octavia responds firmly but politely. “But I already have a drink.”

“Well in that case, how’s about you and me going places?” he continues smugly.

“No thanks. I perfectly content from where I’m at right now.”

“Aah, don’t be like that, babe.” The macho Earth Pony attempts to caress one of Octavia’s hind legs, but she swiftly swats his fore hoof away.

“I think you should leave. Now.” she said infuriatedly.

“Playing hard to get, eh? I like that!” The obnoxious lunkhead is dangerously close to Octavia. I don’t know if she can handle herself on her own or not, but I will simple not stand by while his boorish behavior continues.

“Why don’t you just take a hint already?! She doesn’t want to be with you!” I shout at the lunkhead. The stallion glares at me menacingly as he begins to approach me. I stare right back, never keeping my eyes off of him as I get off of my seat. He wasn’t as tall as me, so at least I got some height advantage on this confrontation.

“And who are you to tell me on what to do?” He asks sternly.

“Somepony who you really don’t want to be messing with right now.” I reply with fury that I can hardly contain.

The lunkhead looks at my blank flank, and his angry frown turns into a confident, chuckling grin.

“Well, you don’t seem so special to me, considering that you haven’t even earn a Cutie Mark in all of your life!” The lunkhead scoffs obnoxiously.

I am this close to punching him so hard in the face in order to shut him up, but I don’t want to lay the first strike. It might look bad on me. I need to turn this around somehow. I look at my opponent’s Cutie Mark: it pictures a dumbbell. I smirk as I prepare my “attack.”

“So, that’s your Cutie Mark, huh?” I inquire casually.

“Yeah! It’s pretty awesome, right?” the idiot boasts with arrogance.

“Well, I have a question.” I continue with a sly smile. “Does that dumbbell suppose to symbolize your compensating masculinity, or is it a metaphor on how much of an imbecile you really are?”

The lunkhead is speechless (about time to), and Octavia behind him begins to smirk at what’s at play. Then, the brute starts to get angry.

“What did you just called me?” He asks furiously. Typical. He didn’t even get what I meant by “compensating” beforehand. Probably doesn’t even know what that word means.

“Why?” I egg him on. “Is ‘imbecile’ too big of a word for you to comprehend? Okay, instead of that, how about ‘simpleton?’ ‘Dimwit?’ ‘Numbskull?’ Or how about ‘lunkhead?’ Yes, I personally find that word most suiting for you. Wouldn’t you agree?” As I went down the list, Octavia is trying so hard to contain her snickering as the mocked stallion begins to reach his boiling point once he finally realizes that he’s being made a fool.

And just as I have predicted, the lunkhead prepares to throw a punch at me. Even though I saw this one coming, I could have dodged that one. But surprisingly, I didn’t. I take that punch head on just so I can measure up his strength, and to see if he is worth being afraid of. Octavia gasps lightly from seeing this. Despite the hard smack across my jaw, I was right. His supposed strength isn’t something I shouldn’t be quivering in fear of. I turn my head back as I give my opponent a cold, hard stare as I stand there unfazed and unimpressed by his so-called manhood (or would you call it his “stallionhood”). I definitely see the fear in his eyes. It was well worth taking that punch from him just to see that look on his face.

“Is that all?” I say to him coldly. “I can definitely see that your Cutie Mark has giving you far too much credit for your masculinity, that’s for sure.”

“Y-you!” the lunkhead stammers with fear and anger.

As I prepare myself to counter whatever lunkhead is going to throw at me, the fight is finally over. Not by me, but by an electric blue aura that surrounds my frightened opponent as he is lifted up in the air. Have to say, it was good timing on Vinyl Scratch’s part.

“What do you think you were doing?” she asks the levitated brute furiously.

“Yes lunkhead.” I say to my levitated enemy slyly. “Please, explain to her on how you were harassing this young mare before you try to beat me to a pulp in a most brutish manner.

“Yes, by all means.” Octavia joins in on the fun. “Please do.”

Vinyl glares back at the terrifying brute. “Oh really?” she says with serious expression.

“Excuse me while I go outside to take out the trash.” the DJ pony says to us as she walks outside with her captive, floating prisoner. As Vinyl leaves us, I finally have a chance to talk to Octavia.

“Sorry about all that.” I apologize to her. “I just can’t stand guys who act so boorish like that.”

“On the contrary…” Octavia replies with sincerity. “…I think you have handled yourself quite well. And trust me, if you haven’t intervened like that, he would have no mercy from my behalf.”

“Believe me, the feeling is mutual.” I chuckle.

All of a sudden, we hear a scream that sounds like that one falling Stormtrooper made in Star Wars: A New Hope as well as the sound of clacking trash cans.

“AND DON’T LET ME CATCH YOU LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN!” I hear Vinyl shouting outside.

Eventually, Vinyl comes back inside as she meets up with us at the bar.

“Tavi, are you okay?” Vinyl asks with concern.

“I am now…” Octavia says warmly as she looks at me. “Thanks to my new friend here.” And with that, Octavia rewards me with a kiss on the cheek. I blush intensely as I smile widely from receiving that kiss.

“Aw shucks, it was nothing!” I said humbly with a goofy smile as I rub the back of my head with a hoof.

“Hey, what about me?!” Vinyl whines. “I was the one who threw that jerk out!”

“Well, Vinyl…” Octavia says with a smile as she pats a hoof on Vinyl’s shoulder. “…for your heroic efforts, you will have my undying gratitude.”

“Gee, thanks.” Vinyl says sarcastically. Was there a hint of jealousy behind her tone?

“And you have my thanks, as well.” I say to Vinyl as I extend a hoof in hopes to mend our relationship better.

“Hey, any friend of Tavi’s is a friend of mine!” Vinyl replies before she shakes my extended hoof. “Name’s Vinyl Scratch, but most ponies know me better as DJ-PON-3! And this here good-looking mare right next to me is my very good friend, Octavia!” Vinyl points to blushing cellist.

“I can handle introductions on my own, thank you!” Octavia speaks sharply at the grinning DJ. After covering her mouth to give herself a proper “ahem”, she smiles back pleasantly at me as she extends her hoof to shake mine. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, mister…”

“Mustang.” I greet as I shake Octavia’s hoof. “Ford Mustang.”

“Well, now that introductions are out of the way…” Vinyl intervenes with a big grin. “…what do say we celebrate tonight with a couple of drinks?”

“I would be honor to join with you two…” But soon enough, I sink upon my early realization. “...but I don’t have any bits on me.” I pout sadly.

“Hey, after what you’ve pulled off tonight…” The friendly barmaid catches my attention. “…the next one’s on the house!” She finishes it with a wink.

I smile graciously to my host. “I swear, the next time I come back here, I will give you the biggest tip of your life!”

So Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, and I are enjoying our drinks as we get to know each other better. Vinyl is having a vodka-tonic, Octavia is having another whiskey, and I’m enjoying spiced rum and cola with a twist of lime. From what I have learned, Vinyl and Octavia share a house together, and both of them have mostly nighttime jobs in their respective music careers.

“So, Ford…” Vinyl asks with curiosity. “What’s up with the lack of a Cutie Mark?”

“Vinyl!” Octavia chastises. “That is very rude to say!”

“What?” Vinyl shrugs casually. “You were just as curious about it as I was, Tavi. Either that, or you were just checking out how sexy his flank is.” Both Octavia and I turn bright red for different reasons by Vinyl’s comment.

“I WAS NOT!” Octavia snaps immediately.

“Really? So you think my flank is sexier than his?” Vinyl asks with an eager grin as she playfully wiggles her behind.

“Vinyl…” Octavia grumbles grimacingly. I couldn’t help but giggle at their “playful” banter despite being slightly embarrassed by Vinyl’s earlier comment.

“You guys are so cute together!” I comment with a lighthearted chuckle.

Suddenly, the two musicians are silent as they look at me with wide-eyed expressions while bearing crimson blushes. It made me wonder if I just step over the line like that.

“Sorry! That was a joke! That was only a joke!” I apologizes as I rapidly wave my hooves at them.

“Oh, yes, of course.” Octavia blushes while avoiding eye contact with Vinyl.

“Yeah. No problem.” Vinyl stammers, who also tries to not make eye contact with Octavia.

Besides the music and noises from the crowd, it was nothing but silence between the three of us. Considering how late it must be right now, I decide that it was time to break the ice and call it a night.

“Well, it’s getting late, girls.” I say to them as I get off of my seat. “I should get going and get some sleep.”

“Lame!” Vinyl exclaims humorously. Octavia chuckles a bit at Vinyl’s antic.

“Well it was very nice to meet you, Mr. Mustang.” Octavia says politely. “And thanks again for saving my own dignity with that lunkhead.”

“You’re welcome.” I reply mannerly.

“Actually, I was wondering…” I ask nervously to both of them. “Do you think… we can do something like this again sometime?” They look at each other in dead-pan expressions before each of them bear a cheerful smile.

“Heck yeah you can hang out with us! We can always use another drinking buddy!” Vinyl glees with delight as she wraps a hoof around my shoulders while her other hoof does a hoof-pump. “Just be sure to bring your money with you next time when you come drinking with us.”

“I will definitely be sure to keep that in mind.” I chuckle heartily.