The grey pony took another spoonful of cereal, and picked up the Canterlot Newspaper.

Nothing on music...ugh...such a drab city at times...

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Octavia waited for the unicorn who shared the small house with her to answer, as her room was closest to the door.

And waited.

And waited.

The door sounded with a knock once more, and Octavia sighed, setting aside her newspaper and cereal with an air of irritation.

Entering the white unicorn's room, she found her fast asleep in her bed, her neon-blue hair wildly splayed across her pillow, her tinted glasses haphazardly dropped on the night table.

Closing her eyes in agitation, she turned and answered the door.

She was met with with a Canterlot Royal Guard. Panicking, Octavia did the first thing she could think of.

Blame somepony for something nopony did.

"What did Vinyl Scratch do this time, sir?"

The Guard raised an eyebrow, but simply removed an envelope from within the folds of his wing, ignoring the question altogether. "Telegram for Ms. Scratch."

The Guard placed it on the floor in front of Octavia and, with that, he was gone, his golden armor gleaming in the summer's sun.

Confused, the grey pony orally picked up the envelope, and turned, gently closing the door with a hoof. Trotting through the white-wash entrance of her house, she walked right into Vinyl Scratch's room.

Placing the envelope down next to the tinted goggles, she prodded at the white unicorn. Vinyl snorted in her sleep, rather unperturbed by the nudge.

Grunting, Octavia shook the sleeping unicorn. She remained asleep, her snoring somehow louder than it had been the other night...

Finally, Octavia gave up, and left the room. Walking through the dining room, (eying her newspaper and cereal wistfully,) she opened the door to her armory. Browsing the multiple installments to her variety of instruments, she finally found the one she could use.

Trotting back through the dining room, her trumpet safely grasped within her teeth, she entered Vinyl Scratch's room once more.

With a practiced ease, she rose to two legs, (emulating what Lyra had taught her,) and transferred the trumpet from her mouth, to her hooves.

After wetting her lips, she raised the trumpet to her mouth, arranged the buttons and her lips to play a high D flat, and blew into it, her lips buzzing lightly as she sent air throughout the instrument.

Vinyl Scratch had been having a nice dream. A dream where she was playing in Las Haygas, courtesy of Celestia herself.

But then, the world was blasted apart by a horrible sound: a C sharp from a trumpet, played by a horrible, grey monster, a monster who hated dubstep, techno, and everything on vinyl disks.

"No, I will not sacrifice my DJ platform to the instruments!"

She opened her eyes to see a grey giant. A giant that sought to destroy all things dubbed.

It spoke, its voice strangely...normal. "Are you going to get up, or what?"

Vinyl Scratch blinked, and looked around at her surroundings.

She was on the floor of her room, her blankets spread out beneath her. Octavia stood above her, trumpet in hoof.

Blushing, Vinyl Scratch stood, rubbing her red eyes with a hoof.

"Octy, I told you not to wake me up with your instruments!"

Frowning, her 'friend' placed her trumpet down on the night table. "And I told you not to call me that anymore, Vinyl. Now, come in for some breakfast, after you read that telegram and brush your hair."

Walking out with her trumpet on her back, Octavia left with a final flick of the tail. With a small 'humph', Vinyl Scratch threw on her tinted goggles, and magically unwrapped the letter. It read as such:

Dear Vinyl Scratch,

As an esteemed DJ of Canterlot, I cordially invite you to perform in Las Haygas, and a special cruise ship, in two day's time.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia.

Vinyl Scratch squealed in giddiness. Her dream come true...to be a DJ in Las Haygas. She could see it now...

A giant, neon sign, the words 'DJ-P0N3 glowing in the darkness of the club...

An amazing DJ stand, arranged by the one, the only, Vinyl Scratch, with the stallion of her dreams, Tech, watching on in admiration...

She and Tech would go back to Vinyl Scratch's private dressing room, (which would be virtually useless,) after the show, and...

"Aaaahhhhhh!" Vinyl Scratch winced as another C sharp was blasted through her small room.

"Breakfast. Now." Octavia walked out, trumpet once more on her back, ready for another use if need be.

Grumbling, Vinyl Scratch magically rolled up the letter, and walked through the door, the hallway, and up to the dining room table. She sat in front of the bowl, ignoring Octavia's glare of distaste as she examined the white unicorn's unruly mane.

After having a few spoonfuls of the bland cereal, Vinyl Scratch opened the letter, and presented it to Octavia.

The grey pony gasped, and Vinyl Scratch simply puffed her chest out, proud of her accomplishment.

"This is...this is amazing, Vinyl! Congratulations! Although..." Vinyl let her stature return to its usual slumped-over position as she sighed. "I still can't get over how anypony would think of music on a vinyl disk as real music. It's all prerecorded, there's no feel to it..."

Vinyl Scratch slammed her hooves on the table, causing Octavia to shrink back slightly. "Maybe, if you ever went to one of my gigs, you would see that there is a feel to it! With the right equalization, you can get the feel that a real instrument has: the vibrations you can feel from a violin, or a trumpet, only goosed up and louder! And, that is the reason as to why I'm the greatest DJ in all of Canterlot! Because I know how to emulate that feeling, and I know exactly how each and every instrument feels!"

Octavia drew back, obviously slightly surprised. "But...how? How do you know what each instrument sounds and feels?"

Enraged, Vinyl Scratch shouted the answer, which she thought was rather obvious. "Because I went to every one of your damn concerts! Every, single, one! And I learned how each and every instrument feels and sounds, so when there's a mix of instruments in a song, I can bring all of that together to make it sound its best! To make it sound as close to you as possible, because you're an amazing musician!"

Now, it was Octavia's turn to blush. "You...you really think so?"

Vinyl Scratch crossed her forelegs on her chest. "Yeah. And?"

Octavia smiled, and Vinyl Scratch couldn't resist smiling back. It was such a rare sight, to see the grey earth pony genuinely smile... "Thank you, Vinyl. That means so much to me..."

Vinyl Scratch smiled back. "Hey, it's your playing that got me here in the first place. If anything, I should be thanking you, Octy."

She shook her head, remembering what had started the conversation in the first place. "Anyway, my music sounds truly amazing. Because I can feel the music, and I can get it to emulate..." Vinyl Scratch gulped. "Yours."

The white unicorn suddenly realized something. All her music was, was just a copy of real music.

"Ugh, you're right, Octavia. My music just copies yours, and while your music is amazing, that makes my music totally lame. Because it's just a copy of somepony else's music, or at least how it sounds."

Octavia, still smiling, reached across the table with a hoof. Patting her friends' hoof with her own, the grey mare spoke comforting words.

"Vinyl, it's very flattering that you base your music off of mine. And, if you can truly get it to emulate how live music sounds, then you really are the greatest DJ in the world."

Vinyl Scratch looked up, and smiled back at her grey friend, before asking a more important question.

"So...you're not angry? That I used your music? And that I basically ripped off how you sound to make my music sound good?"

Octavia stood up, and walked around the table, enveloping Vinyl Scratch in a hug.

"Not at all, Vinyl." She kissed the white unicorn on the cheek, not realizing, at first, what she was doing.

Immediately, they both donned giant frowns, and stood bolt upright, Vinyl Scratch glaring at Octavia's lips, and Octavia at Vinyl Scratch's cheek.

"You...You just..."

Octavia blushed. "S...Sorry. I forgot myself for a moment...I meant to just hug you, but you were just so sad, I forgot myself..."

Vinyl Scratch shook her head in disbelief. "No...You didn't forget yourself. It makes sense now. This is why my opinion on your music meant so much to you, but the fact that Celestia asked you to play at the Gala didn't mean shit to you!"

Vinyl Scratch gulped. "You...you have a crush on me..."

She took another few steps back, and Octavia merely closed her eyes, letting her head droop towards the ground. After a few moments, Vinyl Scratch decided that it would be best to at least hug her friend. Just a hug...that wouldn't be weird. Right?

Just as she took a step towards the grey mare, Octavia shouted something that gave Vinyl Scratch pause. "Well, what about you!? Before we even bought this house, after I blew all of the salary from the Gala on new instruments to add to my collection, you helped me buy more! And then, after that gig where you got enough bits to buy this house, you bought it and asked me if I wanted to move in with you! I don't even have to pay rent here, and you bought the bucking thing! Obviously, you have a crush on me, too!"

Vinyl Scratch stopped, and sighed. "No, Octavia. I've...I've been using you."

Octavia shrank back a small amount, but Vinyl Scratch continued on.

She deserves to know the full truth.

"When I first heard you play, I knew that I could learn how instruments truly sound from you, because you were so amazing at playing the strings. So, I bought you more instruments, so I could hear you play them, and then make more money off of that." She heard Octavia sniff, but she pressed on, steeling her nerves. "And then, I bought this house with the money I made off of you. I felt bad for just using you like that, so I asked you to move in. And now, we're friends, and my music is amazing because it sounds like yours. Overall, it worked out better for the both of us."

Octavia shrank back, and said something that gave Vinyl Scratch yet another pause. "I...I thought you liked me...I thought you genuinely liked me...you were the first person, after my sister, Pinkamena Diane Pie, left to become a party pony, in that little town Ponyville...

"After she abandoned me there, on that drab, devoid-of-music rock farm...she hasn't even sent me a letter since that day. Not even a single letter...she even ignored me at the Grand Galloping Gala...the only time she spoke to me, she told me to play a song for her...she never even said 'hello'...I felt as though nopony cared for me at that point...

"But then, you...you came along, and you seemed to care for me so much...and I...I thought that you actually cared for me. It...it changed me. Having the only pony who ever cared for me being a mare, I...it changed me. It made me fall for you, because you helped me get out of depression...

"But you didn't care. You never cared..."

Octavia sniffed, and a few tears rolled down her grey face, her eyelids covering up those pretty, purple eyes that Vinyl Scratch had become accustomed to seeing every morning she woke up...

Just then, something stirred within Vinyl Scratch, as she looked upon the mare, whose heart she had toyed with, and whose sexuality she had altered, simply by profiting off of her, and making it seem like she cared. Something she had felt for the earth pony before, but never in this magnitude...

Undying, endless, care...concern...a need to see her happy...a certain drive, a drive to make this pony feel the happiest she could feel.

Vinyl Scratch shook her head, realizing just how much the grey pony had changed her...

First off, Vinyl Scratch had profited off of her.

And then, Vinyl Scratch had learned a sense of moral from her. She came to realize that it was wrong to capitalize on her like this, and realized that she ought to pay her back.

And finally, over the past year or so, as they had been living together, something had culminated in Vinyl Scratch's money-bound heart, something that she had a name for, only now, when she saw how sad and...destroyed, Octavia was.

Love.

She had fallen in love with Octavia, without even knowing it.

Vinyl Scratch felt a burst of panic. But...I'm not a fillyfooler! I have a crush on Tech!

A small voice in the back of her head, a voice that sounded old and wizened, yet smooth and strong, refuted her..

No. You have an obsession with his work. Every night, you dream that you two go back into your dressing room, and he signs your electrical equipment. You're obsessed with his work, and you want to meet him.

However, how many dreams have you had where Octavia finally attends one of your gigs? How many dreams have you had where Octavia and you go back into your dressing room after the gig, she tells you it was amazing, and, next thing you know, you two are kissing. No rhyme or reason to it, just her praising you, then kissing you.

You are in love with her. Don't fight it. You know it's true.

The voice died away, and Vinyl Scratch opened her eyes, to see that Octavia was no longer there. However, she could still hear her, sobbing heavily from her room upstairs.

Vinyl Scratch did a quick soul search, and found a feeling of acceptance.

Steeling her nerves, she walked the walk she had taken so many times before, to make sure that Octavia was comfortable in the new house...

She walked away from her own room, and walked up the stairs to the left, each tear stain she saw adding more and more to her resolution. She finally arrived at the landing, and climbed the final step, taking a left towards the bedroom door, which was currently ajar.

Vinyl Scratch took a deep breath.

I thought she cared about me...Unlike Pinkamena, who just left me, and never looked back...I thought she actually cared for me...She made me into a fillyfooler...I...I hate her...

Just then, she felt a familiar weight on the bed next to her. The same weight that had been there every time she'd been sick, every time she'd been down, every time she'd been hungover (which wasn't very often, mind you)...that weight had been there...

"Listen, Octy..."

She sat up, furious with herself, and with the white unicorn, glaring into Vinyl Scratch's red, uncovered eyes.

"No! I will not listen! You played with me, Vinyl Scratch! You used me!"

If only tears hadn't been blurring Octavia's vision, she would have seen the tears in Vinyl Scratch's eyes.

"Wait, Octy...please..."

"No! I hate you!"

She heard a sharp intake of air, but saw nothing as she clamped her eyes shut, waiting for Vinyl Scratch to simply leave, and break her fractured heart...

However, nothing of the manner would happen that night.

Because, unbeknownst to either of them, Drøm Mester, Sølv Brann, and Fugl Føniks had all seen to that, after they had killed a massive influx of Skygger, and the dark Choices they represented, in the Realm of Dreams.

"Please, don't say that..." She heard Vinyl Scratch whisper. Octavia replied in a venomous, hateful whisper of her own.

"Why not? Can't stand capitalizing off of someone who hates you?"

Octavia heard Vinyl Scratch sniff, and felt a tear roll onto her shoulder. She refused to open her eyes, however. She simply refused.

A second whisper came. "No, Octy..." A few seconds after, Octavia felt Vinyl Scratch adjust her weight. Suddenly, without warning, Octavia was flipped onto her back, with a small cry of shock, and Vinyl Scratch lay on top of her, their hind legs intertwining as Vinyl Scratch leaned over to whisper into the grey mare's ear one last time.

"It's because I love you..."

As soon as the whisper left her lips, Vinyl Scratch thrust her mouth onto Octavia's, her tongue shooting into the latter's mouth, the both of their tongues swirling around each other, their heartbeats accentuated, doubling in strength as they felt each others' through their chests.

Octavia returned the kiss with double the strength, all of her loneliness and love pouring out through the passionate kiss to the white unicorn on top of her, whose tongue was continually thrusting into Octavia's mouth. In turn, Octavia's tongue was grappling for Vinyl Scratch's tongue, each of them swirling their tongues around each others'. Octavia didn't want the kiss to ever, ever end. This was the happiest moment of her life...

However, it eventually ended, as Vinyl Scratch pulled away. Octavia wrapped her forelegs around the white unicorn, her mouth more sore from the half hour kiss than from constant trumpet practice.

"I love you, Vinyl Scratch..."

She was about to thrust her mouth back onto Vinyl Scratch's, when a gentle hoof stopped her.

"Octavia...let's make music..."

The whisper sent chills down Octavia's spine, as well as the hoof that now rubbed her neck, slowly and sensually.

"The music of love..."

The second whisper sent even more chills down Octavia's spine. She nodded, ecstasy flowing through her veins.

Celestia smiled as Ditzy Doo's Eye of Dreams stopped glowing.

Turning to the simply terrified Canterlot Royal Guard, who gave it away in his expressionless face, she nodded.

"I believe we need you to see if we have a response from our special guest."

The Guard blinked, and Celestia sighed.

They can kill, but they can't think.

"Vinyl Scratch."

The Guard nodded, and backed out, already extending his wings to take flight.

Celestia sighed, an turned back to Ditzy Doo. "Anyway...as you were saying?"

Ditzy Doo nodded. "It seems as though the Skygger that Drøm Mester, Sølv Brann, and Fugl Føniks have been stopping the Choices of more than just leaders and soldiers."

Celestia nodded. "Good. Just as we hoped."

She sighed, and returned to her throne.

"Even musicians can find love..."

Ditzy Doo smiled sadly, and left, not wanting to invade on the deity's reflections.

Vinyl Scratch lay on Octavia's bed, her foreleg around the latter's shoulder. Octavia breathed lightly, resting her head on Vinyl's shoulder.

A knock sounded at the door, and Vinyl Scratch stood, careful not to disturb the sleeping earth pony.

"I love you, Octavia..." She whispered, before departing the room, walking down the stairs, past the (definitely curdled) bowls of milk and cereal, past her own bedroom, and up to the front door.

She opened it to find a grand stallion, bearing the golden armor of a Royal Canterlot Guard.

"I'm here for Ms. Scratch's response."

Vinyl Scratch smiled, knowing full well what the response was for. "Tell Celestia that she needs to make arrangements for two. My marefriend and I would like to attend Las Haygas together."

After years of withstanding the oddest odds, and a cyan Pegasus flapping her tongue about like a helicopter, the guard wasn't prepared for that.

Vinyl Scratch smiled in victory as she elicited a response from the guard.

He raised an eyebrow, and frowned slightly.

"Er...yes. Right away, ma'm."

And with that, the guard left.

Only to return about ten minutes later, as the castle was a five minute fly from Vinyl Scratch's house.

"It shall be done, ma'm. We will return within a half an hour to bring you to the train."

Vinyl Scratch nodded, and returned to bed, feeling dead tired.

When she trotted back into the room, Octavia was sitting up on her bed, her eyes closed.

As soon as Vinyl Scratch sat next to the grey mare, the latter threw her forelegs around the former.

"I love you, Vinyl Scratch..."

Vinyl Scratch smiled. "I love you too. Now, how would you like to go on a date?"

Octavia pushed herself off of Vinyl, only enough to look into the latter's eyes. "I would love that. Do you have a place in mind?"

Vinyl Scratch looked up into the corner of her eyes, making it seem as though she was thinking hard.

"How about..." She nodded to herself. "Las Haygas?"

Octavia smiled wide, and pulled the white unicorn tighter in the embrace, the latter surprised with Octavia's strength.

"Yes! I love you, Vinyl Scratch!"

Vinyl Scratch smiled, and nuzzled Octavia's neck.

A few moments later, a knock sounded at the door. Vinyl Scratch smiled.

"And that would be our personal escort to the train."

In case you're wondering, I didn't make this chapter for the sake of shipping.
I made it for the sake of filler.
And also for the sake of showing how Drøm Mester and blahbitty blah are all succeeding at their job in the Realm of Dreams.
Which means that if they're doing a kick-ass job right now, how the fuck did 'The Realm of Dreams Part 1' happen?
Hell, I don't know. I'm only the author.
...
I'm being serious. I made the timespan that long because I have no idea what happened between Day 1 and Day idkfuckitsomenumberhere.
Oh, by the way, I have a plan for the Las Haygas and cruise scenes.
They will be formatted so that it'll be split up by scenes, and then by point of view in each scene.
So, basically, it'll be different content in each scene. (Don't worry, I will do smooth transitions for each one.)
So, yeah...
By the way, sorry that this chapter is so endlessly cliche'd and...well...don't read it. Cliches are evil.
Wait, you already read it? And that's why you're reading the authors' note!?
OH, GODDANGIT!!!
In the words of Toby Turner...