//------------------------------// // The Unlikeliest Of Friends*** // Story: A Change of Venue // by solsticebrony888 //------------------------------// Octavia sat up in her bed forcefully, ignoring how much she wanted to go back to sleep. She rubbed her eyes vigorously, counted to ten then told herself that she was awake, a ritual that became automatic for her over the months that she has lived in Canterlot. She opened her fancily embroidered purple drapes to let in the right amount of sunshine, then made her bed exactly the way she always did; pillows even above her main comforter, and below her soft treble-clef blanket that she had since she was a filly. It still looked like new, because she’s a very aware and cautious pony, and she took pride in that to some degree. She stood in front of her hoof-carved mirror, and brushed her mane with a brush made specifically for earth ponies and Pegasi alike, with a handle that curved around the hoof for grip, much like the bow to her cello. The grey pony started her coffee, as she always did during this daily grind of hers. She quickly picked up the newspaper from outside her door, ready to skim through as she always does. She yawned quietly as she hopped onto her large couch, which was decorated with cellos and double-basses, two instruments she has learned to master over the years. It’s only fitting that she’d have a couch covered in them. Equestria’s biggest tea-party, now in Canterlot! Honorable Princess Celestia and Luna attending, along with the finest musicians in the land! “Just 3 days away,” She muttered to herself, “It shall be a wonderful evening,” She adjusted her posture slightly, now sitting on all- fours. “I wonder why Lyra sits the way she does? It’s so much more comfortable just to be…normal,” Octavia thought aloud, “Hay, I don’t have the slightest knowledge of why she does what she does anymore, maybe that’s why I’m featured at the tea party, and not her?” Octavia herself seemed to be the only pony not very fond of her sister’s decision to be with a mare. To her, it seemed like Lyra’s rebelliousness as a filly spilled over into her love-life. Not wanting to do what everypony else did just to be different. Instantly, she took back her thoughts. Mentioning her sister in such a spiteful manner wasn’t something such a well-mannered pony as herself would do, even if it was just opinion. After finishing her coffee, she put her cello inside its black synthetic leather case, with her name fittingly embroidered on the side in a fancy purple. Purple had always been her favorite color. The case had an attachment to put around her waist, so she could take it to her daily practice sessions. Outside, once again she took the same path she always had taken. She could see her hoof-prints from hundreds and hundreds of times she repeated this trip. The earth pony lost track around fifty days straight since she’s lived in Canterlot. The humid morning air, beautiful and colorful clouds just behind the horizon were something she had always enjoyed, and has come to get used to since moving here on this job offer. She could remember the day in Ponyville when that little green dragon delivered her the letter, the one she had strove for, the one she never though she would get; an invitation to join the Princess’ royal symphony. She still to that day didn’t know who recommended her, but was grateful all-the-same. Reminiscing on her days in Canterlot made her quite disappointed that she had only made one single friend since her arrival; her natural quietness kept her from making more than just a small-talk with her fellow musicians. A nice and simple day with no complications was just what she Wanted. She felt her days fusing into a big blur of repetition, and it started to bother her that, even while living her dream she still felt as if she really didn’t have much of a reason to live. Octavia wasn’t suicidal, or depressed, it was more of just a simple statement that she hadn’t really made a mark on anypony’s lives, and for that, she was jealous of her sister Lyra. With her daily self-loathing over, she waited for her friend where they usually meet, under the largest tree in the Canterlot park. <><><><><><> A blue unicorn opened her eyes suddenly, instantly disgusted by the light shining through the several windows she had in her room. “What is this?” She exclaimed, kicking her blanket off the bed, “Trixie does not approve! Somepony as magnificent as myself needs more than just nine hours of beauty sleep!” Two odd- looking colts wrestled each- other to her side in an instant, “GPT! GPT! What do you need?!” Snips called out enthusiastically, followed by a delayed response from his taller friend, “Yeah, uh, GPT what do you need, eh?” “Don’t be lazy, you two should say Trixie’s whole name!” Almost in unison, they responded, “OK, Trixie!,” She shook her head, now sitting up on her bed, “No no no, that’s not how you say it. The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie wants to be addressed as such,” Willing to go through her punishment for the attention, they bit, “OK, Great and uh, um, Powerful Trixie! Whatever you say!” The blue unicorn crossed her hooves, “Trixie is quite bothered by the light shining through that awful window there, can you close it for Trixie? It can’t be nearly time to leave yet!” Snails idiotically went to the window, while Snips corrected the mare, “Um, no Great and Powerful Trixie, it’s time for you to leave now! In fact, you should have left 15 minutes ago!” “What!?” She shouted hopping into mid-air in horror, “Why didn’t you wake the Great and Powerful Trixie fifteen minutes ago?” Once again in an uneven unison the two lower their heads and replied, “Sorry, Great and Powerful Trixie…It won’t happen again, we promise!” “Yeah, eh!” Snails added pointlessly. The unicorn quickly used her magic to jump into her costume, and position her hadt just as she liked it. “No more mistakes, you two! I-er, I meant Trixie will banish you just like I Trixie banished the Ursa Major!” She quickly ate a pile of hay fries she had the colt duo prepare for her earlier, and drank fresh water from her in-home trough, hastily brushing her mane in the process. “You two must never make a mistake like this again! Trixie can’t risk being late next week!” The two colts bowed to her, “Have a good day, oh mighty and powerful one!” Snips said enthusiastically. “Yeah! It’s aboot time you get yer break, eh?” The lanky colt added, with an oddly emphatic shaking of his head. Hitting the ground she began trotting, leaving without thanking the two, as always. She felt it kept them in their place, making sure they knew they were the lucky ones, and not the other way around. “Out of my way everypony, star coming through!” Trixie chanted, weaving through a group of ponies that more than likely hadn’t even heard of her. At least, they wouldn’t until next week. Then would be her time to shine, and she was ready for it already. Trixie was born and raised in Canterlot, but until recently hadn’t ever even though about performing her “Great and Powerful Trixie” show in her hometown. She had a legitimate reason behind it too. Though she may have a very egotistical personality, the fact that the majority of Canterlot’s population are unicorns, the odds her tricks may be out-done are extremely elevated. One of her trips to Ponyville proved that theory to be very true, where a bookworm mare absolutely dwarfed her magical abilities, and showed her up in front of a crowd giving her a reason to never return there. Trixie needed to know how she got so good at magic, and if Twilight Sparkle could teach her! And so, after several weeks of training with the unicorn, Trixie finally believed she could pull off her biggest show ever, in her hometown of Canterlot. To top it off, the mayor of Canterlot, Oscar Goodmare would host the event in which several other ponies would participate. The others don’t even stand a chance. Arriving at Canterlot’s biggest park, she noticed her best-friend Octavia waiting patiently under the largest tree. The unicorn felt happy that she had a friend willing to wait for her, although she’d never admit it to anypony. Trixie never understood why her friend with such raw talent on the Cello never really used it to her advantage. Granted, she was on the Princesses’ star orchestra, but she never really told anypony about it, yet still got places in life that Trixie would never know. She’d hate to be jealous of her friend, being the almighty and smart unicorn that she is, but a hint of jealously showed up in her thoughts whenever she compared herself to her earth-pony friend. Octavia smiled her usual tiny smile when she saw her friend, “Hello, Trixie, why’ are you late if you don’t mind me asking?” “Late? Trixie thinks you’re just early,” They chuckled a bit, Trixie using her magic to help the earth pony lug her Cello around. “Well, maybe I was. Being punctual is something I pride myself on, “ “Will you be late to your practice?” The unicorn asked. “Oh no, I’m usually an hour early every day, just so I can meet you in the morning. You don’t have to worry about a thing,” “I, Trixie, Have some exciting news I’ve been waiting to tell you!” Octavia smiled at the mare beside her, “And what could that be?” “Trixie thinks that Canterlot is ready to see my special talents, the whole town will be in awe when they see the Great and Powerful Trixie, prancing gracefully, while not breaking a single bead of SWEAT as I pull of the greatest tricks they’ve ever SEEN!” “Are you sure you’re prepared for such an event?” Octavia asked, “I mean, all of Canterlot besides maybe ME, are unicorns, somepony could be better in some way and show you up! Not that I want that to happen, of course,” Trixie Snickered, “Not with all the training Trixie had been doing! The Great powerful Trixie knows when she needs to impress more than usual, and besides, if you wanted too, Trixie could carry your cello in mid-air all the way to your practice!” “OK,” The grey pony replied with a sly smile. “OK what?” “OK, you can carry my cello all the way to my practice area,” Trixie eyed her down jokingly, “That was just hypothetical, ‘Tavi. See? I Trixie just used one of those big words you always use,” “So…you can’t do it?” While in the midst of talking, the two weaved through the common crowd of ponies they’re used to see every morning as they pass through the flea-market. The flea-market was one of the things that made Canterlot such a popular destination for tourists across Equestria, it was filled will fancy items for cheap as hay prices. “Trixie can, but Trixie is already helping you carry it around, we can share the work like usual,” Trixie insisted, “And besides, I Trixie don’t have to help you at all,” “Well that would be awfully mean of you,” The grey pony responded, both still traversing the crowded town- center. Paved with shiny blue bricks, tall buildings touching the sky and filled with luxurious shops, it was quite a sight to see for a pony who had just arrived there, it had overwhelmed Octavia on her first visit. It was how she met Trixie;. She was in midst of panic after being lost for several hours in the middle of the town, and had ran into the Unicorn as she was looking for somepony to help her. Reluctantly, the unicorn obliged to Octavia’s wishes, and somehow, they hit it off, quickly becoming good friends. Trixie still poked fun at her for that day, but no more than just a playful jest. “We still on for tonight?” Trixie asked, referring to the night of rest and relaxation about the town’s richest saloons they had been planning. They had been saving up for it for weeks, nearly every bit they earned went into this night, and they really wanted it to be a truly memorable one. “Of course, dear. I wouldn’t miss such an occasion!” Octavia mused, as they turned a corner that led to the big light-brown building where her practice sessions were held. Adorned with a bass and treble-clef, she always enjoyed going there, even if most of the practices weren’t necessary for her level of talent. The conductor of her Symphony, Bar Staff, always admired her faultless work ethic. He commonly compared her to other students as a way to punish them, not exactly giving her the best reputation with her colleagues. “I, Trixie am looking forward to a night of being treated like a princess,” Trixie said with an excited chuckle, she spoke while adjusting her hat after it nearly fell off because of a tiny gust of wind, “Trixie thinks Octavia is the only pony she’d want to go with her, everypony else is just so, challenging,” Octavia smiled, now at the steps to her practice studio, “Octavia thinks the exact same thing,” Trixie used her magic to levitate the cello over the steps, helping her friend avoid a hassle, “Well, hopefully today goes by fast, Trixie has needed rest and relaxation for much too long!” “I’m certain it will!” The grey pony said, giving her friend a meaningful hug, “Have a good day doing whatever you do!” “I, Trixie will be sure of it!” The two then parted ways for the day; each continuing their daily routine, doing stuff they’ve done too many times to count.