//------------------------------// // Chapter One: The Spotlight // Story: When In A Shadow // by BassMaker //------------------------------// ***Nothing different, just minor edits*** Fiddling with my cravat nervously, I sat backstage. Is everypony ready? Oh, I hope everypony's ready. Am I ready? I think so. Should I go check?- "Stop messing with your bow tie Octavia, you are making us all nervous." He interrupted my thought process! "You know very well that it's not a bow tie Frederick, it is a cravat, and I cannot help myself, it is not straight!" "Oh please, Octavia. You know very well that it is. Just. Fine." "No! It is not fine!" "Octavia. Octavia! Stop!" he ordered; I stopped. "Thank you. Now, you should make sure your cello is in tune." "But I already che-" I started. Frederick leaned in close. "Just go and make sure, it will help you calm down," he whispered. I pursed my lips. He is right. It will help me calm down. Poor Beauty Brass, she looks pretty shaken. "I- Okay. I will be in the back room re-tuning my cello." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Knock-Knock* I breathe deeply. "Yes?" "Octavia?" says a small voice from the other side of the door. Harpo. Figures that they would send him to get me. I find it harder to get mad at him than anypony else. I don't think Frederick wants to talk to me after what happened earlier, and Beauty is likely still too shaken up. Good choice. "Yes?" I said after a moment. "Sorry, got lost in thought." "We are about to go on stage, and we need our cellist," he replied meekly. "Of course. One moment please." If that stallion had some backbone, he'd have mares practically crawling on him. Pity. After a quick look in the mirror to check that my mane was straight and my cravat wasn't crooked, I open the door. "Lead the way," I said, stepping through the door and closing it behind me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As we all set up on stage, we can hear the audience shuffling about on the other side of the curtain. "It sounds like a full house tonight." Wow, Frederick's still talking to me. "Yeah, it does," I said with more than a just a bit of a sigh. "Something on your mind?" "No," I lied, shaking my head. "Why do you ask?" "You are usually-" "Positions!" somepony shouted quickly, cutting him off. "We will have to continue this chat of ours later. Now, it is time to play." I make sure I'm in my proper place, my cello and myself, in perfect balance. My bow in hoof. What song are we playing? Iambica Heartstrings' Twelfth D major. Okay. I'm ready. The curtains are drawn from somewhere off-stage, and I get a brief view of the crowd. Standing room only and not much of it. I closed my eyes and began the piece on a long low G, only to fall in to a high staccato rhythm that faded out slowly after a few short moments. I sigh inwardly, maintaining my half-smile. This is going to be a long night ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "OCTAVIA, DO YOU WANT TO JOIN US FOR DRINKS TONIGHT?" And now my ears are ringing. "Beauty, you're shouting again." "WHAT?" "I said 'Beauty, you're shouting again!" "Jeez, no need to yell, Octavia." "I-" I start. "I am sorry, and no, I am afraid that I will not be able to join you for drinks tonight." "Whyever not? You of all ponies need it, if you ask me," Frederick butted in. "And what is that supposed to mean?" I said, working myself into a bit of a tizzy. "Nothing!" he said a little too quickly. "Right," I look at the clock. "As to address your first question, one of my strings is nearly broken, so I must hurry over to the music shop on Clopperstone since they're the only one open at this hour, it would not be good to forget about it." "So, this is where we part ways then?" "Till next time." I leave the group with brief hugs and proceeded to trot away. Great now I'm alone with my thoughts... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As I canter through Canterlot, I can't stop feeling so alone. Not in the 'It's past 11pm, nopony is awake' sense but in the 'When I go home, it will just be me' sense. I've got to get away from my thoughts. I see a shooting star, and, knowing that it's either a comet passing by, or just a meteor, I still found myself thinking Why the hay not I whisper the little rhyme and my wish. "I wish, I wish, upon a star, that when I wake I won't be far, from my dreams, coming true. I wish, I wish, oh yes I do, I wish that I weren't so very alone."