Meet Me In Ponyville

by BrushyBill1881

Looking For A Part to Play

Despite her thoughts the night prior, Octavia managed to fall asleep. The alarm clock in her hotel rom went off, emitting an obnoxious ring. Octavia lazily rolled over and silenced the clock. She was typically an early riser, and wanted to get up early to prepare for her next meeting with the Braylee Professors, but she felt drained. "I guess I was just too excited yesterday." she sighed to herself. Slowly she rolled out of bed and into the bathroom to prepare herself. Her alarm was set for 6:30, and she wanted to be back at the school by 8. By the time she had fixed her hair, put on her tie, and grabbed some breakfast, it was 7:30. Octavia stepped out of her hotel and onto the streets of Canterlot. Even this early the streets were busy. Mostly ponies on their way to the day jobs, not to many fancy ones out at this time. She joined the commuting crowd and made her way to the Braylee campus. 'Ok, I am going to get in, and this will all be worth it,' she thought, 'I'll live on campus for a little, just to get established, then maybe I'll find a place to rent. Maybe Braylee will help me with outside housing.' Octavia continued on her path, passing by the coffee shop. Amaranth Filbert was seated outside and saw Octavia. The old mare gave her a wave, but it seemed Octavia was too deep in thought. Amaranth smiled and shook her head.

"Oh to be young, she has quite a journey ahead of her." she took a sip of her coffee. Octavia continued her thinking right up until she realized she was on the school campus. Like most campuses there was a large clock tower. The hands shown that it was 5 till 8. Octavia hurried her pace to get to the concert hall. Excitement and dread slowly crept in with every step. 'Why dread?' She thought to herself, 'Of course I am going to get in. No reason to worry.' Octavia smiled confidently as she entered the concert hall. Like the day before, it was completely empty apart from the three professors sitting upfront, and a pony up on stage.

"Congratulations, Miss Breve, you have been accepted in Braylee, please proceed to the advisors office to get your semester setup." The mare onstage bowed, thanked the professors and walked off stage.

"Octavia Melody," one of the professors called. Slowly Octavia made her way to the stage. She stood in the middle of it while the three professor looked over their papers and quietly deliberated. The suspense was killing her. 'Why are they talking so much? Did I walk up here wrong, did I walk off wrong yesterday, I don't think I missed a note, oh Celestia was my cello off-tune?' Octavia thought a panicked spree.

"Miss Melody," she snapped out of it and looked at the professors.

"Yes sir?" The professor in the middle stoop up.

"Unfortunately, after your audition and our deliberation, we have come to the conclusion that while you are undeniably talented with the cello, you're are not quite what we are looking here at Braylee." All of Octavia's thought came to a hard stop.

"Pardon me?" she asked quietly yet wide eyed.

"We are not accepting your admission here. I am sorry," the professor to her left said. Octavia opened and closed her mouth a few times no words came out. Finally she was able to ask,

"May I know why?"

"Miss Melody, the professor to her right stood. "Here at Braylee, we are extremely dedicated to classical music and the traditional ways it is played. The cello is traditionally not an earth pony's instrument, it was originally played by unicorns. For the sake of tradition and this school's traditions. We are not accepting you." Octavia didn't say anything, she couldn't. She left Ponyville to pursue this dream, left it all behind, left Vinyl. Vinyl, she's the reason she was here, on this stage. She smiled and looked at the three professors.

"Thank you for your consideration." She trotted off stage, to the confusion of them. Once outside she ran off the campus. Every emotion possible hit her the moment she was off the campus. Disappointment, anger, sadness, happiness, excitement, for the school yes, but also for herself but why? She couldn't quite figure it out. While deep in thought about her emotions, she again passed by the coffee shop. While slowly walking by she heard a sweet voice.

"You're quite deep in thought today dear." Octavia looked over and saw Amaranth sitting outside with a cup of tea. "You didn't notice me this morning and now you seem even deeper." Amaranth chuckled.

"Hello Miss Filbert. Yeah, I am pretty confused." Octavia gave a small smile. The old mare pulled out the chair next to her and gestured to it. Octavia walked slowly over to it. Once she sat Amaranth spoke.

"It seems to me Octavia, that there is more on your mind than just your audition." Octavia laughed.

"That's completely off my mind. They denied me." Amaranth studied the young mare before her.

"That emotion you are feeling now, that's relief, and maybe something more" the old mare smiled. Octavia hung her head.

"Are you sure, how do you know?" Octavia looked up. Amaranth smiled sweetly are her.

"Because I felt the same way when I left the Art Institute Of Chicoltgo"

"You left?" Amaranth nodded. "Why?"

Amaranth looked up the sky "All of us are looking for a part to play. I realized my part wasn't there. Now I don't have all the answers, but maybe you are realizing the part you play isn't here."

"All my live, I always wanted to attend that school, become a famous cellist and travel the world. Perform for large crowds. Now, now I don't know. What's the something more?" Amaranth looked back down at the gray mare.

"That's for you to decide" Even though Octavia now knew her what emotion was, she still didn't understand it or what the something more Amaranth spoke of was. "How did it come to this?'

Author's Note:

Hell y'all
Sorry for the shorter chapter. I don't think I set up Octavia's struggles to well. But here we are. Look for a new chapter to be posted on Monday.

Thank you to all who have been reading
-Brushy Bill