For The Love of Music
CodeWord: #Cellist
The Canterlot Symphony Orchestra has put out a call for more musicians to join their ranks. While you aren't a musician yourself, you know the judges always need a few extra hooves to help set up the stage and direct the hopeful applicants during auditions. Having always loved music, you decided to volunteer to help out for the day. While one audition occurred, the next creature in line would wait backstage for their turn, and the one after them would be given time in the makeup room to touch up.
One of the judges looks up at you from a clipboard of names, “Please go and fetch Miss Octavia Melody from the makeup room, and bring her backstage to wait her turn.” Leaning around you, she calls out “Allegra, to the stage!” With a nod, you set off at a brisk walk down the hall to the nearest makeup room. As you cross backstage, you nearly bump into a unicorn hovering a cello beside her.
She looks up at you, with a soft hmph. “They really DO let anyone bumble around these days, don’t they.” She walks around you, holding her nose high. “I recall when this orchestra and its building were reserved for those of grace, beauty, and class.” Not wanting to cause a scene, you bite your tongue and head down the corridor to the nearest makeup room as you had been directed..
You go to knock gently, but find the door already ajar. Poking your head inside the room, you spot a gray earth pony leaning over a table, a pen in her mouth as she mumbles quietly.
“Miss Melody, you'll be up shortly.” She gives no response, and you decide to walk closer and see what has her attention. With a soft gasp, you see she is mere inches from writing on a Page. A closer inspection, you see what must be teardrop stains adorning it. Dropping the pen, she looks up at you with heartbreak in her eyes.
“It isn't fair,” She says softly. “I have tried everything, put my very heart and soul into my performances. Yet, every time, I am denied my dream because my name has no weight to it. Allegra has always been First Chair because she has access to her family, to money, and the elite in Canterlot seem to care more about that than actual skill and passion.” Looking back at the page, she traces it with a hoof.
“Is it so wrong?” She whispers. “The desire to sink to their level, to find my own way to tip the scale? It’s not like anypony would be hurt by it. They'd never even know what I did... ” Her gaze falls back to the Page. “I could finally have my dream…”
[CHOICE] What do you say to her?
> “There's nothing wrong with playing at their level; if they fight dirty, you can too.” (Villain)
> “You would, but would you really feel like you earned your place? (Hero)
[ENDING A: VILLAIN]
With a nod, she picks up the pen once again in her muzzle, and with several flourishes has written on the Page. The writing flashes for an instant as they turn to magic, and you feel a slight chill in the air. Tucking the page into her saddlebag, Octavia smiles perhaps a bit too broadly, as she stands up and grabs hold of her instrument, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Now then, I do believe it is time to show these ponies exactly who they have been refusing all these years. Thank you, [USERNAME]. I don't plan to let them pass me up again.”
(+1 Page for Villains)
[ENDING B: HERO]
With a grimace, she averts her eyes for a long moment, before slowly nodding. “You're correct. I… I would always know I hadn't truly earned my place among the orchestra. Even if no one else in Equestria was aware, it would haunt me all the same.” Looking over at her cello, she smiled gently. “If I must try until the stars themselves have burned out, I will always be able to say with pride that the playing was my own. Here,” she hoofs the Page over to you “I do believe this will be safer in your hooves than mine.” As you stow the page in your saddlebag, she hugs you gently. “Thank you, [USERNAME]. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a panel of judges to bare my soul to.”
(+1 Page for Heroes)