Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): You're in for a shitty week.
Early Morning
Canterbook seems to be mostly back to normal this morning.
As I'm rounding up my bath stuff, Twilight walks in. "We really need to go to Zodiac as soon as we can this week," she says.
"Yeah. We don't have much time to train before Cadance's birthday."
Morning
During homeroom, Principal Celestia makes an announcement.
"Good morning, students. I have some unfortunate news to share with you all. Vinyl Scratch, one of our juniors and Canterlot High's resident DJ for dances and parties, has lost her eyesight. She's been battling a degenerative eye disease her entire life, but a sudden downturn in her condition has left her completely blind. She's going to be out of school for a few weeks while she recuperates and adjusts. If you would like to leave a brief audio message wishing Vinyl well, feel free to drop by my office at your earliest convenience."
The reaction to this news makes any kind of meaningful lecture impossible, so Mr. Turner gives up and makes homeroom "self-study" so we can get it out of our systems. Enough people know that I'm friends with Vinyl that I find myself surrounded and answering dozens of questions.
During the break between second and third periods, my friends and I all meet up by Celestia's office and record a group message for Vinyl.
After School
Music Club is quiet today. Everyone is upset about Vinyl.
I pull Octavia aside when she enters. "Have you been talking to her?" I ask.
"When I can," Octavia replies. "With me in classes and her having all sorts of tests and such today, I've only gotten in a couple of quick calls. She's...she's holding up well." Her voice is trembling. She sits on the edge of a table and grips the tabletop hard enough to turn her knuckles white. "I...I don't know what to do," she says. She looks at me. "I..." She swallows. "When Vinyl called me yesterday, when she told me..." She looks down at her knees. "I felt...I felt hollow. It felt like..."
"Like you'd gone numb, like your whole body was turning to ice?"
She nods. "Something like that." She looks at me curiously.
"Twilight...got hurt once," I say. "That's...that's how I felt."
"Oh." Octavia sighs. "I haven't been able to think about anything but Vinyl since I got that call. I couldn't even sleep last night. I..."
I give her hand a squeeze. "You care about her."
"Of course I care," Octavia says. "She's my friend..." She takes a deep, shaky breath. "She's...she's my girlfriend," she adds in a whisper. She looks back down at her lap. "She's my girlfriend...and she's just lost her eyesight. And...and I want to be with her. I need to be with her. I need to help her through this, but..." She trembles. "I'm scared. This...this is something I don't know how to deal with. And..." She swallows. "And...I don't know how my mother will..."
Her phone rings. She answers it. I can tell from her face that it's Vinyl. I step away to give her some privacy. After a few minutes, she hangs up.
"How's she doing?"
"She's exhausted," Octavia says. "And...I think she's..." She sighs. "She wants me to come see her. But..."
"Do you want to see her?"
"Of course I do. It's just...my mother..."
"You can't let your mother control you forever," I say. "Vinyl needs you right now."
Octavia studies her phone for a long moment. She takes a deep, shaky breath, then...
"Mother? I'm going to be home late this evening. I have something to take care of. No, no...please, just..."
After a moment, she turns pale. "A-alright, Mother. Alright." She lets her phone fall into her lap. Silent tears spill from her eyes. "I...I have to go home," she says. "Will...will you call Vinyl, please?" Without waiting for an answer, she runs from the room.
The Reserved Musician Social Link of the Hanged Man Arcana has reached rank 5!
Your power to create Personas of the Hanged Man Arcana has grown!
Evening
After I do my homework, I help Apple Bloom with hers.
"How are things going with the bullying?" I ask.
She sighs. "A little better. Diamond Tiara is still messing with me. At least Silver Spoon isn't—"
"Flash?" Twilight calls. "Sorry to bother you, but...could you come upstairs please?" She looks a bit panicked, as well as embarrassed. "Umm...quickly?"
"What's wrong, Twi?"
"I need your help..." She clears her throat. "Toilet. Umm...clogged."
"Oh crap." I shoot to my feet and race upstairs.
It's a bad clog...
It takes me ten minutes to unclog it, by which point the bathroom floor is...ugh.
It takes another half hour for me and Twilight to clean and disinfect the bathroom once the toilet is cleared. "What the hell, Twilight?" I ask as I throw the bathroom rug into a garbage bag to carry down to the laundry.
"It was Taco Tuesday!" she exclaims.
"This shit isn't funny, Twi."
"I know it isn't!" she says, throwing her hands in the air.
"Son of a..." I extract a sodden clump of toilet paper from the corner. "Why am I here doing this again?"
"Because you love me?" Twilight offers sheepishly.
"Love only goes so far," I mutter. This is so messed up... "You owe me one hell of an apology date for this shit."
"I'm sorry, really!"
I skip dinner...
So does Twilight.
