"Sup Vinyl." Upon hearing my voice her ears swivel in my direction before the rest of her followed suit. She wore tight fitting blue jeans quite low on her body. It was surprising the first time I saw those pants as they should be falling off even with that belt. Her shirt was a light blue collar and sleeves with a hole cut to show her cleavage. It was also quite small, stopping just above her belly button. It went well with her white coat and electric blue and dark blue mane and tail. she always seemed to have bed mane as well. she did take care of her hair, just that unless it was wet it would return to the form it was usually seen in. If it wasn't for her horn and unicorn magic I would have assumed she always had her hair that way, but being able to magically perfect your hair makes that harder to believe. She also almost always wore her signature sunglasses regardless of weather or lighting. It was two months after I met her the first time I saw those beautiful red eyes. She really shouldn't hide them so much.

"Sup Sam. How'd it go at the audition?"

"Went well. Hopefully that means I get the job."

"Yeah, then you will get to be big and famous like your friend DJ-Pon3!"

'Did she really need to pose to her saying her own stage name?'

"Well anyway I just finished setting up for my set. Wanna catch a drink before I gotta perform?"

"No thank you, I got to get some sleep soon. Just wanted to stop by and give my friend the news before I did so."

"You been having those dreams again?" Damn, she saw through that one quick.

"Yeah, probably due to all the stress I put myself through for the audition. Should be fine now though."

"Alright, if you say so dude. If you need any help feel free to give a call, I'll be over after I finish my set to check on you if you do. Also, we still on for tomorrow?"

"Sound good, and yeah, we are still on for tomorrow. Anyway, I'll see ya later Vinyl."

"Later dude."

As I walked out of the club and toward my apartment, I could not but help remembering how I first met the DJ. I had just finished a set with Resonant and he invited me out to go party at a club to celebrate our rather large income for the show. I accepted after a while and we headed out. We went to one of the smaller clubs of the area in size, but it was still considered one of Canterlot area's top five clubs. We sat down at the bar and ordered our drinks. Freq. ordered a 'Fortuna Delstona'. He later told me that it was an Equestrian drink that uses hard cider, tequila, vodka and some beer. He took the liberty to order another one for me. The overall taste was akin to burning sandpaper. I know that is the texture, but I didn't taste squat out of that. to my reaction Freq. and someone else started laughing.

Turning around I mentally changed 'someone' to 'somepony'. It was Vinyl Scratch herself laughing at my reaction to having touched that devious drink. From there we started talking, hanging out, Freq. tried to date her, but they never got passed date number two. She had, however, taken an interest in me, even asking me out at one point to which I declined. She now has a little information as to why that happened and has at least forgiven me. One day I may tell her the full story, but for now, I'll keep that to myself. Finally, my apartment comes into view. It is a small simple thing. Two bedrooms, one bath, a living room, a kitchen and a large storage room which I converted into a studio of sorts. I then took a nice, long shower, followed by a nice journey into sleep.

My dream was not unexpected, I dreamed of gray and black. Then, I dreamed a nightmare. I awoke with a start, but before my eyes could see an inch in front of my face, I slammed into something. The something was Vinyl, and I just gave her one heck of a headbutt. "Jeez dude, what kind of nightmare were you having to wake up like that."

"Oh man, sorry Vinyl, you alright?" Getting out of bed, you are glad that you took to wearing pajamas upon moving here. It got cold at night.

"Yeah, it will take more then that to really hurt me. You on the other hand, just had one heck of a nightmare. I was worried about how you looked and figured this would happen. I'll crash in the guest room tonight. You still got my back up clothes right?" I nodded, not needing to get in a fight about this. She was genuinely trying to help you as she always did. she may be a DJ, but unlike most earth DJs I knew, she had a kind heart.

She had started occasionally staying over after one night when a nightmare had caused you to lose four days of sleep ending up in me passing out mid conversation. This would save time anyway as tomorrow I was going to head out for a day with her and a few of her friends. I wondered what her friends would be like. She only told me about one of them, a mint green unicorn named Lyra. She apparently had two colored hair with light green and white with golden eyes. Her talent was the ability to 'unlock' peoples true feelings with just a few words. She apparently said it was like "Plucking the strings of the heart till they sing." Beautiful metaphor, but I would not let her get me to spill the beans about 'That'.

I finally made my way to the kitchen and got a drink of water. I drank the water, put the glass away, and went back to bed. Vinyl then left and went to the guest room. I assume she was fast asleep, even for her four AM is late. Finally succumbing to sleep, I returned once again to my dreams. Once again, they were grey and black, with hints of blue and white.

I awoke, this time much more calmly, it was eight AM, time for early morning practice. I quietly got up, hoping to not disturb my guest, and made my way to my studio. It was opposite of the guest room which was next to the bathroom in a hallway. at one end of the hallway was the living room and kitchen, the other was a door leading to my room. Entering my sanctuary, I feel at ease once again as I close the door behind me. Here, I may be whatever I want to be. I take up my violin, rosin up my bow, close my eyes, and begin playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZ7bBaYpcw

I have played it before, heck I had written it and recorded it on both piano and violin. Thanks to Vinyl's help the song was synched perfectly. It was part of a collection I would never release, but I would not mind playing them for others. Opening my eyes, I notice I had an audience, one I had assumed would be sleeping till noon like always. "Good morning Vinyl. Did not think you would be up this early."

"Early? It's twelve thirty, we need to leave soon."

Shocked at this I quickly look up at the clock on the wall. It was indeed twelve thirty. Unfortunately, I had yet to take a shower or get dressed yet, still in my pajamas from the night before. Getting up quickly I bolt for my room. Grabbing some clothes, I rush into the bathroom and begin to take a shower. After last night I needed it. After perhaps the quickest shower I have ever taken to actually get clean, I shave, get dressed, comb my hair, and open the door. Thankfully this whole process only took about twenty minutes. Taking hold of my keys and wallet, I head out to my living room where Vinyl was passing time waiting for me. Upon seeing me enter the room she stood up. She had showered before me and had changed into her spare set of clothes. Why she basically refused to wear anything but her usual attire outside of everything but formal meetings was beyond me. Then again, I am not her mother.She quickly motioned to follow her, I had no idea where we were meeting her friends at, but I would find out soon enough.

It was a restaurant. Specifically Chez Cuisine de Pierre. Opened by another human who came to seek their fortune here in Equestria. His style of food was quickly catapulted to the higher echelons of society. I had the opportunity to play here with Frequency once. It was also the place I had been witnessed with my skills on the piano. Usually Freq. would play the piano and sing, sadly in order to perform he could not spare the time to leave and get medical attention for his hand he broke trying to impress some mare. He asked me sort of on the spot and so I was asked to play the piano in his stead. It had been where the first judge had seen me play the piano. I had been considered for further judging from that point further according to one of the judges from my audition. Soon we were heading in, the others had arrived before us. Lyra, waved to Vinyl as we approached, and she was... smirking? Looking opposite her I saw somepony I certainly did not expect, Octavia.

"Well now, did not expect Octavia to be in acquaintance with Vinyl that is for sure." I said as we approached. Octavia turned around looking a little shocked and... blushing? Out of my peripheral vision I could see a smirking Lyra nearly bursting out laughing, just barely managing not to.

"Well I could certainly say the same for you now couldn't I?"

"Touche."

"Pardon?"

"Touche. Literally meaning touch in French, it is associated with fencing and is used in this case, to mean good comeback."

"I see, I will have to remember that one." Well it won't do to have you two standing there... like... fools." she slowed down as she realized Vinyl had taken a seat next to Lyra leaving the only open seat next to her.

'Note to self, Octavia looks amazing when she blushes.' I thought to myself. "Mind if I sit here?" I asked Octavia motioning to the empty seat next to her.

"N-not at all. Please, take a seat." As I took my seat, I could see both Vinyl and Lyra smiling widely out of the corner of my eye as I took my seat. When I started to look towards them they put on perhaps the second greatest poker face I have ever seen... make that third. It was still pretty amazing how quickly they hid their emotions behind those poker faces. Once again, I could see something out of the corner of my eye. Octavia was taking glances at me.

'Wonder if I still smell bad or something. This will teach me to let time slip away like that.' Looking down I notice a menu. It has the usual high class restaurant design. The menu takes many foods that would normally contain meats to not contain meats (special orders can be made by griffons and humans for red meats, and everyone can special order fish items). I ordered something nice and french to go with the french atmosphere. Quiche with some croissants. Octavia ordered a french salad, Lyra ordered two Dandelion sandwich, and like usual Vinyl ordered a hay burger.

"Really Vinyl, a hay burger? We go to a fancy restaurant and you order a hay burger with hay fries? Why not try something new?" Octavia asked. Judging by the look Vinyl gave her, this was a constant problem the two of them had. It also showed they have been friends a lot longer then I have known Vinyl.

"I would, but I have tried just about everything here. Unless I decide to start eating meat I can't try anything new here, and honestly, I have been eating a lot of high class foods here thanks to Sam the hidden chef."

"I don't cook that well. I just know how to cook good food and only because my mother thought it best I learn to cook with the best. I am at best an average cook, and you are a ravenous eater. " I retort, earning a scowl from Vinyl.

"Really, sounds like your mother wants whats best for you." Octavia says.

"Wanted, died a couple of years ago." The look Octavia gave off at that moment looked like she had just found herself in a minefield.

"Sorry to hear that." Lyra chipped in.

"Don't worry about it, it has been years, and besides, I knew she was looking out for me, she wanted me to be able to live on my own without getting take out all my life. I loved her and I am not going to cry about her loss, I will just smile at the memories she left me."

"Well, I for one am glad you had such a strong relationship with your mother. I wish I could say the same." Octavia said.

'Guess she has her own little problems.' I thought to myself. A few minutes later and the conversation, lead by Vinyl and Lyra, had taken an upturn and was on more happy topics. Such as the time Vinyl and Lyra were a thing. They would try and get together at all times of the day. Experimenting with music and sexuality. I think Octavia and I had blushes that could have cooked us when they went into details.

"Vinyl, I highly doubt such a public venue is a good place to talk about such things."

"Oh come on Octy, lighten up a bit. It's not like we have anyone within a few booths of us."

"Our neighbors behind you would like to disagree." I added.

Blushing furiously, Vinyl and Lyra turned around slowly to notice the rapt attention of a few, less then reputable looking stallions, a couple of tables down, but well within ear shot. Quickly turning around, it was quite funny how sheepish they looked at that moment. I kept myself in check when I noticed they were no longer checking out the mares at the table, but sizing me up. Our food had yet to arrive but when a stallion as big as these guys start sizing you up while you are with a few mares, you pay attention. Then again it could just be paranoia. As Vinyl tries to change the topic, I decide to voice an opinion to the rest of the table in a bit of a whisper.

"They seem to be sizing me up now. I am starting to get worried they might actually try something after hearing something like that." My biggest worry of this wasn't that they would commit a crime such as rape, but that they might be part of a group that hasn't exactly been friendly toward same sex couples and the recent human and pony couples. It seems that the rest of my table agreed that when it came time to leave, we would do so quickly, as a group, heading toward a place where we could get some help should they try and follow. We didn't get that long though, as they approached. Luckily, they weren't part of the group I had been most worried about. Then again, one of them took out a bottle of flunitrazepam, more commonly called rohypnohl, so not hard to guess as to what they had planned.

They quickly were at our little booth, asking to join us for a few drinks and dinner on their payment of course. It almost seemed like Vinyl would say yes, so I butted in to stop this before it started. "Sorry guys, they aren't interested, please go back to your table and leave us to our conversation."

The smallest of the bunch, a black coated stallion with a dark blue mane and light blue eyes simply replied, "We haven't done anything wrong, besides, we were only asking."

"So that is why you carry date rape drugs and start putting them in our drinks then?" At this his eyes went wide. We were in a prominent restaurant in the middle of town, and that meant lots of witnesses and guards. Sadly for me, these stallions were not the thinking type. They immediately tried to take advantage of the situation, pulling knives, not noticing the guard quickly approaching, I rapidly though, lost consciousness as the blade entered my chest. Hearing the scream of the mare taking up the seat next to me.

I awoke looking at walls of white, judging from the pain in my chest, I guess It wasn't a bad dream, but at least I am alive. Looking around I notice Octavia and Vinyl taking up the two chairs in the room. Seems to have been less then a day as Octavia and Vinyl were both in the same outfits and they were both in various states of disrepair. Suddenly Vinyl stirs from her slumber and notices I have woken up, she quickly wakes up Octavia as well while saying, "He's awake!" over and over again. Quickly stirring from her slumber, Octavia joined Vinyl in looking over at where I lay. With tears in their eyes they quickly make their way over to my side saying how glad they are that I am okay. This is such a big change from the last time I was out with a girl and woke up like this.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well, after you quickly pointed out the fact that they were trying to drug us, that one stallion stabbed you with a knife." Vinyl said.

"When we screamed they tried to tell us to shut up, but thanks to some more concerned individuals that contacted the guards upon their arrival they were put into custody before they could seriously hurt anypony else." Octavia said. "Thankfully they missed your heart and here you are two days later." 'What' I thought to myself.

"What, two days, how, why." I said as I finally looked down at where my wound should be. to my surprise instead of stitches and surgery marks there was simply a scar.

"Well thanks to magical treatment you were able to be saved the rigors of a long recovery, if it had been a more serious wound you wouldn't be waking up so soon or in such good shape." Octavia explained. She seemed more, relieved then Vinyl though. Now that I got the chance I could see some water stains on her dress, more so then the minor stains on Vinyl's outfit. Why this mare whom I only just recently met would be so much more affected, it just didn't make sense.

Octavia recovered a bit and said she would go inform the doctor that you had regained consciousness. As she left, Vinyl wanted to get my attention, turning back, she obviously had something big on her mind. "Sam, please tell me you are not thinking about what I am thinking about."

"All I am thinking about is how much better and worse my circumstances are for going to a restaurant with a girl and waking up in a hospital."

"... Was honestly not expecting that. Want to talk about it?"

"Not really no, and what else is on your mind."

"... That obvious huh? When you recover, I want to introduce you to the guy I am dating."

"Finally found one huh? Good for you, though I withhold judgement on the guy till I get a look at him, okay?"

"Yeah." Finally that difference in her attitude recently made sense, she was nervous for having a boyfriend/coltfriend and keeping it a secret. Hopefully this would get her to lighten up and she can get back to her normal adventurous self. "I already told Octavia and Lyra about him, I'll take Octavia and you to meet him in a few days when you fully recover."

Before I could respond to this, Octavia returned with the doctor, it appeared that another individual was with her, but they remained outside for the time being. As the doctor entered He asked Vinyl to leave, which she did without question. Just before she closed the door she gave a comforting smile.

"So then, how do you feel?"

"Like someone put a knife to my chest to put it bluntly."

Getting a light chuckle out of that, the doctor then continued to look over my chart and check my vitals. After a while he spoke again. "Alright, you seem to be recovering quite well, I will write you up a prescription and you will be cleared for leaving today!"

"Well, that is certainly an odd feeling." At this the doctor looks at me quizzically. "If this were Earth I would still be sleeping and have undergone serious surgery."

"Yes, looking at your medical record I can see that. Well good news is we are done here. I will have your prescription waiting for you at the front desk when you check out. Miss Scratch and Miss Octavia have already paid your bill so you are good to leave immediately."

'That is certainly surprising, why would Octavia throw in some money for my bill. Vinyl is a friend so I can understand that, but Octavia is just an acquaintance.' I was knocked out of my thought by a new presence in the room, a nurse had brought me a change of clothes, asking that I leave my hospital gown on the bed after I change. Odd request but I followed it to the letter. Getting dressed took a few extra minutes thanks to the new pain in my chest, but whatever was currently dulling the pain was doing it quite well. I figured my first stop after I get checked out would be the local pharmacy.

As I left the room I came face to face with Octavia and somepony I certainly did not recognize. The pony I did not recognize spoke up first. "Greetings, my name is Maestro Fortune, and I am the owner of the Canterlot Royal Orchestra."