Chapter 2 - Bittersweet Memories
The afternoon sun hung high over Ponyville as a white unicorn toiled away in her boutique, desperately working to complete her latest orders on time. A low rumbling caught Rarity’s ear even as she pushed a length of red cloth through her sewing machine. She turned off the machine and listened carefully, trying to pinpoint the source of the disturbance. When the rumbling sound came again, Rarity realized it was coming from her own stomach. Glancing at the clock on the wall to her left, she saw the time was four after one in the afternon.
“Oh, pony feathers!” she cried irritably. Rarity just realized that she was over an hour late for her lunch date with Applejack. No sooner had realized this then she heard a knock at her door. Rushing, she flung open the door with her magic. “Sorry but I’m taking a late lunch break and…”
“Well, why d’you think Ah’m here?” Applejack interrupted her. “Ah figured you got all caught up in yer work, so Ah just got lunch to go!” The farm pony turned to her right to reveal a saddlebag stuffed with sandwiches, potato chips, and bottled water. “Mind if Ah come in?”
“Not at all, darling,” a pleasantly surprised Rarity replied, motioning for her friend to enter. “I’m dreadfully sorry about making you wait. I’m afraid I was caught up in my work. I have three dresses due next week, but I’ve made such appallingly little progress on them! It’s as though the muse of fashion has abandoned me.”
“Who’re they for?” asked Applejack as they entered the kitchen.
“Well,” Rarity began, opening Applejack’s saddlebags and levitating their meal onto the table, “they’re bridesmaid dresses for the…the, uh…um…”
“The…?”
“I…forgot.” Rarity admitted.
“You what?!?” Applejack cried, “You mean to tell me you’ve spent the past three days workin’ your hooves to the bone and you don’t even remember who yer doin’ this for?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds! I have a set notebooks I use to write down client information. I’ll just have to go through them and I’ll find the names soon enough.”
“Are you alright, Rarity?” Applejack asked, unwrapping her daisy sandwich, “You’ve never just up and forgot one of yer clients before. Is something botherin’ you?”
Rarity swallowed the bite of sandwich she had been chewing and sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on, Applejack. I’ve just felt so…unenthusiastic about my job lately. I just don’t have much energy these days. Every time I start on a project, I lose my momentum almost as soon as I begin. Like I said, it’s as though my muse has abandoned me.”
“Well, when did this start? Maybe if we backtrack a bit, we can find out what happened.”
“I suppose...” Rarity responded thoughtfully, “Well, I first noticed this little dilemma two weeks ago. I had just received an order from Sapphire Shores for a diamond-studded gown. Her regular seamstress was sick, so she sent the plans for the dress over to me. Even though I had a clear set of instructions to go by, I felt, well, very much like I’m feeling now.”
“Unenthusiastic?”
“Precisely. I finished the job on time, but I didn’t feel any satisfaction upon completing it, nor did I feel nearly as excited as I thought I would when Sapphire sent me the commission. And I’ve felt that way about every job since,” the unicorn concluded.
“Hmm…Not much has happened in the last couple’a weeks, ‘cept our trip to Canterlot.”
“Oh, wasn’t that just wonderful?” Rarity asked excitedly. “Remember Twilight took us to that improv comedy show? I nearly choked to death I was laughing so hard! Ooo, and she looked so stunning after that visit to the spa! I’ve always told her she should pamper herself more. And at the restaurant when she got ice cream on her nose…”
As the made their way through their sandwiches, Rarity talked on and on about all the details of their excursion. “It was great visitin’ Twilight again, wasn’t it?” Applejack asked after Rarity had finished.
“Yes, indeed it was, Applejack,” Rarity sighed with a blissful expression on her face. “Things just haven’t been the same around here since she’s been gone.”
“Yeah, the ol’ library just don’t look right without her in it.” Applejack said as she swallowed the last of her sandwich. “Well, Ah hate to leave so soon, but Ah really need to hurry back to the farm. Me and Big Mac got a lot of plantin’ to do this afternoon, and Ah told him Ah’d be back half an hour ago.”
“Well, don’t let me keep you, darling,” Rarity responded, “and again, I am so sorry about making you wait like that. I didn’t mean to get so distracted.”
“Well, do yourself a favor, Rarity, and take the rest of the day off.”
“I can’t possibly do that!” the fashionista cried in horror, “I’m already behind schedule and I have three orders to complete after this! There’s no way – ”
“There’s no way can finish if you pass out from exhaustion first!” Applejack interrupted firmly. “Ah wasn’t gonna say anything, but you look dead beat sugar cube. Yer not gonna do a very good job if you force yourself to work while yer this strung out, trust me. Get some rest and pick it back up tomorrow.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” Rarity relented. “Thank you, darling. And thanks for lunch, as well.”
“My pleasure.” Applejack said as she pushed open the front door. “Now get some rest. You really need it.”
‘Poor thing,’ thought Applejack as she started back to the apple orchard. ‘She must really miss Twi. Heck, if Ah didn’t know any better, Ah’d say...nah, that’s just silly. Rarity don’t swing that way. Anyhow, Ah hope a good night’s sleep is all she needs to get her spirits back up. Ah don’t know how cheer her up otherwise without bringing Twilight here.’
______
Octavia couldn’t recall ever feeling this excited. If she sat down and thought about it, she could come up with a plethora of memories that could match the greatness of the events that have occurred over the past 24 hours, but ‘Dear, sweet, Celestia I’m going to tutor a princess! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh!’ was all she could think of at the moment.
The taxi carriage she had been riding in stopped in front of her family’s estate. She paid the cabbie and rang the bell at the locked gates. “Yes?” came a familiar voice.
“Hello, Etiquette,” Octavia responded. “It’s me. Might I come in?”
“But of course, Miss Octavia!” answered Proper Etiquette. “A pleasure to have you back!”
The bronze gates swung inwards and the cellist marched up the cobblestones to the front porch. The pristine white doors opened just as she climbed the steps and a middle aged pegasus stallion with dark green fur and a sky blue mane greeted her. “Good afternoon, Miss Octavia. It is so good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you, as well, Etiquette. Are mother and father home?”
“Indeed, ma’am. They’re on the back porch. Right this way.” The pegasus motioned her inside and shut the door. “So, to what do we owe the pleasure?”
“You’ll just have to wait a few more minutes, Etiquette,” Octavia teased. “I have the most wonderful news!”
“Oh, are we keeping secrets now?” the older pony prodded, his grey eyes widening slightly. “Could it be that some dashing stallion has finally secured the fair lady’s heart?”
“Oh, Etiquette, don’t be so cliché,” the young mare replied. “It’s not nearly that simple.”
The older pony simply smirked. “Love is never simple, my lady. I hope that you have the pleasure of finding that out for yourself one day.”
“Well, thank you, my friend. But for now, let’s stick to the topic at hoof.” As she said this, the two ponies arrived at the back door. Octavia’s parents were to her left, lying on their lounge chairs under the back porch canopy.
To her immediate left was her mother, Golden Melody. Formerly Golden Shimmer, she was heiress to Shimmer Minerals, the third largest precious mineral mining corporation in Equestria. Golden Melody was currently the only unicorn in the Melody family. She possessed a rich yellow coat and a curly magenta mane. Her Cutie Mark, an overflowing bag of bits lying on its side, indicated her natural talent for making money; something she shared with the rest of her family. If there was a way to make a profit off of something, then a Shimmer could find it.
Brioso Melody lay to the left of his wife. The muscular brown stallion had long legs that were perfect for working the slide of his trombone. For seventeen years Brioso played for the Canterlot Philharmonic Orchestra just as many of his ancestors had and just as his daughter does now. After the death of his father, Brioso retired from the orchestra and took his place in the royal court, a position he has held for eight years now.
“Good afternoon, sweetie,” the lord greeted his daughter. “What brings you here today?”
“I actually just got back from the palace,” Octavia answered, “I have some great news for the two of you!”
“Is this about Ivory Tower’s mining project?” Golden Melody asked with obvious disdain, “Ooo, please tell me that greedy snake’s proposition got rejected! Oh, no, wait! Did they change it so that all mining companies can start mining overseas? Oh, it would burn him so badly if the Shimmers made their claim first!”
“No, mother,” Octavia sighed, “But it does concern the party last night.”
“Oh, don’t tell me you went to one Ivory’s parties?” Brioso asked. “I keep telling you, dearie, he is nothing but a conniving, silver-tongued opportunist! I hope you at least you didn’t speak to him.”
With great restraint, Octavia managed not to facefoof herself. “Father, I was invited to play with some of the other band members. I told you both about this two weeks ago!”
“Oh, yes!” her father recalled, “That thinly-veiled attempt to hob-nob with our newest princess! The blighter didn’t even send us an invitation!”
“How did Princess Twilight enjoy the music, my lady?” Proper Etiquette inquired suddenly.
The grey cellist cast him an appreciative glance and answered, “She loved our performance actually! Which brings me to the reason I’m here.”
“Oh?” her parents said in unison, their interest piqued.
“Indeed,” she answered, trying her best not to appear smug. “Princess Twilight pulled me aside after the festivities to ask me to be her personal cello tutor! And I agreed!”
At this, her parents leaped from their seats and pulled their daughter into a tight embrace. “My dear, this fabulous!” Shouted Brioso. “Etiquette, go fetch a bottle of wine! Something red, preferably.”
“My lord, it’s thirteen past one in the afternoon,” the butler answered with noticeable annoyance.
“I know bloody well what time it is!” Brioso barked. “Just go fetch a bottle! And be quick about it!”
“Very well, sir,” Proper Etiquette replied defeatedly.
“Octavia, darling this is just too perfect!” Golden Melody said excitedly, “Think of what this could do for your career!”
“I already have a very successful career, mother,” Octavia replied, “That’s how the princess knew who I was in the first place.”
“Oh, I know dear, but think of what this could mean. You’d be the envy of every musician in Canterlot! No! In all of Equestria! Just think of the increased record sales, the increased requests for private showings, the increased…everything!”
“She’s right, Octavia.” added Brioso as he released his embrace. “This the best possible thing that could’ve happened to your career. Don’t take this so lightly.”
Before Octavia could respond, Proper Etiquette returned. “Your wine, everypony.”
‘Oh, good, I could use some,’ thought the now very irritated musician.
As he picked up his glass, her father stated, “You know, Goldy, we should spread the word to the other nobles as soon as possible. We should organize a garden party and invite as many ponies as we can.”
“A splendid idea, love,” his wife replied. “And we should invite Ivory Tower as well. That way we can thank him for making this possible in person!” The two chuckled at this while Etiquette cast a sympathetic glance towards their daughter.
‘Not so much as a “congratulations".’ Octavia thought bitterly, taking a long draw from her glass.