//------------------------------// // CH2 (DJ ARC) // Story: G.U.L.P // by Flip_The_Table //------------------------------// Vinyl's giggle echoed through the basement as she poked the metal body once again, relishing in the light rattle it produced. However, her amusement was short-lived as Octavia swiftly intervened, slapping her hoof away with a look of concern. "D-don't touch it!" Octavia admonished, her voice tinged with a mixture of fear and caution as she backed away from the body. Vinyl, undeterred, continued to inspect the figure, her curiosity overriding any sense of apprehension. "Now those are cool shades," Vinyl remarked, her gaze lingering on the intricate design of the metal bunny's eyes. With a playful grin, she turned to Octavia, who still stood trembling by the stairs. "Tavi, calm down. It's dead, or I think," Vinyl reassured, her tone laced with uncertainty as she bumped her hoof against the side of the body. Octavia let out a resigned sigh before slowly approaching the figure once more, her curiosity overcoming her fear. "What is it supposed to be?" Octavia wondered aloud, her eyes fixated on the metal ears that adorned the creature's head. As they stood together, contemplating the enigmatic figure before them, they couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the cusp of a discovery that would change everything they thought they knew about their world. "Some kind of bunny?" Vinyl speculated, her voice tinged with uncertainty as she examined the metal figure before them. Octavia, deep in thought, reached out and poked the creature's chest, only to find it unresponsive. "What should we do with it?" Vinyl asked, turning to Octavia for guidance. Without a clear answer, Octavia turned towards the stairs, her mind made up. "I'm getting Twilight to see what she'll say," she declared, her voice resolute as she began to ascend the steps. But before she could make her exit, Vinyl interjected, her concern evident. "Hey! What about me?" she protested, trotting past the metal body to catch up with Octavia. Octavia paused, turning to face her friend with a soft smile. "I need you to keep it in one spot. Once Twilight is here, we can get rid of that thing," she explained, her gaze unwavering as she met Vinyl's eyes. "Okay, fine. I don't like trotting a lot," Vinyl grumbled, but her playful tone betrayed her true feelings. Octavia chuckled softly, her affection for her friend evident in her eyes. "That's why you're staying," Octavia replied, her smile widening as she pushed the door closed behind her, leaving Vinyl alone with the mysterious metal bunny golem. "Oh, good... wait, HEY!" Vinyl exclaimed, her protest falling on deaf ears as Octavia disappeared through the door, leaving her alone with the enigmatic metal bunny golem.  With a dramatic flop onto the ground, Vinyl let out a sigh of boredom, her mind buzzing with curiosity and anticipation. Turning her attention to her panel, Vinyl sought solace in her music, her hooves deftly tapping the ground. "Twilight's place is a good ways away... which means I'll be here for some time. UHHH," she groaned, rubbing her face on the floor in exhaustion. As she glanced back at the metal bunny golem, Vinyl couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue wash over her. Approaching the figure, she examined its features with a mixture of fascination and uncertainty. The shades or visor, the arms covered in rust, and the chest area with a peculiar glass screen all intrigued her. "Somepony must have had a mad idea, but it looks cool," Vinyl remarked, running a hoof over the metal surface of the creature's head. As she attempted to adjust its position, she noticed the loss of one of its ears. With a gentle touch, she tried to move the remaining ear, only to be met with a light clank as it flopped to the side and rolled away. Startled by the sudden noise, Vinyl yelped and scrambled back to her panel, her heart racing as the lights in the basement began to flicker. Panic surged through her veins as the flickering intensified, casting eerie shadows across the room. With trembling hooves, Vinyl desperately tried to stabilize her equipment, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty. "Buck, buck, okay, it's all good, Vinyl. We may or may not have just woken the thing up," Octavia muttered, her voice laced with apprehension as she watched the lights flicker. Suddenly, the basement fell into a momentary stillness, the silence almost palpable as they waited with bated breath. Then, without warning, a hand twitched, followed by the steady glow of the lights. As the figure slowly rose to its feet, its movements hindered by the rust that covered its body, Vinyl and Octavia watched in astonishment. The metal creature looked around, its gaze lingering on its surroundings before finally settling on Vinyl. With a cautious yet curious expression, it approached her, its movements stiff and uncertain. Vinyl's heart raced as she met the creature's gaze, her mind reeling with a mixture of fear and fascination. What had they awoken? And what did it want with them? As the creature drew closer, Vinyl braced herself for whatever was to come, knowing that their encounter with the mysterious metal bunny golem was far from over. As the metal creature's visor shifted to a solid yellow hue, Vinyl's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, she bolted past the figure, her hooves pounding against the ground in a frantic rhythm. Panic surged through her veins as she raced up the stairs, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Reaching the top, Vinyl slammed the door shut behind her, her hooves trembling with fear and adrenaline. Leaning against the door, she fought to catch her breath, her mind racing with regret and self-recrimination. She should have listened to Octavia, should have gone to Twilight's with her instead of staying behind to toy with the metal creature. In that moment of realization, Vinyl knew that her luck had finally run out. She had pushed her luck too far, and now she would have to face the consequences of her actions. With a heavy heart, she braced herself for whatever fate awaited her, knowing that she had only herself to blame for the mess she found herself in. Vinyl opened her eyes, her vision blurred by tears of fear and anxiety. She blinked, trying to regain her composure as she glanced towards the door. To her surprise, she saw the metal creature lying on the floor, twitching slightly in pain. Vinyl's heart raced as she observed the creature's visor flicker from a dark blue to a lighter shade before returning to its original hue. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease as she approached, her mind racing with questions. "What does the blue mean?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and apprehension. She watched intently as the creature's visor shifted slightly in response, a subtle change in color that seemed to betray a hint of emotion. Vinyl's mind raced as she watched the creature's visor shine more intensely in response to her words. She couldn't help but wonder if it truly understood her, if the visor was indeed its eyes, conveying emotions just like any other living being. "Sad... are you sad?" she asked tentatively, her voice filled with compassion as she observed the creature nod in response. A pang of sympathy tugged at her heartstrings, urging her to help in any way she could. As she took a step back, Vinyl began to piece together the puzzle before her. The creature's bent arm, its twitching in pain, and now its expression of sadness all pointed to one conclusion: it was suffering. "Your arm is too bent, and it hurts, and it makes you cry?" she ventured, her voice tinged with empathy as she watched the creature nod once more. Determination welled up inside her as she followed its gaze to a nearby bottle labeled "McChuncks OIL!" Gasping in realization, Vinyl hurried over to the bottle, her magic enveloping it as she slid it across the floor towards the creature. With a sense of urgency, she watched as the creature reached out a hand, its movements slow and deliberate as it grasped the bottle with a grateful nod. As the creature began to apply the oil to its arm, Vinyl couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over her. In that moment, she knew that she had made a difference, however small, in easing the creature's suffering. Vinyl's heart swelled with relief as she watched the creature apply the oil to its bent arm, the visor on its face shining a faint green in response to the soothing sensation. With each rub, the tension in its limbs seemed to melt away, the visor shifting from blue to yellow in what Vinyl could only interpret as a sign of sweet relief. A smile spread across Vinyl's face as she witnessed the transformation before her, the sadness dissipating like a cloud on a sunny day. She couldn't help but feel a sense of joy knowing that she had played a part in alleviating the creature's suffering, however small it may have been. As the creature continued to rub its limbs, loosening them from their stiffness, Vinyl marveled at its newfound mobility. With a graceful motion, it stood up, reaching up to adjust its head from side to side, its movements fluid and effortless. With a sense of wonder, Vinyl met the creature's gaze, her own eyes shimmering with curiosity and excitement. As its visor shifted back to its original RGB color, a smile slowly formed on its face, filling the room with a sense of warmth and camaraderie. In that moment, Vinyl knew that she had made a true friend, a companion whose journey she would be honored to share. And as they stood together, bathed in the soft glow of the basement lights, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected bond that had formed between them. "Your, uh... you're welcome," Vinyl said, her voice tinged with a mixture of awkwardness and curiosity. "So, uh, mind telling me why you were inside my wall?" she continued, but received no response. "Uh, hello? You alive?" she tried again, but the creature remained silent, its visor indicating that it couldn't speak. Vinyl watched as the bunny thing nodded in confirmation before standing up and lifting a hand, pointing at her. She crossed her eyes slightly, confused by the gesture, before refocusing on the creature. "Oh, my shades? Yeah, they're cool, cost about 30 bits—" she began, but stopped as the creature shook its head and pointed at her again. "Oh, me? My name is Vinyl Scratch," she blurted out, lifting a hoof in introduction, but paused as she noticed the rust covering the creature's hands. "What's your name?" she asked tentatively, her curiosity piqued. The bunny thing didn't respond verbally, but instead thumped its steps over to the panel, inspecting the lights with interest.  "Oh, okay, I guess you like that more," Vinyl said, trotting next to the bunny as it touched the disk, eliciting a sound that made it flinch. However, its visor soon glowed a vibrant green and yellow as it began to manipulate the disk, pushing it left and right to create a beat. Vinyl's eyes widened in amazement as the bunny created a simple tune, filling the air with music. "Oh, you like music?" she asked, her excitement evident in her voice. The bunny nodded enthusiastically, its visor now glowing with a bright shade of orange. "You wanna play a song?" Vinyl guessed, and the bunny nodded once more, its smile growing even brighter. With a sense of anticipation, the bunny sat on the ground and pulled something out, blowing the dust off to reveal a disk. Carefully, it placed the disk on top, fitting it perfectly, before hooking up a cord. Vinyl watched in awe as the bunny prepared to play, her heart filled with excitement at the prospect of making music together. (Take me Higher by K.O.G) Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2dTp9ouFyo&t=1s [Verse 1] Vinyl's jaw dropped in awe as she listened to the beats and rhythm produced by the bunny. "Oh my Celestia!" she cheered, unable to contain her excitement. She took a seat next to the bunny, her whole body vibrating with the music as she immersed herself in the mix playing out before her. The bunny smiled, its eyes mirroring the colors of the beats as it lifted a hand up in a gesture of camaraderie. Together, they created music that filled the room with energy and joy, their spirits lifted by the magical harmony of sound. [Verse 2] The metal bunny continued to play the beats, its visor shining brightly as it looked at Vinyl with a smile. With each verse, the music became more intense, each note carrying a depth and complexity that Vinyl had never heard before in all her years as a DJ. As the song reached its pre-chorus, Vinyl felt a surge of excitement course through her veins. The anticipation of what was to come filled her with a sense of exhilaration, and she couldn't help but marvel at the sheer talent and creativity of her new friend. With a nod of determination, the metal bunny prepared for its next verse, its movements fluid and precise as it unleashed a torrent of sound unlike anything Vinyl had ever experienced. The music hit hard, resonating deep within her soul and igniting a fire of passion and inspiration. [Final Verse 3] Once the music came to its magnificent conclusion, Vinyl couldn't contain her excitement. She stomped her hooves in applause, her eyes shining with admiration as she trotted over to the metal bunny, its visor glowing a light pink color. The bunny seemed to bask in the praise, taking a bow with a smile. "You rocked! That was the most fire sound I've ever heard!" Vinyl exclaimed, her enthusiasm overflowing. She glanced at the disk, then back at the bunny, noticing the two letters "GG" on its back. "GG?" she questioned, but the bunny's visor turned purple with a frown, indicating that it didn't like that name. Undeterred, Vinyl pondered for a moment, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "You were great for a strange metal thing... but you can't be an ultra-elite DJ like me!" she teased, eliciting a smile from the bunny. "You would need more light if you want to grab the attention, but after seeing what you did, I'll call you a Player!" she declared, her eyes lighting up with inspiration. As she lifted her hoof in excitement, a name suddenly came to her. "I got it!" she exclaimed, making the bunny thump over to her. Pointing at its metal belly, Vinyl touched it gently, a sense of camaraderie and friendship blossoming between them. "Are you a male?" Vinyl asked, and the bunny nodded in response. With a hop, Vinyl turned around, adjusting her shades and flicking her mane out of the way. She pointed at Gulp again, her demeanor confident and playful. "You are known as GREAT, ULTRA, LIGHT, PLAYER, or to put it simply, I'll call you Gulp. Like it?" she proposed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Gulp's eyes changed from light orange to green, then back to RGB as it seemed to consider the name. Vinyl cheered in delight, punching Gulp's arm affectionately. "Nice to meet you, Gulp!" she exclaimed, and Gulp smiled, cheering alongside her. In that moment, a bond of friendship and camaraderie was formed between them, and Vinyl couldn't wait to embark on new adventures with her newfound companion by her side. Vinyl's heart skipped a beat as she heard Octavia's voice and the sound of two sets of hooves approaching. "Vinyl, I'm back with Twilight! I hope you weren't doing anything too loud!" Octavia called out, prompting Vinyl to panic. With wide eyes, Vinyl glanced around nervously before turning to Gulp. "Now, I just hope you didn't mess with the body..." Octavia's voice trailed off as she and Twilight entered the room, their gaze falling upon the metal bunny standing there. Octavia's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth forming a silent 'O' as she took in the sight before her. Twilight, equally astonished, stared at Gulp with curiosity and wonder. Vinyl's mind raced as she tried to come up with an explanation, her heart pounding in her chest. How would Octavia and Twilight react to her new friend? And what would they think of the extraordinary bond that had formed between them? Only time would tell. "So, uh, Octavia, Twilight, I would like to introduce my, uh, friend Gulp. He, uh, kinda, not from this—" Vinyl's attempt to explain was cut short as Octavia suddenly exclaimed. "IT'S ALIVE! TAKE THIS!!!" "TAVI, NO, WAIT!" Vinyl cried out in alarm, but it was too late. Octavia, in a panic, had already lunged forward, seemingly ready to attack Gulp.