//------------------------------// // Chapter 16: The Talk of the Town // Story: Fiddling with Her Heart // by Kevinltk //------------------------------// Octavia grunted as she lashed out her hooves, giving the apple tree she was standing in front of a solid buck. She smirked as she turned, proudly watching her baskets fill to the brim with the red fruit. The sounds of another mare grunting and hooves hitting wood chimed in from her side. She turned her head to see Applejack a short distance away, applebucking a different tree. She watched as Applejack continued in her chore, working up a fine sweat that glistened in the sunlight. The farmer took a small break, using a hoof to wipe some of the sweat off her brow. Octavia didn’t know why, but she gulped. Averting her eyes, she moved on to the next tree. She kicked out again, listening to the satisfying sounds of her hooves hitting wood and apples falling into the baskets. Continuing to the next tree, she glanced at Applejack. Time seemed to slow down as her eyes widened at what she saw. Applejack was tossing her head around, flicking off drops of her sweat. She could not take her eyes off the mane that danced in the air. Applejack’s eyes met hers. She gave Octavia a smile with half-lidded eyes. “Hey, sugarcube, glad you’re here. I always enjoy spendin’ time with you.” She picked up an apple and brought it up to her mouth. Applejack bit into the apple, the juice dribbling down her chin. Applejack never took her eyes off her as she chewed slowly and used a hoof to brush off some of the juice that was around her mouth. Octavia could not help but continue to gawk at the scene. Not watching where she was going, she felt herself walking straight into something. All she saw were stars before everything faded to black. Flickering her eyes open, Octavia noted that she was no longer in the apple orchard. The side of her face had a dull ache as it laid on something hard. With a groan, she used a hoof to rub her eyes. Free of the hazy vision, she saw she was in her room and on the floor next to her bed, her blankets tangled between her body and the bed. What an… odd dream, she thought as she slowly got up. She groggily climbed back into bed, wrapping her blankets around herself in a cocoon of warmth and comfort. Since she had returned from Ponyville, she could not help but feel her house was a bit bigger, colder, and emptier than she had remembered. She found herself wishing at least one of her friends had stayed in Canterlot. After the party, she had invited her friends to her home to enjoy a little time together before they had to leave. To her disappointment, they told her they all had to return to Ponyville the next day. Twilight had to resume taking care of a sick Spike, who had insisted she go ahead and move the party to Rarity, while the others had jobs and chores that needed to be done. The sound of somepony knocking on her door assaulted her ears. Grumbling, she hid her head under the pillow, hoping that the visitor would go away. A second set of knocking shattered that hope. With a moan, she got out of her bed and slowly walked out of her room. “I’ll be there in a minute,” called out Octavia when she heard a third series of knocks on her door. She yawned as she descended the stairs, stopping right before the door to shake her head and force a smile on her face. “Hello there,” she greeted as she opened the door. “Apologies for taking so long.” Her smile dropped when she saw who it was. “Oh, it’s you.” “Somepony got up on the wrong side of the bed,” remarked Fancy Pants, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. “Sorry, I just had a bit of trouble staying asleep,” she mumbled through a yawn. “Just some weird dreams. It’s nothing to be concerned about.” “If you say so,” replied Fancy Pants. His eyes looked over Octavia. “I’m a bit surprised you aren’t all ready to go.” “Ready for what?” Fancy Pants reeled back a bit in surprise. “You do know what today is, right?” “Wednesday, why?” The stallion’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Well… um… yes… but don’t you have something planned for today?” Octavia yawned again, using a hoof to cover her mouth. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide as her brain finally finished waking up. “My audition! I’m going to be late!” Fancy Pants sighed, a small smile on his face. “Don’t worry, Octavia, I came early to make sure I would catch you before you left. You still have some time to freshen up if you hurry.” Octavia frantically nodded. “Right, um… do come in and sit down while I do just that.” She rushed up the stairs and into her room. Picking up her brush, she sat in front of her mirror, only to gasp and drop the tool. Seeing her reflection, she saw her mane was an absolute mess, absolutely frazzled with numerous strands sticking out in odd angles. She could not believe she answered the door with her abomination of a mane. She ran into the bathroom, turning on the shower to full blast before jumping in. She let out a yelp as the cold water washed over, shocking the last of her drowsiness out of her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly washed herself before turning off the water and drying her shivering body off. Back in her room, she frantically brushed her mane, grunting as she powered through knots and tangles. Satisfied that she at least did not look like a horrible mess, Octavia put on her bowtie and grabbed her cello. She quickly descended the stairs and opened her door, hoping she would make it to the audition in time. “Um… Octavia, did you forget about having some breakfast…” came Fancy Pants’s voice from her living room, “and me?” Octavia felt a light blush on her cheeks as she shut the door and set down her cello. “Right, sorry,” she mumbled. Fancy Pants chuckled. “Relax, Octavia, we can easily spare at least a few minutes. Go and have a little something. It would not be proper if your stomach decides to accompany your cello during your audition.” Octavia nodded and walked into her kitchen. Upon seeing her coffee maker, she let out a sigh. There was no time to brew up her usual cup of coffee and enjoy it. She turned her attention to a small basket nearby. It was filled with apples and bottles of apple juice, a gift from Applejack before she left. Picking up a bottle of juice, she rapidly guzzled down the drink. She let out a content sigh, both because of the taste and also the refreshing feeling it left her. To her surprise, the juice had the same invigorating effects as her coffee, if not more so. Feeling better, she trotted to the living room and picked up her cello, giving Fancy Pants a nod and a smile. The stallion got up and joined her as the two trotted out of her place and made their way to the audition. “So not that I’m ungrateful for you coming along, but you really didn’t have to escort me to to my audition,” said Octavia. “I did not have much business to tend to today, so I thought I would come along and keep an eye on you,” replied Fancy Pants. “Well, the gesture is much appreciated,” stated Octavia. As they continued their walk, Octavia noticed quite a few ponies were looking at them. When she turned her head to return their looks, they averted their gaze and hastily walked away. “Fancy Pants, is it just me or are ponies staring at us?” asked Octavia. Octavia swore he saw him flinch before he replied, “Well, you did perform at the Canterlot Garden Party after being away for more than a month. That’s bound to get you some attention.” “Maybe…” she replied in an unsure tone. “Pay them no mind. You should pay attention to your audition,” he suggested. “Look, we’re almost there,” he quickly added, pointing to a nearby building, as he picked up his pace. Octavia cocked her head before quickening her walk to catch up to Fancy Pants. “Thank you for walking with me,” said Octavia as they approached the building’s door. “It’s no problem. I’ll be sure to be here to pick you up when you’re done,” replied Fancy Pants. “You don’t have to do that. I do not know how long I will be in there.” “I insist,” he replied with a tone of finality. Octavia raised an eyebrow, looking curiously at her friend. “Go on, it’s almost time for your audition. You don’t want to be late.” Octavia slowly nodded and entered the building. The stallion was acting odd, rather odder than usual, but he did make a good point. She had to concentrate on her audition now. Any other matters can be dealt with afterwards. She followed the building’s signs, looking for the room that her audition would be taking place in. She came to a door with Raven standing right beside it. “Ah, good morning, Octavia. You’re right on time,” greeted Raven as she approached. “Good morning to you too, Raven. Is everything ready for me?” asked Octavia. Raven nodded, opening the door with her magic. “Right this way.” Octavia followed Raven into the room, revealing a small theater. To the left of the door was a small stage that faced a few rows of chairs. In the midst of the chairs sat three ponies, quietly conversing with each other and scribbling into their clipboards. “Please stand on the stage when you and your instrument is ready,” said Raven as she took a seat next to the other ponies. Octavia nodded, placing her cello case across several seats in the first row. As she took out her cello, she glanced up at the ponies. Raven was going over something on her own clipboard, but the other three ponies, who she presumed were the actual judges for the audition, were all silently staring at her, their faces showing no emotion. She walked up onto the stage with her cello, giving a small bow when she faced her audience. “Is everything in order?” asked one of the judges. “Yes. Is there anything in particular I should play?” Octavia replied. “You may play whatever you wish. If you can, please continue playing until we let you know when we have heard enough. You may start anytime you want. Good luck.” Octavia nodded, taking a deep breath. She mentally went through her mind, searching for a good piece to play out of the many she had memorized. Suddenly, a small grin appeared on her face. While she could play something that have been performed before, playing something new would certainly impress the judges. It was a risky choice. She would be pretty much jumping into her music blindly, but if successful, it would almost certainly win her a spot in the upcoming celebration. Slowly bringing her bow to the cello, she remembered her lessons from Applejack. She would lose herself into the music, allowing it to convey her feelings and emotions. Closing her eyes, she thought about her friends, allowing a tiny smile to grace her face, and began playing. A cheerful melody filled the room as she played. Not letting herself put too much thought into it, she played what she felt was right instead of trying to plan everything out, letting each note come naturally. As she played, she barely suppressed a few winces when a note did not sound quite right, but she soldiered on. She opened her eyes to take a look at the judges. Gone were their stoic, professional faces, instead replaced by intrigued faces that stared intently at her. Feeling more confident, Octavia closed her eyes again, continuing her performance. Her mind eventually shifted, focusing more on Sweet Apple Acres and the ponies that lived within the farm. Her smile grew a bit bigger as she used wider strokes and swayed her body with the music, the melody picking up in pace into a more lively tune. Not once did she feel a note was out of place, everything feeling comfortable and right. She was so absorbed into her music, she barely heard one of the judges asking her to stop. “That was certainly quite the performance,” remarked one of the judges. “What piece was that music from?” “I made it by myself,” replied Octavia. “Oh, an original composition. Fascinating.” The judges scribbled onto their notepads. “Do you happen to have a copy of your music?” Octavia shook her head. “I’m afraid there is no written copy of it because this was the first time I ever played it.” “Wait, are you telling me that you made all that up right on the spot?” Octavia nodded. The judges dissolved into a symphony of murmurs, excitement barely contained in their voices. “Is there anything else you wish to ask Octavia before we conclude her audition?” Raven asked the judges. When no answer came from the judges, not even responding to Raven, she turned her head to Octavia and gave her a smile. “Thank you for coming, Octavia. We will be sending a letter to your home with the results when we have finished with the rest of the auditions and preparations. Have a nice day.” Octavia thanked Raven and the chattering judges then bowed again. She packed away her instrument and left the room. After taking a few steps away from the room, she let out a sigh of relief. She had made a bold move with her performance, but it really seemed to have caught the interest of the judges. While she would not know for sure if she made it or not until later, she felt she did a good job. With a grin on her face, she happily trotted towards the exit. Upon opening the doors, she spotted Fancy Pants standing nearby. “Oh, Fancy Pants, I hope you were not waiting out here the whole time,” said Octavia. “Don’t worry about that, Octavia. I took a walk around before coming back. So, how was the audition?” asked Fancy Pants. Octavia’s smile returned. “I won’t know the results until later, but I do think I did rather well.” “That sounds splendid. Now, would you mind coming over to my place? I have something that you need to see,” said Fancy Pants. “Certainly, what do you want to show me?” “Something rather interesting has come up, and I think it warrants your attention,” replied Fancy Pants as he started walking down the street. Octavia raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t answer anything,” she stated, following the stallion. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” Octavia huffed. “What is with all the secrecy and cryptic messages?” she asked, staring at her friend as they turned a corner. “At least—Oof!” Octavia bumped into something and fell backwards to the ground. Getting up, she saw she had bumped into another unicorn stallion wearing a suit. A magazine laid next to the downed unicorn. “My apologies, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” she said, offering a hoof. “No, no, the fault is mine. I was wrapped up in my reading,” the stallion replied as he took Octavia’s hoof and got up, picking up a magazine in his magic. “I am sor—” The stallion stopped when he looked up at Octavia. With a scoff, he quickly retracted his hoof and brushed past her, his chin raised into the air. “Huh?” Octavia’s face contorted in both confusion and shock at the stallion’s sudden mood swing. She looked around, and just like before, ponies were staring at her and Fancy Pants. She turned to Fancy Pants and saw he was standing a fair distance away from her, watching the other stallion trot away. Taking another look around, Octavia realized that ponies were only staring at her. “Come on, Octavia, let’s get a move on,” urged Fancy Pants, nudging her. “Fancy Pants, you have been acting odd this whole morning. Something is going on, and you know about it,” stated Octavia, giving him a stern look. “Tell me what’s happening.” Fancy Pants sighed. “It’s easier if I showed you. Everything will be explained at my place. For now, it is best that we get out of the public eye.” Octavia sighed. “Fine, lead the way.” The two ponies quickly trotted through the streets, finally arriving at Fancy Pants’s mansion. As expected, his home reflected his status and importance in the Canterlot society, the huge, extravagant mansion towering above them. Fancy Pants ushered Octavia in through the tall double doors and sat her in the living room. He disappeared into another room, only to return a few seconds later with a magazine now held in his magic. “I believe this started going around today, and well… here.” Fancy Pants floated the magazine towards Octavia. Octavia took the magazine in her hooves, seeing it was the same magazine as the one the unicorn she bumped into was reading. She recognized the name of the publication, “The Canterlot Talk”. It was a popular gossip magazine that wrote about both credible and incredible events and happenings in the city. Her jaw dropped when she saw what was on the front cover, staring at it with wide eyes. “WHAT?!” It was a picture of her, standing amidst the mess of the Canterlot Garden Party, and the words “Octavia, Anarchist of Canterlot” headlining the cover in big, bold letters. She quickly flipped through the magazine, looking for the article. She let out a groan when she found it. The first page showed pictures of the messes made during the Canterlot Garden Party with one picture of her talking with her six friends. The next page showed a picture of Pinkie on stage with her at last year’s Grand Galloping Gala alongside a few more pictures depicting some of the damages that occurred. She let out another groan as she read the article. The Canterlot Garden Party was faced with an unexpected occurrence that almost ended the party in disaster. Six mares from a little town called Ponyville had intruded on the event and proceeded to make a horrible mess. Extensive damages to the grounds and the party were made during their rampage. Fortunately, esteemed businesspony, Fancy Pants, stepped up and managed to subdue the mares, ending the destruction. In one of last year’s articles, we covered the travesty that happened at the Grand Galloping Gala. We have found out that the party responsible for the disaster at the Grand Galloping Gala were the very same mares that were at the Canterlot Garden Party. We believe that this is a planned attack on Canterlot society’s biggest celebrations and is being planned by none other than the renowned musician, Octavia. At the Canterlot Garden Party, Octavia was seen conversing with the mares in the aftermath, and during the Grand Galloping Gala, one of the ponies joined her on stage. Octavia dropped the magazine, covering her face in her hooves. She let out a long groan. “What a disaster. This can’t get any worse.” Fancy Pants cleared his throat. “There’s um… one more page.” Octavia sighed and picked up the magazine again. She flipped the page. A blush fiercely burned on her cheeks at what she saw. There was only one picture along with the rest of the article, but it was big. It showed her hugging Applejack. While we cannot truly understand her motives, we believe Octavia is doing this because of a secret relationship with one of the mares. Who knows when and where she will strike next. Rest assured, we shall continue to investigate matters and report them to you when we find them. Octavia let out yet another groan and tossed the offending magazine away. She leaned back in her chair, covering her eyes with a hoof. “I suppose it got a bit worse,” said Fancy Pants. Octavia sat back up, giving him a death glare that clearly communicated what she was going to do to him. “Right, not helping,” mumbled Fancy Pants, averting his gaze from the mare. Octavia sighed as her head drooped down. “What am I going to do? There’s no way to stop the news. Eventually, everypony is going to hear of this then nopony will want to have anything to do with me. I’m ruined.” “Come now, Octavia, it’s not that bad,” said Fancy Pants. “Sure, the situation might seem dire now with everypony avoiding you right now. Not to mention the media will likely be watching your every move.” “Still not helping,” hissed Octavia through gritted teeth, her glare returning. “Point is, this is gossip. Everypony knows they tend to exaggerate things, and is pretty much written for the sake of entertainment. The news doesn’t last that long before they have to move on to the next big story.” “Even so, it’s still a blow to my reputation and credibility. I might not get ostracized, but it would certainly make it harder to find gigs.” “Do not worry about that. Fleur and I will be going around trying to smooth things over. Things will be alright. It just needs some time.” Octavia sighed. “I guess… Thanks for the help.” “Still, it’s important that you lay low for the time being.” Octavia nodded. “Perhaps it is best if I leave Canterlot again for a while.” Fancy Pants raised an eyebrow. “You are thinking of Ponyville, aren’t you? You do realize that there is a chance some ponies from the media might also go there. If they find you there, it could lead to trouble.” “Well, I’m not staying here where I’m either going to be shunned by ponies or get mobbed by the media. Besides, I need to at least let my other friends know what is going on. From there, I can work with them to plan something out if needed.” “Not to mention Applejack’s family reunion is coming up,” added Fancy Pants. “Um… yea, that too,” replied Octavia, a light blush appearing on her cheeks. Fancy Pants chuckled. “Very well then, is there anything you need from me?” “Hmm…” Octavia tapped her chin. “The only thing I can think of is my audition results. It will be mailed to my place, so can you forward the letter to Ponyville if it arrives? I’ll leave you a spare key to my house.” “Certainly,” replied Fancy Pants. He sighed, a small smile on his face. “Do be careful, Octavia.” Octavia gave Fancy Pants a smile of her own. “Don’t worry, I will. I’m sure between you and the others, the plan will go on without a hitch.”