I finished changing out of my black attire, changing out into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. I dropped off my hat and checked my jacket. "Alright, time to dance." I stepped out of the door and locked it. The loud tapping of my dress shoes gave way to a soft sometimes squeaky bop of my sneakers on the damp sidewalk. The smell of clean air drifted lightly by as I walked through the darkening night. The bat ponies slowly replaced the day dwelling nobles, left to trot around in their awkwardly detached way.

I hurried to the end of my street and hit the main road. The soft patter of rain still drizzled down and gave everything a thin glisten. I hummed to myself as I walked through the grid city of Canterlot and into the entertainment district. The bat ponies slowly faded out in lieu of trendy ponies in bright clothes and short manes. The young and the stupid, awake far too late for their own good, lurked around the brightly lit streets as bars and restaurants lit up under the coming night.

I walked amongst the herds of mares looking to get taken down for a night. They giggled like mad and turned to watch me walk. "Hey babe! Come on, hang out, we'll treat you right!" The half cut mares plodded along. They started shouting at thestrals and stallions that were going about normal life. It always struck me as funny, watching the mares look for something to stuff inside themselves. It seemed like a very manly thing to hunt down sex so obviously, but Equestria was a strange enough place already.

I looked along the row of neon buildings and spotted Vinyl's club. I'd been there enough, but it never ceased to amaze me how long the line was. I reached into my pocket and ran my hand over my card. I couldn't use it, but the note Vinyl had given me should have been enough. I walked across the densly pony packed street and up onto the curb outside of Vinyl's club. I dug the note out of my pocket and walked to the bouncer.

An old pony with a thick bushy mane that puffed out into a afro to rival Bob Ross. He looked over at me and shook his head. "Gotta wait in line--"

I looked over to the long line, ponies and a bright silver griffon with glitter powdered over her feathers stood far into the night. "VIP." I passed off the note and watched as the bouncer looked it over.

He grunted and turned it around. "...That's her writing.... Okay, go on in." I took the note back and sidestepped the black maned pony. The ponies in line started yelling and hissing at me while I stepped past them and went into the club. The heavy bass of her style hit me immediatly. I felt my steps change to match the beat as I hurried in and got oriented. The long open floor just beyond a glass wall was packed with ponies, and a single blue maned mare was standing upon a tower on the far end and playing the electric sounds that bounced off every wall.

I slid past the coat check and made my way through the booths. I found an empty place and plopped down. A few ponies in dresses or tight shirts hurried past towards the bar in the corner of the room. I sat and watched as Vinyl raised her hoof and tossed sparks off her booth and into the crowd. The blue embers faded away and the ponies below her cheered loudly. I'd always expect more humans to show up, but it seemed most were slowly weening themselves off electricity and finding comfort in the calm life in Equestria.

Except for me. I was perfectly content listening to the jarringly loud music as Vinyl blasted the building down to its foundations. I took comfort in the undertone and watched as the bright flashes of color zipped through the glassy room. The smell of sweat hung in the air just long enough to be noticable before a rush of cold air came down and left the entire room chilly.

I watched the DJ look out over her crowd, she scanned them, appraised them, and then landed on me. "Alright everypony! I hope you're having a great time! Oh who am I kidding, I know you are!" The ponies yelled back at her and a deep thud sounded from her towers. "Let's switch things up for a little bit and pass this off to DJ-HSS!"

I smiled at the other DJ's name. A few ponies in bright colored paint ran past and towards the floor. Horse Shoe Songs was decent, but he had an absolutely cult following and was known for chirpy music that sent the younger crowd wild. I fixed my jacket and stood up. Another round of paint stained ponies bolted past and left me to sidestep, only barely avoiding a huge glowing slap of pink paint across my lap.

I looked towards the back door into the guts of the club. I'd been there enough to know within five seconds Vinyl would be popping out, grabbing a drink, and either heading over to me or back inside to get wasted. All I could really do was meet her there and see where things went. And so I slogged through the narrow walkway towards the bar, letting the wildlings throw themselves towards the eight-bit DJ slowly rising up and playing his bird songs.

I nodded to the bar tender and smiled at her. "Screwdriver, half the vodka."

The mare smiled and levitated out a drink from under the counter. "Staying sober?"

"As best I can." I laughed and took a seat on one of the awkwardly low stools. I raised it up just enough for it to feel short, but not painfully so. The mare mixed my drink quickly and passed it off. "That'll--"

I flashed her my ID card. "Tab it."

The mare's eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh--"

"Shh. It's a bit of a secret." I laughed and took my drink. "Nobody knows, just keep quiet a little, okay?"

The mare let out a warm squeak and ran off to the other side of the bar. I took a sip of my sour drink and enjoyed the taste of oranges. The mare looked back at me with a wrinkled smile. I nodded at her and watched as she went into a tizzy. I went back to my drink and sipped once more. The vodka burned, but the juice was more than enough to keep me from wincing. It was just enough to send a tiny jolt of warm up into my arms.

"You made it." Vinyl slammed down in the seat next to me in a flash. She bore a bright silver flask on a chain around her neck. She looked into my drink and lifted her glasses. "Oh jeez, is there even alcohol in that?" She snickered to herself.

I lifted it up and looked at the orange concoction. "More than I asked for too."

Vinyl scoffed. "Lightweight--"

"No, just don't really want to be hung over in the morning." I set my drink down and looked Vinyl over. "No costume? No lights? I thought you usually have glow sticks or something."

Vinyl looked down at herself, her glasses fell down against her muzzle. "I guess not.... Forgot em." She laughed and levitated her flask up. "So, glad you made it. Didn't really get a chance to say thanks."

I waved her off. "Giving me that pass was thanks enough." I rubbed my neck and leaned forward. "Needed something to take my mind off earlier anyways."

"Bad day?" Vinyl asked with an oddly sweet tone.

I grumbled. "Person who funded my shop had me come out and escort her to a grave." I polished off my drink and set the glass down. I spun my stool around to face her. "I mean-" I held my hands out "-she's nice. She's got a lot of problems, started talking about fucking a diamond dog and how she liked getting bent over and all that!"

Vinyl laughed softly and cocked her head. "For real? She's trying to get you to mount her dude--"

"But! But then, she's like oh but I could never replace him!" I held my hands up. "I mean, it was putting me on the spot like crazy! I don't even know." I shook my head and turned back around. "...Vinyl are you single? You are, right?"

Vinyl laughed softly and tossed back her flask. "Just straight up about it?"

I smiled to myself and tapped my finger against the glass. "I figured I'd be quick, before some one else got the balls."

Vinyl's laugh rode away on a high pitched sigh. "Okay...well, I am. But you really want this? You know who I am, I think. Party mare-extraordinaire?"

"Tak, of course."

Vinyl reached out and capped my drink with her hoof. "And you think you can keep up?" She teetered my glass about and leaned against the bar. "No offense, but ponies half your age used to drag behind... You--"

I laughed softly. "I'm not that old."

"Twenties?" She smiled at me and flicked her glasses up, she wore such a smug look about her, and I could help but want to take her down right there.

"Give or take around twenty six."

Vinyl smiled wide. "Ponies half your age dragged behind. You really think you can keep pace with me?"

I took my glass from under her hoof and held it out towards the bartender. "Three Elk Blood shooters...double the jager."

Vinyl smiled evilly and bit her lip. "Trying to make a point? Or you trying to get me drunk?"

I swung around and watched as the mare poured the pony cocktail. Jagermeister mixed with some rather sweet pony spirits. "Bit of both I suppose." I took one of the murky drinks and slid it to Vinyl. "Whoever drinks the second first-" I grabbed the last two and put them between us, I took mine and got ready, "-wins."

Vinyl laughed and looked down at the drink. "What even is this? Smells like pine sap and cough syrup."

I popped my eyebrows. "Basically is." I took my drink up. "To bloodshot eyes and broken stomachs."

Vinyl laughed and bopped her glass against mine. "Sure, whatever you said."

We both hammered our drinks back. The burning on my tongue and mouth was immediate, but I managed to keep my eyes open. Vinyl winces and shook her head hard, giving me time to snatch up the second drink and power slam it back. I leaned my head back and let the shotglass rest on my lips. The smell was powerful enough to make me cringe, but it helped distract from the horrid taste of medicine and blended sugar taffy.

Vinyl started coughing and covered her mouth. "Oh dear Celestia...that's death."

I set my glasses upside down and nodded. "So, the answer, yes.... I can keep up." I covered my mouth as my stomach adjusted to its new guest, churning and chugging down as it settled. "I hate those drinks, but they taste so...like--"

"Like pine needles." Vinyl coughed and lifted her glasses up. "Oh wow, are you gonna be alright?"

I shrugged. "Proubabls." I started to feel a bit dizzy. "I'll find a way home."

Vinyl laughed softly. "Hey...so, I don't live too far. And you can chill in the VIP rooms if you wanna wait."

I nodded slowly. "Hey...sure, why not." I steadied myself on the bar and took a deep breath. "But I don't think you answered my question...you still single?"

Vinyl laughed as she wobbled around in her seat. "I guess not."

I scratched my head. "Wait.... Wait...so--"

"Do you wanna lay down?" Vinyl started to snicker and hopped down from her chair. "Come on, go hang out." She offered her side to me. "Hold on, we'll get you out of here."

I stood up and immediately fell against the side of the stool. "Oooh kay." I pushed upright and set my hand on Vinyl's side. "I should...not have...had them doubled!"

Vinyl laughed softly. "Hey, you're fine. Better than I would have been."

"Bitch...." I swore at the ground. "Oh shit...why am I so high up!?" Vinyl helped me to hobble down towards the arch into the back stage. "Help...."

Vinyl laughed softly. "Hey...just hold on." She carried me along into the hall lined with VIP rooms and pressed me against a wall. "So...you wanna stay with me tonight? You--"

"Yeah!" I put my hand up and raised my thumb. "Totally.... You are...you are awesome." I laughed softly and slumped down against the wall. "Aaaaah-ha!" I grabbed my head. "Oh god...I'm so stupid." I snickered softly. "Ugh...Vinyl...I love you!"

Vinyl laughed loudly and covered her mouth. "Oh man, you gotta tell me how to make those shots later."

I nodded. "Vinyl...I would love to go home.... With you." I rubbed my face. "Son of a bitch, I taste death."

Vinyl put her hoof on my head. "We'll get you some rest man, just relax."

I nodded to the wine eye'd mare. "...God you're so pretty.... Did you say yes?"

Vinyl smiled and fixed her glasses. "Just pretty? Not sexy?"

"Both if you want." I rubbed my forehead. "Vinyl...thanks."

She nodded and tussled my head with her hoof. "Sure. Consider it payback for the flower."

"I'll be sure to get you more then." I closed my eyes and leaned back. "I'm just gonna take a nap, be back tomorrow." Next Chapter: Toast Estimated time remaining: 11 Minutes