Why does the word “funeral” contain the word “fun”? Obviously it is in name only but it feels kind of ironic. Why would I mention that you ask? Well…it worked the same way with “Octavia” in “Octavias family”. I as well most certainly was part of my family in name only.
I was walking down the roads of Canterlot, my destination? Canterlots central cemetery. It was a big compound and you could see that only the rich could afford it to be buried here. Grandmother would have liked to be buried somewhere else of that I was sure.
However mother decided on the place for her last rest. It might have seemed nice to outsiders, even considerate but I knew better. She only did it to keep up the façade of a happy family and to show everypony that our family is top notch.
On my way to the mourning hall I passed all kind of different tombstones and ponies. One of them seemed to look directly at my face when I passed him and the small grave in front of him. Maybe he was one of those ponies who were in need of attention…well why would I care you ask? I had no idea…something about him seemed off…and I couldn’t put my hoof on it.
Was I imagening things? Did I already develop some kind of paranoia because of the strange events that happened recently in my life?
I went on until I reached a rather big building…built of marble. I took a deep breath before I opened and entered the hall. I knew I had to be strong. Then the obvious took place…
Mother greeted me as soon as I entered the mourning hall. She already cried…great. That was one of Equestrias best actresses in action…a pity she had to retire due to my birth. Oh yes, I was one of the nails in the coffin that was once her life. My little sister stood also there, crying fountains.
Funny how she never had any contact with grandmother because mother forbade it. Bad influence she used to call her. This little filly, she didn’t even know her grandmother and still there she was, crying as if it mattered to her.
Then there was my father. He tried to look very grim and sad but I thought his expression was stoic. No tears, no cries. He stood there with exactly the composure a noble should have. He played the grieving son in law way better than I expected him to be honest. Well his facial expressions are a mystery to me anyhow…it probably was the first time he even tried to use his mimic for all I knew.
Then there was me. I wore a mourning garb like mother but I did not cry. I just stood there and silently watched the whole ceremony in a state of emptiness. The priest began to comfort us with words of consolidation I didn’t even heard. I just looked at the dead mare in the coffin. It felt unreal.
Well she was gone and won’t come back. The burial went over very quickly. Mother did not invite anypony…it wasn’t high class to make a fuss over the death of a family member, especially ony you are ashamed of. If my end came before hers I would also have no visitors other than my decorative family.
The cleric left us after the ceremony was finished. When we finally were alone mother was already back to her usual cold business mode. She told me that I should accompany them to the noble café near the cemetery. I certainly did not want to but I sighed and gave in. We sat there together in the café. An outsider may have accidently thought we were a happy little family…oh to keep a charade was natural to us.
We ordered some coffee and my mother began to talk.
“Octavia, darling. A weak performance…and there I thought you really liked mother. No tears…I mean really? You could have done better. I already told you how to cry at will. You looked so cold and distant. Well, that stern look also had its merit…so it probably won’t matter much…”
Was she always such a schemer you ask? Yes…she always was like that, since the day of my birth.
“Honey, could you please use your horn to eat. Your sister may not have one and is therefore excused from lacking manners at the table but you shouldn’t take too much after her. She is a bad role model…after all she has to live with the misfortune of being born as a simple earth pony.”
And there she started that topic again…just great…
“Not that it is your fault in any way Octavia darling…and talking about faults…
I heard you messed up pretty big at your last few performances my dear.
There are even rumours that you lost your job. Those a probably just gossip…am I right?”
She asked if she didn’t know but that terrifying witch knows everything that goes on in Canterlot.
“Well, it isn’t that big of a deal, even if it was true. To be honest I just quit on my own. I wanted to have some free time to compose and try something new. I still intend to acquire some independence and work alone in the future…“
“But of course you do…I expected nothing less from you.”
Of course she knew I just lost my job…
…and of course she hoped that I find a way to earn money…
..and of course she still hoped that I would get famous on my own after all…
...and all of that just so that she can bask in my glory.
It was always about her…it never was about me…oh how I hated that mother of mine.
“Well Octavia…how do you plan to pay your rent now that you take a few weeks of?”
Oh did she try to get some more control over this conversation…oh the nerve…
“Starting today I’ll share my apartment with an amazing mare. She already has accepted to pay half of the rent so everything works out well…”
“Good to hear. It would have been bad if a colt moved in with you. Just think about the rumours. It would have been unsightly. Well…so what does she do?”
“She also makes music…that is probably the reason she wanted to move in with me. It’s not that hard to conclude, don’t you think so too? ”
That one was nice. I got her with news she did not know and I also made a fool of her while at it.
“What instrument does she play?”
Maybe I should have thought my previous statement through. I had to come up with something on the spot but I think I did well…
“Well she is very versatile. She can play a few instruments and she knows a lot of classic pieces.”
“Oh...that sounds pretty solid…anything more that is to know about her?”
“Well I do not know that much about her after all she’ll just move in today.”
“Oh, well do not lose your composure around her.
She might think you are weak and you know that you cannot let that happen right?
Oh I know how hard it is for you, Octavia.
You are the most hot tempered pony in our family.
You never seem to be calm and collected.
Even now you are barely managing.”
Yes, right. I wished I could have rolled my eyes back then. All of that simply must have been the reason why the fillies in school always called me ice princess and treated me like a snob.Oh the irony…
I really hated those family come togethers. However, today I managed great. I did not mess up around mother and I did not snap like I did at Vinyls “housewarming party” and most importantly I did not mention that she was a DJ. Mother will think of her as a high class musician and I'm rather fine with that.
Now there was only one thing I had to wait for…the real reason she wanted to talk to me. She only cared about family when there was something she wanted. All this information gathering was just a diversity for her true aim and the more weakpoints she found while preparing to state her true intention the better it was for her.
“Oh and darling have I already mentioned that your father and I want to take a five day trip to the crystal empire starting this weekend? We already managed to get a fillysitter for the last few days but we would be glad if you could watch over your little sister at the first day. Due to some personal circumstances the fillysitter can’t make it for first day. Luckily you seem to have some spare time now and even without a degree in child pedagogy you would suffice for just one day.”
There it was…oh no…this I had to avoid at any cost. If my sister came close to my apartment she would tell my parents about Vinyl and then something other than the bass would drop…
“There is no problem concerning that. When you depart I’ll see you off and afterwards I just take care of my sister.”
“Oh, I did not anticipate you’d accept that quickly but…all the better.” she said while lost in thoughts.
She was probably trying to find out why I did agree so quickly and what I could have been hiding...
Well she wouldn’t get an answer from me even if she asked. Knowing that she would think of more things she could demand if I remained any longer I decided to go.
Back at home the next pile of work already waited for me, I had to help Vinyl to settle in after all…
Well, no matter what still would happen that day...the worst had already passed...or had it ?