//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: This Nearly Was Mine 
// by BillyColt 
//------------------------------//

“And so the jerk says that what I make isn’t ‘real music,’” said Vinyl. “What does that even mean?”

“I take it to mean that your acquaintance is an awfully pretentious pony,” Octavia replied. They were sitting at their usual table in the coffee shop at that usual time when Octavia had scheduled for coffee. She found herself looking towards the door, though. Frederic was usually supposed to come around now, and she was worried about him.

“Y’know, it’s like,” Vinyl said, “okay, I don’t know about all the music stuff you know about. And you don’t know all the music stuff I know about.”

“I’ll have to admit that.”

“But the thing is, we’re smart enough to know this, and so we’re also smart enough to not open our big dumb mouths. This guy? He doesn’t.”

The door opened, sounding the chime, and Octavia looked to see Frederic enter. He didn’t walk the same way he usually did. He seemed a little rattled, a little nervous, as though he were unsure of what he was doing. Oddly enough, he also had his bag with him. He went to the counter and ordered himself a coffee and a croissant, before approaching their table.

“Hi,” he said. “Nice to see you.”

“Heya,” said Vinyl. “Y’know, I should learn to play keyboard better. I mean, all I can do is plunk out a tune.”

“Are you okay?” Octavia asked. “You seemed a bit...”

“I’ll be fine,” said Frederic. “It’s just I wanted to say...”

“Hey, coffee!” said Ritardando as he trotted up to the counter. “...I don’t really like coffee. Can I have juice instead?”

Vinyl raised an eyebrow at the odd basso.

“Thanks!” said Ritardando, before trotting over to Frederic with a juicebox in his mouth.

“This a friend of yours?” asked Octavia.

“Hhh-hh!” mumbled Ritardando through his juice box. Realizing how silly he appeared, he set the box down. “Yeah! Freddy is buying me a train ticket! And then he’s coming with me!”

“What?” asked both mares simultaneously.

“I...” said Frederic. “I’m leaving. Just for a little, though. Ritardando said he was leaving town and, well, I think I should be outside Canterlot. Just for a while. I’ll get on the train and then I’ll come back later.”

“Heh. Pretty neat,” said Vinyl. “Didn’t think you’d be all spontaneous like that.”

“But when will you be back?” asked Octavia.

“I don’t know,” said Frederic. “I probably won’t be very long. Just until I’ve had some time to think.”

“Welp, gotta go!” piped Ritardando.

“Goodbye, Octavia.”

“Goodbye, Frederic.”

“Well, see ya,” said Vinyl.

The two mares watched as the two stallions walked out of the coffee shop.

“Dude,” said Vinyl. “What’s up with him?”

“I’m not sure,” said Octavia. “I think something happened to him, and it broke him a little. I think he’s a little scared.”

“Eesh...” Vinyl muttered.

“But I think that’s life,” Octavia concluded. “He’ll be alright. He just needs some time.”