“I’ll see you at the sleepover!” Diamond Tiara shouted as she galloped away. The sleepovers were happening once or twice every month, and it felt good to see Diamond Tiara be much more open after spending time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
Silver Spoon continued walking, she had a little less then half an hour till a certain cellist began her daily song. She followed the river until she arrived at a path of stones, barely visible amongst the water. She quickly hopped across them, reaching the other side with little effort. It would’ve taken too much time to use the bridge, Silver Spoon would’ve missed the rehearsal. She pushed through the frail plants, emerging in a small meadow.
Octavia Melody was already there, almost ready to start her routine melodies. Silver Spoon scrambled on top of a small rock a few lengths away, it was where she usually sat each evening. Octavia raised her hoof, bow in hoof, holding her cello steady with her second.
Octavia began playing, it was a simple harmony, but its chords carried a sense for sorrow and loss. She poured all her unseen feelings into the piece. The music changed to a joyful tune, but it was a bitter joy. It was almost a longing, for something so close, yet so far out of one’s reach. A longing for something lost so long ago, that any chance it could be found had already been extinguished.
Silver Spoon didn’t know what was lost, but she felt as if it were close. She wished she could find out what it was. It sounded precious, more precious than anything she had ever had. The music slowly died down, echoing one last time. The birds didn’t sing, the wind didn’t blow. Nothing dared to break the silence that followed.
Octavia Melody simply stood there, not offering a word. The sorrow that she held deep in her heart for so long was finally bleeding out. It was a flaw that would twist further into her heart until she couldn’t feel anything else. She wished she had listened, but she didn’t, she followed the butterfly.
Silver Spoon stared at her, debating what to do. Octavia was clearly upset, but what could she do to help her? She debated for several minutes until she decided what she would do. She got up and walked over to Octavia. “Miss Octavia Melody, I really like your music,” Silver Spoon revealed before adjusting her glasses. She hoped that she could find some way to cheer the mare up.
“Hm?” Octavia looked down at the filly in front of her. Her eyes were a deep purple, her mane silver, her coat a light grey. Octavia remembered her, she had seen her at multiple fancy parties she had played for, but this was the first time she had been close enough to see her cutie mark. It was a spoon with a little pink heart embedded in the handle. She had seen that spoon somewhere else, but she couldn’t recall where.
“I’ve seen you playing music around town before, but your music today seemed sad,” Silver Spoon confessed.
“It did?” Octavia asked, even though she knew it did. She could barely contain her emotions anymore.
“Yes, may I ask why it was sad?” Silver Spoon inquired. Octavia felt a wave of emotions crash over her, she sighed.
“I remember chasing a butterfly,” she said.
It was her own fault, following that butterfly as her family cried out for her to come back. She had ignored their desperate pleas, following the bright lavender winged butterfly through the forest. She was running across a log, fast flowing water rushing below her. It had only taken a second, she slipped, and the river carried her away. Octavia Melody could barely even remember their faces, the faces of her parents. She couldn’t remember much else before that, not even most of her name, but she remembered them screaming.
“I lost my family at a very young age. I was washed away by a river and never saw them again,” Octavia supplied. She sat down, and Silver Spoon came closer.
“Would it make you happy if I was your family?” Silver Spoon asked softly. Octavia smiled down at the filly, a strange warmth filling her. This was one of the first ponies she had told in a long time about who she had lost in her life.
“Perhaps,” Octavia Melody said, drawing the filly closer before pulling her into a hug. “Just maybe,” she whispered.
They talked for a long while, so long that the sun started to set. “Oh! I’m supposed to be at a sleepover, it probably already started,” Silver Spoon realized, “but you should meet the rest of my family before I leave!” She continued eagerly.
“Okay, I’ll meet them,” Octavia agreed, balancing her cello on her back as she followed the filly. Silver Spoon led Octavia to her house, a pleasant house, large, but not too big to not feel homely. Silver Spoon opened the door, signaling Octavia inside, “You can leave your cello right beside the door.” Silver Spoon pointed to an empty spot once inside her house. Octavia carefully set her cello against the wall, and turned back to Silver Spoon. They walked through a decorated hall, various trophies mounted on both sides. Several musical instruments also hung behind glass. Numerous pieces of jewelry and cutlery adorned the cases. Silver Spoon stopped at a large wooden door near the end of the hall, and opened it.
It opened up to reveal a spacious living room, a roaring fireplace was located on the far side. Several family pictures lined the wall above the fire. Two ponies were seated inside as well. “Mom, dad, I’d like you to meet Miss Octavia Melody, she’s the one who I’ve been listening to in the evenings,” Silver Spoon introduced her.
“Pleasure to meet you miss,” the stallion started trailing off. Octavia saw his eyes, they were a deep, dark, purple.