Octavia strolled out into the main plaza of Canterlot. She smiled; the area was always busy, and she was virtually guaranteed to have someone recognize her. However, she went out for the sound. It inspired music for her; the bustle of ponies going about their everyday business. A pegasus ruffling its feathers, the spark of a unicorn's horn activating. It was enthralling. It didn't have the electricity of Manehattan, but she found that much activity distracting. Nor was it so quiet as the nearby town of Ponyville. She sometimes visited Ponyville for a break from the sounds that would interrupt her playing. She found the quiet little town lacked a central spark for musical inspiration, however, so she stayed permanently in Canterlot. The castle constantly cast a shadow over the city. Although the structure itself was grand, she found it a bit dismal when her neighborhood was darkened.
She lacked a name for the piece she had been playing earlier. She had been playing with the word "octave," since the piece was unusually high for a cello. She also had wondered whether she oughtn't get someone to accompany her on viola, or piano.
Not Vinyl Scratch, she thought of the local DJ, who had gotten a rather loyal following. That pony is far too... electronic for what I- Her train of thought was interrupted when she nearly tripped over a young colt, who was looking up at her with shining eyes.
"Are you Octavia?" he asked. She smiled and nodded, and his eyes widened. "Woooooow. My parents love your music. I didn't know you lived in Canterlot! Are you friends with Princess Celestia?" Octavia giggled quietly.
"No, not personally, but I have met her." She looked around dramatically, as though checking for someone listening in on her conversation, then turned back to the colt and gave a stage whisper. "Want to know a secret, though?" He nodded. "You can go into the castle and meet Princess Celestia at day, and at night you can meet Princess Luna!" The colt jumped in excitement.
"Really?!"
"Yes, really! But don't tell anyone that I told you, okay?" The colt shook his head, and ran off, towards a unicorn and earth pony she assumed were his parents. She looked up to the sky, and continued her walk through the town. She listened carefully as she reached the center of the plaza. The hustle and bustle created a rhythm that vibrated through the ground. It felt like a party could break out at any moment, if someone just gave the world a jolt. She wasn't the pony to do it, but she knew that one existed, somewhere.
Perhaps I could join that pony, if I ever meet him or her... She snorted; what was she thinking? She had to focus on her music. She continued down the street, towards the small collection of shops that she knew only too well.
Shady stretched out on his bed. He had the song he had written down playing through his head as he had written, rather than as he had heard it played. It kept nagging at him, like a thorn in his hoof. His tail flicked slightly, and he stared out the window.
"Who are you?" he asked. The sky displayed a distinct lack of speech. He hopped off his bed, and looked out at the trees. He lived just outside of Canterlot, where the forest could surround him. He pressed a hoof against his head, thinking out loud.
"Whoever you are, you certainly know how to play... Where have I heard that style of cello before?" The thought seemed to awaken a spark in him; he jumped up and flew to his CD shelf. There were hundreds of CDs there, nigh on a thousand. He looked through the area marked "Classical." The rack wasn't the most filled, but it was put before the others in importance. He looked through, and took a not-so-random case off the rack. It was a classical cello CD, made by somepony named Octavia. He slid it into his CD player, which started up. The effect was instant; the cello began its low, rich tones, making Shady's body vibrate. He blinked; that was certainly the playstyle he had heard earlier. The slow, low tones, with a light vibrato to add to the emotion behind each and every note. She hit the notes exactly in the center; never too flat or sharp.
"Incredible..." He hadn't listened to this CD in some time, but he could understand why; this was the sort of music used only for special occasions and situations. He stopped the CD; he had found the home of Octavia, one of the most famous musicians in Equestria. And she lived 20 minutes from his house.