Octavia woke to the chirps of birds outside her window. It was a better change than waking up to the vibrations of Vinyl's speakers, but those never started until after noon when she was awake anyway. Octavia stared in her mirror, trying to control the poof of grey hair on her head and tame it into a styled fluff. Rarity said she had spent hours on her hair. Is that what made everypony stop and stare after her when she left the room? She spent a while running the comb through her mane but after a few minutes nothing seemed to have changed. I'll have to go ask her how she does it myself, she decided.
With her bag in hoof she trotted over to Rarity's boutique. As soon as she entered she could see her friend was hard at work. “Good morning,” She greeted.
Rarity looked up from her work. Her cat rested beside her, still sleeping in a patch of sunlight below the window. “Oh darling, I'm so glad you stopped by, you must let me know what you think of the design.” On a plain white stuffed manikin sat a lavender-grey dress hemmed with a staff bar held together with a stream of notes made of black and white lace.
“Wow, it looks wonderful,” She praised. She took a closer look at the pattern of the tune. “That's the song I played at my last concert the Moonlight Serenade.”
“Yes! See, I knew you would appreciate good work.” Rarity glowed with pride. “And of course I admire your music as well.”
“Oh,” Octavia remembered, “Tippour wanted me to say hello.”
“Who?” Rarity seemed to strain to try and remember whichpony that was.
“The server at the cafe,” She reminded her.
“Ahh,” Rarity sighed, “I'll have to say the same to him next time we meet.” She returned to the sewing machine.
“If you don't mind me asking, which pony are you bringing to the ball?” Octavia looked around the shop to try and look for a sign of a colts costume in the works.
Rarity let out a soft laugh, “Oh no I am far to busy to look for a pony, I am sure one will ask me at the ball to dance. There will be manypony of high style there.” Octavia felt lost. Then why was she being expected to invite somepony? “Now if you don't mind Twilight is bringing her guard over for a fitting this morning so I'll have to get to him first. Please don't be late tonight.”
Octavia left with her promise a warm goodbye, but as the door closed behind her she felt defeated. Princess Twilight was taking her guard, and Rarity wasn't taking anypony at all. That left her with the sole responsibility of finding somepony on her own. She also realized she had forgotten to ask about how Rarity had done her hair so marvelously. She was back to where she had been last night, not quite sure how to be pretty or interesting. Your talented she remembered Cherilees kind words. But there was a time and place for her to use her skills and right now just didn't happen to be one of those times. If she was in the concert hall, armed with her cello, she knew she would shine. But what about being on her own, just the way she was. What then?
She walked around ponyville that morning, looking for friendly faces. She bought a tulpip from the market that she let hang from her mane as she patrolled the streets. At one point she spotted Big Mac hauling a cart to applejacks stand. He was a nice enough pony that she could talk to. “How is the acapella going?”
He smiled and nodded to her.
“That's good to um, hear...I'll see you around at the concert hall then,” She waved a hoof as he began unloading baskets of apples.
An open door of a nearby shop released a wave of music into the air, a charming clarinet rung out a happy tune. Octavia wandered towards it. In the woodcarvers shop Chipaway was fiddling with his instrument. As soon as she entered, he set the clarinet down behind the counter. “Why did you stop playing?” She couldn't help but ask.
“Well, you see, I'm not that good yet,” He admitted. “And besides, I should be working, not playing around.” He grabbed a broom and began to sweep a pile of wood shavings into a bin.
“Oh, but that is why I came in,” She admitted. “I thought it sounded quite nice.”
“Well, hey, thank you! I suppose I just don't know when no one tells me.”
“Well then, I'm glad I came in today.” She left with a smile on her face. Once she was out the door she could hear him start to whistle a few more notes.
Her hooves wandered some more until they carried her back to her usual place, in her usual spot, on her usual cushion. “Would that be another dandelion tea for you today?” Tippour asked kindly.
“Yes, please.” Octavia pulled out her magazine again as she waited. The tickets fell out into her lap. She knew she had to act, and not sit around doing nothing all day. Truth be told she did know which pony she wanted to ask, but that seemed to be the hardest thing. Every time he was near she felt out of breath and not at all like herself. The only way to know is to ask, she reminded herself. She only ever felt as meek as she did now when she was about to perform in front of a crowd. This would only be one pony. One.
Tippour dropped off her tea once more and she delved into her magazine. Her throat began humming along absentmindedly to the piano as the afternoon went on. She was engrossed in an article about the premier debut of a viola playing pony from Manehattan when Vinyll roused her from the story.
“Woah, oh, hey there Vinyll.” She greeted her close friend. The white pony had an electric blue mane and goggles.
“Hey Octi, Rarity has been waiting for you.” Octavia glanced around the room, most ponies had left, and a glance at her tea told her it had gone cold without her even taking a sip.
“Has it really been that long?” She pondered aloud.
“I guess it has because Rarity is throwing a fit. I told her she could find you here but she said she couldn't bear to think that you had forgotten. But don't mind her, I'm sure she doesn't mean anything by that. She knows you wouldn't forget about her.”
“Oh, no I, just, lost track of the time I guess. I'll meet her right away.” She dropped some bits on the table and left with Vinyll. It wasn't until they were outside the door that she realized she hadn't managed to bring anypony with her except for the one pony she was asked not to bring.
“I've got it from here, thanks for fetching me,” She said before entering the boutique, “I'll see you back at home later.”
“Alright, see ya.”
Upon entering the shop she spotted two new outfits, one that was a shimmering midnight blue gown that could only be fit for the princess, and beside it sat a deep blue shimmering suit.
“I don't know how you manage it,” Octavia complimented.
“Oh, it's nothing compared to seeing you all wear them out. Now where is that special somepony?” Rarity looked expectantly out the window.
“I, uh, wasn't able to ask anypony,” She admitted.
“But Vinyll said-”
“What!?” Octavia cut in. She hadn't told anyone about her crush, not even her best friend. “How did she, why would she, I don't...”
“Relax,” Rarity admonished, “She didn't tell me who she just mentioned that there was a pony that had your interest. And she was supposed to have you bring him with you.”
“And you wanted to make me talk to him?” Octavia was baffled.
“I am helping you dear, how else will he know if you don't do something?”
“I was actually fine keeping it to myself.”
“Oh, but that won't do either of you any good, and besides, I need company for my ball. I can't go alone. So you are going to ask him. Do it for me.” She used her same lip pout as before.
Octavia looked away and huffed, “It's not as easy as you think.”
“Tell me that you will at least try, or else all the hard work I did to get that ticket for him will go to waste.” Octavia could tell that she was only trying to be a good friend and help her.
“Alright,” She conceded, “I'll try, but I may need your help.”
“Ask away.” Rarity grinned.
“Well, maybe, if we could start... by... doing... my... hair?” Rarity's face turned to a look of sheer determination.