//------------------------------// // The morning after the Grand Galloping Gala // Story: Music and the Night // by vadram //------------------------------// The morning after the Grand Galloping Gala “Damn it,” Octavia said to herself as she ran through the marble corridors of Canterlot Castle. “I’m going to be late. Damn it Fancy Pants, of all morning you had to show any interest in my music, you had to chose today.” Octavia passed through the Hall of Heroes, passed the lifesize statues of the great ponies that made Equestria the nation it was today. She passed through that corridor countless time over the past few weeks, and it always impressed her just how much of a difference could a pony make just by being at the right place at the right time. Her hoofsteps were the only sound that echoed through the castle so early in the morning. Further down the corridor, the two Nightwatch guards that stood in front of the massive wooden doors that led to the inner courtyard heard them, and immediately knew who they belong too. Their horns glew and the door swung open. “Good morning, miss Octavia,” they said as the galloping pony came into view. “Good morning,” she replied as she ran past them. As Octavia passed through the door that led to the inner courtyard, a large garden opened in front of her. By now she thought she would get use to the view, but its beauty never failed to impress her. On the right side, arrange in a sun like pattern that was only visible from above or from the highest towers in Canterlot, were a large collection of yellow flowers, surrounded by smaller blue flowers representing the clear blue sky above. On the opposing side were white flowers arranged in a crescent moon like pattern, surrounded by dark blue and violet flowers. Small green shrubs delimited the pathways through the garden, and small but color flower beds popped out from place to place. Two rows of alternating yellow and blue flowers lead to a small central lake, in the middle of which stood a small, circular teahouse, connected to the path by a simple wooden bridge. The sun bathed everything in a warm glow, it’s rays reflected by both the lake’s crystal clear water, and the small droplets of dew that covered everything, from the stone pathways, to the flower bulbs, and even the leaves of the few small trees that were scattered from place to place. Octavia ran through the gardened, pass the bridge and headed straight for the little tea house. As she got closer she gradually slowed down as she saw that there was nopony there. All that there was inside was a small table, two chairs on either side of it, with two empty plates in front of them. A small bell resting on one of them. Aside from the plates a vase holding a dozen white and yellow roses stood on the table. “I guess I am late,” Octavia said to herself as she approached the table and sat down. “I am sorry,” she said again placing her head on her forelegs. “I am sorry.” She felt a gentle breeze and a warm familiar voice calling out to her. “I am so sorry I am late.” The voice seemed nearer, and Octavia raised her head and a smile crept onto her face when she saw who was talking to her. From the sky a mare was flying towards Octavia. Her feathers and coat were blue, while her short curly mane, and long fluffy tail were only a few shades lighter. Her hooves were covered by crystal blue slippers that sparkled like stars in the clear night sky. A dark blue chestpiece with her cutie mark on it, and a small tiara-like crown completed her outfit. From beneath her locks Octavia could see two gorgeous cyan eyes looking down at her, totally distracting her from the large horn she had in the middle of her forehead. The pony flapped her wings a couple of times after she landed in the garden, and promptly folded them before walking across the wooden bridge that lead to the teahouse and to Octavia. “Octavia, I am sorry I am late, it seemed that my sister thought it more appropriate to enjoy some sweets with her student and her friends, than arriving at time and relieving me of my royal duties,” the mare said as she entered the teahouse. “Are you alright?” she proceeded to asked. “It looks like you were crying.” “Huh?” Octavia swiped her hooves under her eyes. “I am fine. A little tired maybe, the Gala this year was more tiring than I expected.” “We could reschedule if you like.” “Oh no Princess, I am fine. Really I am.” “Very well,” she replied, “and Octavia...” “Yes Princess?” “You know you can call me Luna when we are alone.” “Yes Prin... I mean Luna.” Luna smiled and took her seat. Then using her magic, she picked up the bell and rang it a few time. A few moments later a unicorn, wearing the royal waiter uniform came across the bridge and entered the teahouse. “I think I would have some pancakes,” Luna said to the waiter. “The chefs know how I like them.” “Very good Princess, and what about miss Octavia?” “I’ll just have a coffee, black, no sugar, no cream.” “Anything else?” the waiter asked. “That would be all,” Luna said. The waiter bowed and left in a hurry to bring their order to the royal kitchen. “You know Octavia, when I saw that Celestia was rising the sun and yet she did not appear to be on the castle ground, I thought that I might not see you today.” “Oh, Luna. You know I would never...” “Breakfast is served,” the waiter interrupted her as he levitated a large stack of fluffy pancakes, dripping with butter and syrup in front of Luna, as well as a knife and fork wrapped in a napkin, and he placed a medium sized cup of coffee in front of Octavia. “If there is anything else you want please don’t hesitate to call me. Enjoy.” And with that being said, he took a bow and left the two mares alone. Luna began eating her pancakes as Octavia let out a small giggle and saw to her coffee. After the short breakfast, which both of them enjoyed, the two went on a stroll through the garden, leaving the waiter to clean up the table. Luna asks Octavia about what happened at the Gala, and the mare proceeds to tell her everything she could remember, leaving most of the parts that involved her and the pink pony out for obvious reasons. Luna could not help but laugh at the whole situation, not ever attending the event herself. As the two continued talking about last night, Luna doing her best not to bore her friend with all the complicated workings that were Equestrian politics, they eventually found themselves resting at the shade of one of the few trees that actually provided any shade. Normally it was forbidden for anypony to leave the pathways and step on the grass, but nopony would have walked up to one of the supreme rulers of the nation and tell her what she could, or could not do. Luna and Octavia sat down and leaned against each other, trying to make use of what little shade the tree provided against the increasingly hot day. “This reminds me of the day we first met,” Octavia said as she leaned her head against Luna’s neck. “Yeah, I remember that day well,” Luna replied resting her head on top of Octavia’s, and placing her wing across the pony’s back, causing shivers to run across the mares back as the alicorn’s cold feathers touched her. “I guess it must have been two or three weeks since your return,” Octavia stared at roofs of Canterlot, that shined in the distance. “I was heading back home from a small recital, where I was lead violinist, and decided to take a shortcut through the park. It’s funny, if I took my regular route home, you and I may never have met.” Luna nodded. “It must have been fate, that made us both be at that exact same time, at that exact same place... But there I was, minding my own buisness, heading home, when I heard a pony crying... well not exactly crying, more like sobbing, and I went to see what was wrong.” Luna nodded again. “You can only imagine my surprise when I saw you, sitting beneath a tree, just like this one, saddened and alone. So I walked up to you and asked you what was wrong.” Octavia giggled. “You almost had a heart attack when you head me.” Once again Luna nodded. “I think you were not expecting anypony to be there at that hours,” a gush of wind passed by and blew the princess’s mane across Octavia’s neck causing the mare to giggle again. “So there we were, bright and early in the morning, two mares with red eyes, mine from the lack of sleep, yours from crying, just standing under a tree, and talking. I told you how hard it was for an aspiring musician to find any decent work, and you first told me how much things have changed since you were gone, how much ponies have changed, and how lonely you were. I guess you did most of the talking back there. Isn’t that right?” Luna did not reply. “Luna?” Octavia asked turning her gaze upwards. Luna’s breathing was deep, her mouth slightly opened, and her eyes were closed, one partially covered by her mane. Octavia smiled, and buried her muzzle in the princess’s neck, making herself comfortable. “Sleep well Luna, and know that I will always be here for you.”