//------------------------------// // A Jacket She Found, A Racket May Sound // Story: My Sweet Eleanor // by TheDorkside99 //------------------------------// “Oh Eleanor, Eleanor!” Octavia called out. My sweet Eleanor, where have you gone?” Octavia placed her belongings onto the floor next to the door and walked into the kitchen. When she saw that Eleanor was not to be found there, she returned to the living room and placed a hoof on her chin. “Now, where could that mare have run off to?” Still standing out in the sunny day, the little filly poked her little head inside and took in all of the extravagant things Octavia and Eleanor owned together. The grandfather clock, the oak table and chairs, the paintings, the fireplace, everything amazed the little filly that she couldn’t bear the thought of entering what looked like a room of the Princess herself. “Little filly, why do you insist on standing like a flabbergasted foal? Come inside so you can meet my sweet Eleanor!” The little filly obeyed and walked slowly through the open door. She paused in front of the large clock, admiring its wooden texture and shiny golden finish. When the clock struck precisely at one, the little filly jumped at the immense sound it made. “That’s a scary clock. It is. Uh huh.” Octavia laughed and lifted the filly from the ground. She twirled her in the air to the little filly’s delight. She brought the filly back to the ground and gave her a firm but loving hug. “Oh, you wiggling willow! Tis only the grandfather clock that calls for those with rumbling tummies to scamper into the kitchen for something to nibble!” Octavia tickled the little filly’s tummy, causing her to laugh and giggle. The little filly trotted happily into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Octavia walked in after her and turned her attention to the refrigerator. She opened it and peeked inside wondering what to feed a little filly. “So, what is it that your heart and stomach desires, little one?” “Grilled cheese! Grilled cheese!” “Grilled cheese it is!” Octavia reached inside and pulled out a loaf of bread and a block of cheese. Closing the refrigerator with her back leg, she placed the ingredients onto the counter and stared at them for a moment. She twisted her face into a confused scowl and she pondered how to make her little filly the simple snack. “Now bear with me a moment, little filly. I am not accustomed in the art of cooking. Cello is my forte. Violin my second fiddle. All instruments sing to me within my grasp, but a tool of the kitchen is like a knife in the hooves of babes.” “What’s so hard about grilled cheese?” asked the little filly. “Well, nothing really. I understand that a sandwich is nothing more than layers of bread and whatever else goes inside. Usually Eleanor handles things in the kitchen, but I’m sure I’ll manage.” Octavia took out a knife from a drawer and flipped it in the air. She tried to grab at the handle, but missed completely and saw the knife fall down to the floor. The little filly stifled a giggle as Octavia reached down to pick up the knife, chuckling at her own clumsiness. “Well then, shall we proceed?” The little filly nodded. Octavia turned to face the block of cheese. She eyed it carefully as she calculated where exactly to begin the incision. With the grace of a surgeon, she placed the sharp edge of the knife about an eighth of an inch across and began slicing the cheese. The little filly watched intently as the musician, with the skill of a trained cellist, slid and sloshed the knife downwards through the cheese. As soon as the knife hit the counter, Octavia lifted her head, wiped her brow, and proudly placed the slice on her hoof and showed it off to the little filly. “You see, just like clockwork.” The little filly stared curiously at the slice her hostess cautiously cut for her then giggled a girly giggle. Octavia was confused. “What is it? What do you find so jocular that you should laugh in such a manner?” The little filly laughed even louder. “Well I say. I do not know what has gotten into you. I, the Marvelous and Musical Octavia have just performed the most excellent cut into this block of cheese, and produced what even the most seasoned chef would call a perfectly cut slice. Tell me little one, what do you find so funny?” The little filly, after seeing two hooves pressed firmly into Octavia’s sides, brought her outrageous laughter down to a polite chuckle as she pointed a hoof to Octavia’s cheese. “You forgot to take off the wrapper. You did. See, you cut it with the cheese too!” The little filly could not contain her laughter and continued to guffaw at her hostess’s peril. The cellist looked at her piece of cheese and noticed the plastic wrapper still clinging to the slice of cheese. She looked back at the block sitting on the counter and saw how she had sliced right through the thin layer of plastic. At first Octavia frowned, but soon enough she found herself laughing along with the joke. “Well now, I simply thought you would find a grilled cheese sandwich with a hint of plasticity to be quite scrumptious. I was only thinking of expanding your tastes, you see.” “No you weren’t,” said the little filly. “You weren’t paying attention, that’s what happened! You messed it up and you cut the plastic thing! You’re silly, Octavia!” “Oh, am I?” Octavia rushed at the unsuspecting filly and lifted her into her hooves. She forced the piece of cheese into the filly’s face and playfully smushed it all over her little lips. The little filly cackled gleefully as she used her little legs to push the plastic covered cheese away from her face, not wanting to taste the results of Octavia’s absentmindedness. “Who is the silly one now, filly?” “You, Tavi!” “Wrong again!” Octavia set down the little filly and growled something awful at her, causing the delighted filly to sprint across the kitchen floor and into the living room. Octavia chased her young guest into the living room and around the coffee table. They chased each other for a good while until the little filly, tired and breathless, gave into her captor and succumbed to the barrage of nuzzles and love. Both ponies plopped onto the couch and shared a nice little laugh as they looked up at the ceiling. Octavia spoke. “Now then, shall I make you a proper lunch, one without plastic I presume?” The filly smiled. “Not right now, Tavi. I’m a little bit sleepy at the moment. Please wait…until…I.” Before she could finish the request, the young pony drifted off to sleep in the hooves of Octavia. The cellist could not help but smile at the warmth this precious little body she held felt against her chest. It felt like nothing else in the world mattered, that all she lived for and could ever think was to give this little filly a loving home. How foolish for me to think this filly to have been scraped from the sludgy bottom of a forgotten barrel she thought. Octavia carried her little friend into the room and placed her in the spot Eleanor usually slept, right next to the window. As soon as she hit the bed, the little filly snuggled into a more comfortable position and continued her dozing. Octavia bent down and kissed the filly’s cheek then covered her with one of her blazers. Octavia tiphoofed out of the room and walked back into the kitchen,. She eyed the block of cheese that sat at the counter, and swore if it had a mouth, that it’d be laughing at her too. “Mindless nutritious mass. Cursed be the cows that gave you life.” Octavia was in the process of putting the ingredients back into the refrigerator when she noticed something unfamiliar hanging on the back of one of the chairs. She walked over to it and realized that it was a stallion’s jacket, one that could be bought at one of those discount stores. “This does not belong to me, or Eleanor. How could it have made its way in here?” Suddenly, a frightening thought entered her mind. “Could she have…left me for another?” Her thoughts were then interrupted by the opening of the front door. She turned to see Eleanor walk into the living room. Octavia made herself invisible to her and peeked out of the doorway just enough to see what her lover was up to. Eleanor pulled a small notebook out of her purse and furiously scribbled a note to Octavia. “There, that should do it.” Eleanor left the note on the table and walked back outside, shutting and locking the door behind her. Octavia came out of her hiding place and went over to the table to pick up the note. Before she could reach for it, the door unlocked and swung open again. Octavia quickly stood straight, retracting her hoof hoping Eleanor didn’t catch her reaching for the note. “Tavi!?” Eleanor exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were home. I left you a note just in case.” “Uh, well, I was using the facilities,” Octavia said. “Oh I see,” replied Eleanor. “Are you hungry? Would you like me to make you some lunch before I leave?” “Oh, no! No, don’t you worry about me, Eleanor. I’m sure I will manage just fine.” “Well, okay. I forgot my coat in the closet. Weathermare mentioned a light drizzle tonight and I’d hate to get my dress wet.” Eleanor turned to walk into the room. Before she could take one step, Octavia stepped in front of her, blocking her clear path to the room. “Oh, that won’t be necessary Eleanor. Wait here, I brought a jacket for you that you can use.” “Really?” asked Eleanor. Octavia rushed into the kitchen and grabbed the mysterious jacket that hung from the kitchen chair. When she entered the room with the jacket in her mouth, Eleanor gave a light gasp. “Is something the matter?” asked Octavia. “Oh, uh, no of course not, Tavi. I just…well, that thing is absolutely hideous. W-Why would I wear such a thing?” “Ah, well, it just so happened that this jacket was sitting all alone in the train station, and with nopony to claim it, I decided to bring it home as a memento of my travels to Manehatten. It kept me quite warm on the way back, so I know you can put it to good use.” Eleanor took the jacket from Octavia, sighing with what Octavia interpreted as relief. “Yes, of course. Well, thank you Tavi, I am sure to…treasure it always.” Eleanor slipped into the jacket, which drooped over her body and hit the floor with cloth to spare. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on Octavia’s cheek. “See you later tonight, Tavi.” “Yes, yes. See you tonight. Have fun at your…” Octavia picked up the note and quickly skimmed it. “…meeting.” The door shut for the second time. Octavia let herself drop on the couch and brought her hooves up to her chin in a pensive posture. “Yes, my sweet Eleanor. Enjoy your secret meeting with your new found stallion.”