The sequel to Ruby Eyes and Echoes Part 1. It's not a necessity to read it but it does help prevent you from becoming confused.  So I would advise reading it.

-Thank you, Altoid

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Prologue

Run!

That was the only word that meant anything to her now. Nothing else existed in her mind, not even the smell of smoke and the roar of the fire closing in around her. The filly had been running for almost an hour, ever since the forest fire had blown up that night. Her home lay smoldering behind her and the only thing the filly's mother had told her when the smell of smoke had dragged them from their sleep was run.

So she did.

The filly could feel the heat of the fire now and the smoke choked her. Her mouth was dry and her muscles ached. the filly wanted to stop, to let the fire swallow her up. Risking a look back she saw the flames rising behind her. She put forth a burst of speed and suddenly emerged from the trees and into a clearing with a stream down the center. She wadded into the water and turned to watch the trees disappear into the smoke and flame. A sinking feeling filled her as she realized no one was going to follow her out.

“Mommy! Daddy!” She called, panic cracking her voice. “Big sis! Anypony?”

The only response on the wind was the continuous roar of the fire. After several minutes the filly finally realized that she was alone.

Two mares sat in an quiet Canterlot café. Ponies past them by and a few pointed in wonder but none had the courage to interrupt their conversation just for the sake of an autograph.

“I want to do something more.”

Octavia tilted her head and looked at her sister, confused, “what do you mean? One moment we are talking about your concert in Las Pegasus and how your are well on your way to becoming the most popular musician in Equestria. Now you want to do something more? Is fame getting to you sister?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Vinyl Scratch groaned. “I wanna change the world and help ponies in a more personal and life changing way than just making them like my songs.”

Octavia took a sip from her cappuccino, “donate to charity?”

“More than that,” Scratch waved her hoof around to emphasize her point and nearly hit a waiter on his way to another table. “I wanna be more than a money dispenser and a pretty face.”

“Hmm,” Octavia replied through her drink.

“Ya know what I mean?”

“Yes,” the gray earth pony replied absentmindedly.

Scratch sighed,”i've lost you again, haven't I?”

“Oh, sorry,” Octavia shook her head, dismissing her thoughts. “I have Neaghoven's Third Symphony stuck in my mind.”

“Sheesh, and I thought I had a sucky attention span,” Scratch huffed. “Are you listening now?”

“Yes, I’m listening,” Octavia shot back.

“Okay, good.” Scratch continued again. “I want to help somepony. To be like a friend or a family member to them.”

“Do you crave attention that much?” Octavia asked flatly.

“You are missing the point Tavi!” Scratch screamed. Several other ponies glared at her from their tables.

“I am?”

“Yes,” Scratch rubbed her brow in annoyance. “I wanna be more than the Deejay Pony.”

“Wait, that’s how you pronounce your stage name?” Octavia asked in surprise.

“Let me guess, you thought it was Deejay Pon Three?” The unicorn asked.

“Because it has a three in it!” Octavia threw up her hooves in exasperation. “Why not use an E?”

“It adds personality and flair!” Scratch shrieked back.

“Makes you look like an illiterate foal!”

“And you sound like a snooty-snob-snobby-face!” Scratch started to impersonate her sister. “Oh look at me, my name is Octavia and I play the cello. I like garden parties, dresses and being a pain in the flank!”

“I do not sound like that,” Octavia growled.

“I know,” Scratch laughed. “You sound much worse.”

“Why do we argue like this whenever we get together,” Octavia sighed. “We rarely see each other anymore.”

Scratch calmed and started to whisper. “We never outgrew it, did we? We fight just as much as we did when I became your sister.”

“Old habits die hard I guess,” Octavia chuckled.

“Have you talked to father recently?” Scratch asked, changing the subject.

Octavia shook her head and answered, “no. I send him letters on a weekly basis though. You?”

“I haven't contacted him in any form for almost a year,” Scratch replied sadly. “I can’t send him letters of course.”

“You could always ask somepony to write the letters for you,” the earth pony stated.

“Meh,” Scratch shrugged.

“You are too proud of a pony to stoop down and ask for help,” Octavia shook her head and smiled. “How in Equestria do you expect to stoop down and actually help somepony.”

“Just because I’m reluctant to be helped doesn't mean I feel the same way about helping.”

“Very well,” Octavia replied passively. She took a sip from her cappuccino then continued sarcastically. “If you really want to help somepony just do what father did. Adopt.”

Octavia couldn't see her sister’s red eyes through her thick sunglasses but the gray mare could tell that they went wide with an idea. The cellist immediately wished that she hadn’t said anything.

“No, no-no, get that idea out of your head,” Octavia scrambled to change Scratch’s mind. “You are not a responsible pony. You have the money to care for a foal, yes. But you don’t have the capacity and seriousness to pull off being a mother.”

“I would be an epic mother,” Scratch smiled.

“You aren’t listening to me!” Octavia cried. “You would make a foal's life even worse! The stress of having a famous pony as his or her mother wouldn't be healthy.”

“Father was famous when he adopted me, and he still is,” Scratch argued. “Don’t you remember? Orchestratus Maxim, the best composer of his time!”

“But you are a different kind of famous,” pleaded Octavia. “And I hate bringing this up but you will be a single parent caring for a foal with needs, and you are blind.”

“Being blind hasn't stopped me yet.” Scratch growled.

“I know, and that is what scares me.” Octavia shook her head slowly. “Every challenge that you’ve faced so far, due to your blindness, has been overcome. When you finally meet something too difficult to surmount, I don’t want you bringing another pony into the disaster. You need to find your restrictions without risking the happiness of others.”

Scratch grimaced then smiled, “I will prove you wrong, just like the other times you thought I couldn’t make up for my disability.”

“But this is different!” Octavia screamed. “Just promise me you will think about this for a while before deciding.”

Scratch chewed her lip, ears flat in thought, “fine, I will think about it.”

“Good,” Octavia took another sip from her drink.

A waiter approached the table and placed their bill next to Vinyl Scratch’s hoof.

“Thank you,” Scratch said as she smiled at him.

“Oh wow,” he blushed. “You are welcome Miss Deejay Pony!”

“Are you paying?” Octavia asked.

“Sure,” Scratch pushed the bill towards her sister. “How much does it say I owe?”

“Seven bits,” she replied after reading the receipt.

"Okay then,” she magically pulled the money out of her saddlebag. “Here you go handsome.” She said in a flirtatious tone. “And an extra three bits for you.”

The stallion giggled and cantered away. Scratch listened to his hoofsteps disappear and she chuckled. Octavia glared at her.

“Do you do that often?” She asked.

“I’m not telling,” Scratch giggled. “You try.”

“I don-”

“Fraidy cat!” Scratch taunted.

“No.”

“Aww,” Scratch sighed sadly. “It would’ve been funny to hear you fail.”

Octavia glared at her sister for a few seconds before starting a new conversation.

“Which hotel are you staying in?”

“The Royal Sisters Inn,” Scratch replied with a crooked smile.

“What!” Octavia practically fell out of her seat. “Doesn’t it take fifty bits a night to stay there?”

“Fifty-five bits, they raised the price,” the unicorn continued to smile.

Octavia shook her head, “I can’t believe that you can afford that.”

“Ponies like my music more than they like a group of snooty ponies playing screechy wooden instruments,” Scratch laughed as Octavia let out a quiet growl.

Octavia turned her attention to a clock on the wall. “You told me to tell you when it was three o’clock.”

“Is it three?” Scratch asked.

“Two-fifty,” Octavia replied. “What do you have planned?”

“I have a date.”

Octavia’s eyes went wide. “With who?”

“A stallion,” Scratch replied.

“Does said stallion have a name?” Octavia pressed.

“Yep.”

“Are you going to tell me?” Octavia furrowed her brow in annoyance.

“Uh, no,” the unicorn started to laugh.

“Very well then,” Octavia huffed. “I will be going. Have fun on your date.”

“Bye bye Tavi!” Scratch squealed. “Have fun at the garden party!” Then in a sarcastic tone, “see you later!”

Octavia left the café and Scratch continued to sit patiently. She listened for a few moments to the conversations of other ponies but found the talk to drab. The unicrorn stood and made her way towards the exit.

‘Another stallion wanting to try his luck,’ she thought to herself as hoofsteps approached. 'This better not take long.'