“Truly, Your Majesty, I cannot thank you enough for accepting my request.” Though she spoke with the same formal tongue her parents had impressed onto her, Octavia at least did so without placing her head upon the floor. Luna took it in stride, knowing better than others how old habits died hard.
“And as I have told you, young Octavia, I am honored as well that you have chosen me to teach you.” The dark alicorn smiled, a subtle expression that genuinely pulled at her lips. “It is why I also understand your request for another teacher between us.”
The cellist erupted into a hot blush, looking away from the alicorn, though for not out of respect. As there was a pattern of speech her mother had taught her to adopt in the presence of royalty, so too were there actions she was warned against committing. Favoring the aid of another teacher over royalty may not have been specifically stated in those warnings, but it was as close to biting a gift horse’s hoof as Octavia could imagine.
“I mean no disrespect towards your abilities, princess,” Octavia began to defend, in a manner very similar to how she had done for the last several days. Luna was already wise to it, and took no offense.
“You believe that it would be best to also be taught by another who is not as adept as I in flight.” Octavia pursed her lips at Luna’s finishing of her thought. The princess, as she had been before, was grinning with her words. “And as I have said, Octavia, there is no reason for you to be embarrassed or shamed. Just as Twilight was open and prepared to teach alongside your friend Vinyl, so too am I willing to teach you flight with another.”
“I… I thank you for your understanding, your majesty.” Octavia spoke again, unaware of how needless it was to parrot.
The young alicorn looked about herself, unwilling to speak further on the matter but unknowing of any topics to continue into. Instead, she took to observing the environment. Currently the two were waiting in a particularly spacious portion of the Royal Gardens. The sun was bright and warm above them. Just enough for Octavia’s coat to keep her insulated, but not enough to make her sweat. It was, as she often called it, a gentle warmth.
Luna appeared to be appreciating it, too. The thought occurred to Octavia that the princess must need sleep, but she was so far unaware of the princess’s schedule, let alone how she managed her own care amongst it, that she figured it would best be left to the princess herself. It wasn’t her place to ask such personal questions, anyway. She could only do what every other pony and socialite would do from afar. Speculate.
At the moment, however, there were other things that came to the forefront of her mind. Specifically, who Princess Luna would ask to help her in her flight lessons. Unlike her magic, which Twilight and Vinyl were only too eager to help with, there wasn’t a second pony that jumped to her mind as adept at teaching. She doubted the princess would bring in a military instructor-- at least, she hoped she wouldn’t. The princess had been kind thus far regarding such things, but the thought still made her uneasy.
Lessons in the middle of the day, however, probably the meant either the pony’s occupation was going to be teaching or they were unemployed, as the midday hours were usually reserved for work. Octavia herself was just glad that it took only a word from the diarchy to have her be excused from the Symphony-- on a sabbatical, of sorts. Octavia loathed missing time to play her cello, but she would be remiss to say she was doing so without purpose.
“Are you well, Octavia? You have a tight expression.” It took those words for Octavia to realize how far she had pursed her lips in thought. They were nearly numb from the force. She flapped them soundlessly, failing to grab a word that could properly express her sympathies. This only earned a small chuckle from the eye-rolling princess Luna.
“Please, do not take my words as serious,” Luna explained. “Just as you have been practicing with your new abilities, I have been attempting to grasp the current forms of humor among the ponies.” Octavia wouldn’t admit it, but humor was the last thing she had heard in the princess’s words. Spoken or not, Luna appeared to have read her thoughts. “It seems... I still have some work to do.”
“B-But it’s good that you are learning!” Octavia spoke back far more loudly than she intended. A hoof over her shocked expression was sign enough that she didn’t intend to raise her voice, let alone her embarrassingly-blushed muzzle. Luna only gazed at her with a quirked eyebrow. Octavia, rather shakily, raked her raised hoof through her long dark mane, attempting fruitlessly to look as if it was her intent all along.
“I am glad you agree.” Luna’s words pulled Octavia’s attention back towards her. The princess, however, was looking up and away. It took the alicorn a moment to relaize she was looking slightly off from the sun itself. It appeared not even the princess was immune to the strain of staring directly into the sun. “My sister has been excellent in her ability to both learn with her ponies and lead them as well. I am still leagues behind her in that regard.” It was faint -- small, even -- but Octavia could almost tell what Luna’s was really trying to convey.
“You… Your highness,” Octavia expertly maneuvered her words, dodging an informal inquiry with a proper one. “Though I confess I knew little of you before… this occurred,” the gray alicorn gestured to her wings before she continued. “I can say with certainty that I am glad to have you helping me with this. I... don’t believe there are many ponies I can trust with such secrets, but I know that you are among them.”
Luna blinked at her words.
Octavia felt her mouth quickly drying at the sight of the small smile the dairch had held thus far slowly left, replaced instead by a neutral line across her dark lips. The muscles along her features relaxed, showing not an expression of surprise, but one most closely associated with dull acceptance. There was nothing wholly threatening about it, but Octavia still felt every hair on her coat and feather in her wings stand straight and shiver at the sight.
Then, slowly, Luna released a breath of air. It wasn’t a sigh, not fully. It was more akin to a wave of her hoof or blink of her eyes than anything else. The small smile that returned to her lips afterwards, however, was far more welcome.
“I thank you, Octavia Melody,” Princess Luna finally spoke, her not looking at the younger alicorn as she spoke. “It has been some time since I have been included in… such a way.” A small gust of wind rolled through the garden as she spoke, letting her coat wave in a manner similar to the her ethereal mane. Stray leaves and petals were taken in by the gust, silhouetting Luna’s already-pristine form.
As the princess turned her gaze back upon Octavia, smiling cleverly as she did so, Octavia couldn’t help a stray thought, an invading thought, from drifting through and out of her mind.
‘Beautiful’ A hot blush ran across Octavia’s coat, forcing her wings to expand in order to let off the excess heat. The actions of her wings, however, only forced her embarrassment to deepen, leaving Octavia’s face near the ground in shame. Luna’s laughter brought her back.
“Please, young Octavia, you can relax,” The alicorn lightly trotted over to the younger mare’s side, stopping only when she was but a hoof’s length away. “It appears that your other instructor has arrived.”
The words made Octavia raise instantly, suddenly more focused on her first appearance to her new instructor than the already past embarrassment to the princess. The gray alicorn took in a few deep breaths of air, steadying her pulse and collecting herself. Her wings slowly retracted against her body, more out of the calm she had reacquired than her own will.
Feeling slightly more adventurous with her skills, Octavia slowly focused a melody through her mind, a lone solo of a cellist in her apartment. It drew an equally-focused surge of magic through her horn, lightly catching the strands of her mane and tail. Like the strings of any instrument, her magic pulled them taunt, holding them steady as she curled them at their points.
She could feel Luna’s eyes upon her, watching her out of either interest or admiration. She ignored the fact that it was Princess Luna gazing at her. Octavia had learned her own lessons at Princess Twilight’s castle, and one of those lessons was the constant reminder that her greatest magic came when she was focused, focused not on the magic, but the music.
Princess Luna was not the great diarch, she was simply another member of the audience, appreciating her music. While Luna was doubtlessly watching her magic unfold and judging it as such, Octavia imagined her not as a princess, but an equal member of a larger audience.
But like any true solo, it was not meant to last next to the great sound of the symphony. But again, she was not meant to conduct the symphony just yet. She only needed to clean herself up, and she was only too grateful she had learned her magic well enough to complete such a task.
Her magic finished with the light pluck of a high string, and Octavia re-opened her eyes. Surely enough, Luna was smiling down upon her, likely more out of pride than amusement. Octavia took it in as an audience’s applause.
The pegasus next to the princess, however, showed far more awe than pride.
It took Octavia a full moment to even realize she was there. The mare had a gray coat like herself, but of a lighter tint. Her mane was just the opposite, however, resting on her head with a light gold color. It reflected off of the mare’s eyes as well, both bright gold in color, and radiating cheerfulness. The eyes, however, had a far more distinguishing feature about them..
Specifically, they way they looked in opposite directions.
Octavia was loathed to admit it, but it was a little unnerving.
“Wow!” The gray pegasus let out. She blinked her misdirected eyes, seemingly staring forward yet looking in two different directions. “Your magic was really cool!” The pegasus’s wings flapped lightly, as if to add emphasis to her words. “My little Dinky is learning magic, too. She’s really talented, just like you.” Four sentences in, and Octavia was still at a loss for words.
“Octavia,” Luna spoke beside the pegasus. “This is one Ditzy Doo, mail-mare and experienced flier for Ponyville.” Instead of holding out a hoof to shake with, said pegasus only nodded her head, confirming the information Luna spoke. “I inquired with a friend from Ponyville for a patient flight instructor and she gave Ditzy a glowing recommendation.”
“Yup, Fluttershy’s a nice pony,” Ditzy closed her eyes as she nodded. “She babysits Dinky when I work. She likes her, too.”
“I… It’s a pleasure to meet you… Ditzy,” Octavia spoke the words carefully, fully aware how easily she was tripping over herself.
On one hoof, she knew full well how stupid it was for her to be speaking or acting in such a way. She’d been instructed since a young age how appearances are nothing more than a veil for who a pony truly was, like the case to a grand instrument. For her to be acting oddly around Ditzy was nothing short of rude. But on the other hoof, she had no idea how she should act around the wall-eyed pegasus.
“You can call me Derpy,” Ditzy’s almost chipper tone brought Octavia right back. “Most other ponies do.”
“Are you… alright with that?” Most foals would realize the mockery that came with a name such as Derpy. Ditzy, on the other hoof, only seemed to smile with her mismatched gaze. She even giggled at the question.
“It makes them smile.” With her simple answer, she turned her head, gazing in some manner at another object in the garden. One of her eyes must have caught her, a bright smile pulling at her lips as she did.
Without so much as a word of warning, the pegasus flapped her wings, pulling herself into the air as she looked over a low hanging tree. She settled on it easily, staring at a particularly ripe piece of fruit. Octavia stared up at her, Luna still smiling just beside her.
“Princess,” Octavia began. “I am not one to question your judgement, but…” She let the question hang. She knew Luna was wise, so finishing an open statement such as hers would not be difficult, though she was afraid Luna might take offense. Octavia was glad her suspicions were false.
“I understand your hesitance to learn from one such as Ditzy, as she is not the most… focused of mares. But,” Luna looked directly at Octavia now. Her calm smile was still in place, preventing her words from being barbed. “She is a devoted mother of a unicorn filly, and a single mother as well. She has patience on a level most other ponies could never bear and empathy that only the young Fluttershy could possibly compare to.”
Octavia continued to look up at Ditzy, who was currently pulling at the fruit from the tree with both of her hooves. It remained stubbornly in place, despite the now powerful flexions of her wings. Octavia had to admit, as animated as the pegasus’s attempt was at getting the fruit, the tree was holding onto it rather tightly.
With a light snap, the pegasus was sent tumbling backwards in the air. A momentary sense of panic overcame Octavia, her mind’s eye seeing the pegasus impacting the unforgiving ground. Her fear was, thankfully, needless.
After a few short and quick flips through the air, the Ditzy righted herself, flapping her wings as she held her prize fruit in her hooves. She bite into it like an eager filly.
“She is, also, a highly skilled flier.” Octavia’s head lowered to the ground, shame overtaking her once more. Luna noticed near-immediately. “Octavia, what is wrong?”
“I’m sorry, your highness, I am,” Octavia apologized before she spoke her reasoning. “I… I didn’t think highly of Ditzy when I first saw her. Her appearance was all I saw.” Admitting it aloud only seemed to strengthen the disappointment in herself.
“There is nothing to forgive.” The words shocked Octavia. She was sure that if any pony would call fault for assuming based upon appearances, it would be the Princess of the Night, the once-banished princess. Though, when the younger alicorn looked up, all she saw was the same smiling, understanding features of the dark alicorn. “You did not see fault or shame, you merely did not see her as majestic. There are many ponies, myself included, that would be thankful to be seen in such a way.”
A sigh left Octavia’s lips. Her wings drifted down with the action nearly brushing against the grass as she did. Luna’s words were quite relieving.
“You okay, Octavia?” The question came just above the gray alicorn, and she lifted her head to see the speaker.
She came nose to nose with Ditzy, staring at her those same two mismatched eyes.
Octavia let out a small yelp of surprise, backing up at the sudden intrusion of her space. Her wings lifted and pushed against the air, aiding her in her retreat. Unfortunately, the combination of their size, strength, and still lack of knowledge on how to use them made her retreat more of a tumble.
“Gah!” Octavia let out a muffled cry as she fell backwards, landing only for her momentum to carry around like a wheel. She felt flowers being crushed beneath her body and more than a few stray blades of grass tangling in her mane. She was only glad it was a short fall, as she stopped turning after a single spin.
Octavia landed ungracefully on her stomach, limbs flailed out and wings splayed on the grass. She groaned inwardly, tucking her head down. Not only had she put herself into such an embarrassing position, she had done it in front of Princess Luna and a mare that barely knew her. She doubtlessly looked like a fool.
The laughter that came from above her didn’t help.
“Ha ha ha! That looked fun!” Octavia could tell it was Ditzy that was speaking to her, but she honestly couldn’t tell how sincere the mare was. “You looked like my little Dinky when she’s playing. She laughs a lot when she plays.” The words, thankfully, bent her sincerity in a more positive light. However, Octavia wasn’t sure what made her feel more uncomfortable: being compared to a foal, or feeling like one
Weakly, she looked up, preparing for the gold-maned mare’s close proximity. Though Ditzy was nearly eye to eye with her now, she was not as shocked as she was before.
The mare had one of her miss-directed eyes on her, staring at Octavia as if they had known each other for years. It felt oddly similar to how she first met Vinyl, though the unicorn was a little conscious of personal space, at least for first meetings. Ditzy didn’t seem to have that.
Octavia’s mind halted slightly as she saw Ditzy’s small grin turn downwards.
“Oh no,” the mare let out in almost childish voice. “Your mane is all bad.” Octavia didn’t know how to process that.
“I…I-I beg your pardon?” Ditzy either ignored her or didn’t hear. She suspected the former. The gray pegasus was already maneuvering around her, stopping only when she was by Octavia’s side. Settling herself on the ground, Derpy unfolded her wings, reaching them towards Octavia.
The gray alicorn remained still, caught between being perplexed and cautious. Carefully, like a spring breeze, she felt the feathers of the pegasi reach through her long mane, rubbing through them daintily. Each careful pull of the feathers massaged Octavia’s scalp, soothing her nerves and straightening her mane. For a few moments, nopony moved as Octavia let Ditzy slowly stroke the feathers through her mane. It was the most relaxed she had felt in a while.
“Dinky likes it when I do this, too.” Ditzy spoke in motherly tone to Octavia. The gray alicorn was surprised at the mature, even motherly tone coming from her. What she said next affirmed her curiosities. “She gets dirty a lot at school. She likes it when I clean her up. It helps her sleep, too.”
“You… You are quite skilled at this,” Octavia spoke the most complimentary yet restrained words she could think of. It was honestly a challenge at this point not to fall asleep.
A voice suddenly spoke up from beside her.
“Relaxing, is it not?” And just like that, Octavia was wide awake again.
She bolted up right, rising to her hooves in a flash. A small yelp of surprise was sputtered from behind her, and now it was Octavia’s turn to see Ditzy laying on the ground, her wall-eyes looking up in surprise.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Ditzy!” Octavia earnestly replied as she extended a hoof to the pegasus. Said mare blinked before she took the hoof, grinning up at Octavia as she did so.
“It’s okay,” she replied. “I’m okay. And you look pretty again, so everything is okay!” It was, once more, a childish thing to say, but Octavia took in stride. She smiled lightly in return.
“Yes… and I thank you for it.” The kind words only made Ditzy beam brighter, her eyes shutting to extend the range her mouth could grin. Turning back to the Princess of the Night, Octavia saw Luna smiling down at her, an expression the gray alicorn was becoming thankful to see.
“I am glad that you two are becoming fast friends.” Octavia could tell immediately that it was another modern phrase Luna was attempting to use properly. It was a good attempt, but with her manner of speaking it fell a little flat. “It will make the coming lessons easier to process.”
“Of course,” Octavia agreed. “Lessons learned from peers are far more effective than those learned from an unpleasant teacher.”
“That’s a funny word, peer.” Ditzy giggled at the word as she spoke, Octavia gave the pegasus a curious eye. She saw one of the mare’s wall-eyes looking at her. She didn’t know where the other was looking. “Sounds like something that should be on the water, or maybe that soft fruit Dinky likes. They taste sweet.” It took Octavia a moment to realize what Derpy was speaking of.
“Oh,” the gray alicorn let out. “You mean a pear.” Ditzy nodded her head excitedly at the word.
“Yup, she loves them. Can’t have a breakfast without one.” Octavia watched as a serene smile pulled at the mare’s lips. She didn’t have to guess to figure she was recalling a fond memory. “It’s nice to have things you like. They make the hard things easier to deal with.”
Octavia could find no fault in those words.
“Before we verge further from the matter at hoof,” Luna began, earning the attention of the two gray mares. “I believe we should begin the lessons now, as long as you are properly prepared.” Octavia found the princess’s eyes on her, but she could find no reason to shirk nor shy away. Instead, she felt warm beneath the kind gaze.
“It can be tough learning something new,” Ditzy warned Octavia in an undeniably maternal tone. It was the kind of hoof-waving voice her mother would have given her were she a couple of decades younger. Octavia suspected for a moment that Derpy may very well be seeing her akin to her little Dinky, but she reminded herself the mare was sight challenged, not hallucinating. “You have to make sure you stick with it, even when it gets rough. Do you think you can do it?”
“Absolutely,” Octavia replied, already sure of herself. She smiled to both Ditzy and Luna, noting the proud stance of the latter and prepared stance of the former. “I have never shied away from a climb because the hill may be steep, and I do not intend to start now.”
“Wise words, and confident ones as well,” Luna spoke in agreement with Octavia. She was nodding her head towards the younger alicorn, dark form silhouetted by the sun. “I look forward to the coming lessons.”
“Same here!” Ditzy gave a small cheer from between the two alicorns. “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to treat every boo boo you get.” Octavia smiled at the good-natured words of the pegasus. Derpy beamed back at her, wall-eyes looking in two different directions from one another.
“Do not fret,” Octavia spoke with an air of confidence. “I am sure I will get this.”
Octavia was not getting it.
Two weeks.
Two long and hard weeks of practice under the sun from midday to dusk and she had yet to do any more than lift herself off the air. She still floundered about like a fish out of water, near flipping at any moment she attempted to right herself, and hitting the ground far more than once.
To be specific, she had crashed into a tree, slammed into the ground, managed to trip over more than stray cloud in the air, caught her mane in at least a dozen tree limbs, and plummeted to the dirt after an unsuccessful writing no less than three dozen times.
At least Ditzy was true to her word on treating her boo boos. When she got back home after the first day, Vinyl very nearly thought Octavia had been mugged. It was humorous in a morbid sort of way, but the cellist was quickly beginning to miss the tasks that came with her magic training.
At least the most pain she experienced in magic was a momentary headache. Right now, for example, Octavia was barely hanging in the air; her wings feeling as if they had deadweights tied to them and her coat damp with enough sweat to make her look as if she had climbed her way out of a swimming pool.
If Vinyl were there, she would have doubtlessly been laughing her pretty purple glasses off. Octavia, on the other hand, was not so entertained.
“You have to relax,” Ditzy instructed Octavia. She was hanging in the air with a steady beat of her wings, Luna looking down at them both from a dark cloud above them. Octavia was still irregularly moving her wings, twisting from side to side as she attempted to right herself.
“Here, just take a deep breath.” Ditzy mimicked her words, taking a large gulp of air in before breathing it out. Her chest expanded and shrunk with the movements, head rising with every intake, then lowering with every exhale. Her wings never missed a beat.
Octavia’s attempt to copy the act resulted in only a rapid pace breathing, more akin to a hyperventilation then meditation. Ditzy shook her head, pouting her lips as she did so.
“No, no, you got to take deep breaths.” She emphasized the words before performing the action again. “Deep breaths, like you just saw your crush in the shower!”
That was enough for Octavia to suck in a breath of air. Unfortunately, she lacked the ability to release it.
She felt her wings tighten up once more, deprived of oxygen for a millisecond too long, and the ground was rushing up to embrace her again. The fledgling alicorn shut her eyes, flexing her already-tight muscles before she felt in the impact of the ground.
However, after a few moments passed by without the familiar impact of a fall, she opened her eyes to see herself suspended in a curtain of magic. She sighed, already knowing again what had happened.
“You have enough contusions upon your form already,” the formal voice of Luna spoke. The dark alicorn hovered to the ground not a moment later, gracefully ending her short flight with a small trot of her hooves. She stopped when she was but a foreleg’s reach from the suspended mare. Luna’s horn was alight with the same dark blue magic as the ethereal net Octavia was caught in. “There is no need to add another.”
“Thank you Luna,” Octavia spoke honestly, but tiredly. She was not enjoying being caught in such a manner, not after the eleventh time the princess had taken it upon her to save her from more welts. “I do appreciate it.”
“Are you okay?” Ditzy joined the pair not a moment later. Her head flicked momentarily to move her golden mane out of one of her skewed eyes. Apparently it was the eye that was trying to look at them. Her look was absolutely sheepish. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t so much scare me as you did startle me Ditzy,” Octavia had a calm smile on her lips as she spoke to the gray pegasus. She settled her hooves on the ground as Luna cast her magic aside. “Honestly, of all the things to say, I least expected you to say that.”
“You are improving though,” Ditzy offered in return through a giggle. “You don’t need me or Luna to lift you up. That’s good, right?” Octavia nodded, agreeing with the words.
“Yes, that it is a bit reassuring.” The gray alicorn agreed as she unfolded her wings, turning her head to gaze at them. Outside of her vision, Luna and Ditzy did much the same.
“The strength in yours wings is vastly improving, young Octavia,” Luna offered honestly and kindly. “As we have said, the hardest part of this would be developing the limbs. It is difficult to maintain flight if your muscles do not have the strength to lift you.”
“Yes, well…” Octavia began and rolled off, unsure of where she was going to go with her words.
True as the princess had spoken, her wings had grown to an almost observable degree. They were the same in size, no further out from her body nor taller in appearance, but they were more defined. The once-thin, almost atrophied muscles that sat beneath her coat were now pushing outward, displaying the increased strength in the new limbs.
She gave the pair of feathery appendages a few flaps, feeling the ground beneath her feet momentarily leave her at the force they generated. It was a far cry from the almost hurricane-like winds Luna could generate, but it was enough to make Octavia smile at the accomplishment. If nothing else, she could at least control the fowled wings.
Octavia blinked as a stubborn drop of sweat swam down her forehead and into her eye, making the mare twist her head and blink in discomfort. Her wings folded themselves back against her body as she did so. She heard Ditzy ask a question, but it was only then that Octavia realized her ears were folded against her head. She must have looked quite uncomfortable.
It took only a small amount of time for her to think of her cello, imagining the precious instrument singing through her mind. In tandem with the notes, her gray magic began to reach outwards, wrapping around her coat like a dry blanket. She shut her eyes to both concentrate and prevent any more pellets from dripping into her gaze.
The notes in her mind began to rise across the chords, ascending from a low C to a high D. As it did, the magic about her spiraled, picking up the stray amounts of sweat that glistened on her coat. She could feel the moisture leave her, returning Octavia Melody to her usual and well-refined appearance. Nonetheless, her muscles still hurt.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the miss-matched gaze of Ditzy less than a breath’s length from her own. Octavia sighed, already too used to the sudden invasion of space to be very affected.
“That was amazing, Octavia!” The pegasus complemented, no damper on her excitement. “You made your magic go all ‘whooooosh’ around you then ‘poff’, you’re dry!” The mare sat on her back haunches, pushing her forelimbs into the air as she finished her statement. Oddly enough, Octavia appreciated the childlike description of her magic. It was almost preferred in a way to the overanalyzing, yet enthusiastic monologue Princess Twilight might give her.
“I must admit, young Octavia, the way you conduct your magic is fairly unique.” Octavia looked to Luna and gave a small, but respectful bow of her head. She knew well enough by now how little Luna appreciated such signs from her friends, but this was different. Octavia was bowing out of thanks, not respect… or… wait…
“Conduct, your highness?” The word was not improper, it was merely odd. She had never heard Vinyl, Twilight, or even Princess Celestia once refer to using magic as conducting. They called it calling, directing, at best performing, but never conducting. A knowing, yet kind, smile pull at Luna’s features.
“Indeed, conducting,” Luna repeated the word. “You do not perform your magic as my sister or her students would expect. They trace what they wish to do in their mind, pushing it to reality. You,” Luna gestured towards Octavia with an upturned hoof. “You let your magic guide you, listening to it instead of commanding it.”
It was impossible for Octavia to ignore the way Princess Luna was speaking. It was not of wisdom, conjecture built upon observation. She was speaking purely from experience.
“Prin… Luna,” Octavia corrected herself for the dark alicorn. “Do you perform magic like me?”
“I do,” Luna almost whispered with her smile, looking prideful for both herself and the younger alicorn. “The distinction between my sister and I is long and deep, down even to how we fundamentally use our magic. She learned one method, and I learned another.” Octavia knew the diarch was deviating from an answer, yet she couldn’t seem to care. It felt as if she was being told an ancient story. She likely was.
“Is it story time?” Ditzy spoke from behind the gray alicorn in a whisper. Whether it be due to Octavia’s numb shock or an example of the motherly tone of the pegasus, Octavia didn’t jump or flinch. Instead, she dumbly shook her head up and down. Luna giggled lightly above them. Ditzy nodded. “That’s good. Dinky likes new stories.”
With as much ceremony as the pegasus had displayed thus far, Ditzy settled on the grass, staring up at the princess like a foal being tucked into bed. Luna lowered herself to the grass as well, tucking her legs beneath her carriage comfortably. In a moment, Octavia joined and all ponies laid in a comfortable circle. Octavia continued to stare at Luna expectantly, curious. The princess chuckled softly, either entertained by the accepting nature of the pegasus or slightly amused by the still dumbstruck Octavia.
“My sister and I grew together, as most all siblings do,” Luna began the story, foregoing any introduction. “Our lessons were learned passively, through more observation and practice than lectures and rules. We would watch the unicorns guide the celestial orbs, watch the pegasi wrestle the sky, and watch the earth ponies tame the earth. We watched, without ever being taught.” Octavia couldn’t ignore how well practiced Luna was with storytelling. She was completely engrossed. Then again, she couldn’t tell if that was because of the story or the princess herself.
“My sister and I would practice with each other, and only each other. We would stretch our wings and attempt to take flight, struggle to light our horns, then practice digging our hooves into the earth.” The ghost of a smile flittered over Luna’s features. It was replaced quickly by her small grin. Octavia’s eyes were quick enough to catch it. She questioned whether Ditzy’s were.
“My sister was the first to cast magic, able to pull a tree from its roots with but a flick of her head. I can still perfectly recall the joy on her face.” Even as she said it, Octavia could see the diarch’s eyes reliving the fond memory. “Yet, no matter how long she attempted to train me, I was unable to mimic the act.” And just like the smile from before, Octavia saw the phantom of a frown. It was gone before she could blink.
“But you’re good at magic now,” Dinky declared with her own broad grin. Her wall-eyes were shut, presumably to make her bright smile show even more. “You must have practiced extra hard.” Luna smiled down at the pegasus appreciatively.
“That I did, young Ditzy, but it did me little good.” Now Dinky’s smile disappeared, replaced by a confused puckering of her lips. Octavia practically mirrored the response, her head tilted slightly in bewilderment. “No matter the number of hours or days I practiced, I was not able to repeat my sister’s act. Her words encouraged me, but her pity deterred me.” Octavia knew the feeling well.
“As I continued to struggle with my magic, my sister strove forwards into fields beyond me. She took to the skies as if she owned them, moved the land as if she bore it, and ruled over the magic with but passing thoughts. While I struggled to lift a tree, she began to spin the sun about the land.” The dark alicorn’s eyes gazed into the sky as she spoke. Octavia didn’t need to burn her cornia’s to know what Luna was looking at. Ditzy, however, followed the diarch’s gaze. Octavia passively assumed only one of the pegasus’s eyes would be harmed, to her amusement.
“But,” Luna spoke, poorly hiding a proud smile. “I was able to one day lift that tree, as well as move the moon above. It was on that day that I received my Cutie Mark, my recognition of accomplishment. And I received it not by following in the path of my sister, but by carving my own path into the realm of magic.” Octavia’s eyes shot open when she realized what the princess meant.
“You didn’t guide the magic, you let the magic guide you,” Octavia shot a hoof to her mouth only a moment after she spoke. It was hardly greater than a murmur, but so trained was she to remain silent during a performance or speech, that the very idea of interrupting was abhorrent to her. A hot blush ran through her muzzle realized what she had done.
Yet, as she gazed up at Luna with worried eyes, the diarch looked down on her with a benevolent smile. She may have been the princess of the night and stars, but Octavia felt herself warmed under the kind gaze.
“Yes, you are correct,” Luna spoke with pridefully. “My sister’s instructions were based around the understanding of magic, the mastery of it, before conquering it. Like the sun that she now commands, she directed the magic to spin around her. But such a path was not the way for my magic… and so it seems, is the same for you.”
“Why not?” Ditzy honestly asked beside the pair. Her miss-directed eyes looked at Octavia curiously, wondering a question that the gray alicorn couldn’t hear. But then, almost suddenly, a look of surprise appeared on the pegasus’s features. “Are you and the princess sisters?”
It was the question of a foal. An honest, insulting, but horribly obvious question. It nonetheless made Octavia gape at the pegasus as if she were struck.
“Wha… No! No no no no no, no.” Octavia waved her hooves rapidly in denial before finally crossing them over her chest like a poor colt’s shield. The mare steeled herself as if she were about to perform a recital, making sure Ditzy had her eyes, both of her eyes, only on her. “No, Princess Luna and I share no such relations. She is one of the princesses of Equestria, who has graced me enough to aide in this tribulation of myself.” Despite the strength of her words, Ditzy only adopted an almost teasing grin.
“You sound like my Dink,” Ditzy giggled into her hooves as she spoke. Her laughter only grew in volume as Octavia’s coat turned scarlet. “You do! You’re acting just like her!” Ditzy started to playfully accuse the gray alicorn, pointing her hoof like a foal.
Octavia was used to childish barbs and cajoles, growing up in a city where foals were often spoiled and let loose to play. She was not used to such taunts coming from those who were nearly equal to her in age, however.
Beyond that, she was certainly not used to being quite so embarrassed by those taunts.
“That is enough, young Ditzy,” Luna spoke easily to the gray pegasus, the authorative tone undeniable in her voice. It made Derpy silence herself almost immediately. Octavia was wholeheartedly thankful. “I thank you for your aide today, but I believe the night is soon to come and we must part ways.” The words made the mail mare’s golden eyes widen.
“Oh! Dinky will be home soon!” Without another word, Ditzy took to the air, turning around and beginning to fly from the garden. She passed over a tree before she stopped herself spinning in mid-air with the aid of her wings. Hanging in the air, she started to wave her hoof at the two alicorns, a bright and cheerful that seemed to be made just for her face.
“Bye-Bye! See you tomorrow!” And with that, the gray pegasus disappeared beyond the castle walls.
“She is an excellent teacher.” Octavia complemented the now-absent pegasus. “I am thankful once more to you for finding her.”
“As am I, for I doubt I would have known the small skills she is so adept at expressing.” Luna turned towards Octavia, smiling at her as she had done nearly all day long. “But, I must now depart as well. The time is near to raise the moon, and I must take my post in the court.”
“Of course,” Octavia spoke easily. “I cannot thank you enough for helping me like this. I doubt I’ll ever be able to express it fully in words.” Luna’s soft chuckling was a pleasant sound to Octavia’s ears.
“Words have more limitations than ponies are aware to accept.” The diarch agreed cryptically. “For the many words of every language, there will always be things they cannot express nor explain. At those times, it becomes the task of heart, not the mind, to understand the feelings of another.”
Octavia smiled up at the taller princess. Luna smiled down at the younger alicorn in return. They simply looked at one another for a moment, until Luna spoke up.
“Until tomorrow, young Octavia.”With a small bow to the cellist, she continued, “I grant you safe dreams, and look forward to tomorrow’s training.”
“I will see you then, your majesty,” Octavia returned, bowing in return to the princess. She turned then, soft and carefully enough to not appear rude or dismissive.
She could hear the bustle of the castle employees inside the hall, moving about in a change of shifts doubtlessly. Lights were being turned, candles rotated for time, drapes being drawn, and many other small tasks performed all at once. It seemed like a play in itself, watching the castle change in a practiced dance.
Octavia looked back at Luna, seeing the dark alicorn watching her departure. She was still smiling, a warm expression that she had an inkling was practiced to perfection. Octavia doubted it was a mask, not like the façade she wore on the throne in the face of requests and permissions. It was too relaxed, too at ease, to be anything but genuine.
Octavia decided to be just as genuine in return.
“Luna,” the cellist called the princess name, foregoing all honorifics. “I couldn’t be happier to have you teaching me.” With that statement, the gray alicorn left, walking through the castle as she set out for home.
Octavia did not see Luna blush.
Octavia was tired. So very, very tired.
Octavia closed and locked the door to her apartment with a quick display of her magic, setting aside the cello in her head when she was finished. She pulled the heavy coat off of her back, nearly flicking the hat from her head. Both weighed heavily upon her, and the trot from Canterlot Castle to her home was what she would call a short one.
Her wings expanded outwards, free to feel the air again. It was a stale air, and that she knew, but it still felt far better than the cramped space of the heavy overcoat. Yet, despite its size, she did have to thank Vinyl for it.
Walking around Canterlot with only a robe or cloak would elicit far more conversation than a mare wearing too much. The hat was also a load to bear, but she could not very well explain to a passerby who recognized her where her new horn had appeared from.
Then again, she still had little idea on where her horn had come from.
Octavia let out a small sigh as she let that idea run through her mind for a moment, not particularly favoring the idea of being in the dark of her own condition. She trotted into her apartment, adjusting a few odds and ends Vinyl had doubtlessly altered during her quick departure or lazy entrance. She made a mess no matter how she entered somewhere.
It was, however, a facet of her friend that Octavia was thankful for. True, the clutter may have provided some extra levitation practice for her. But, the messiness, or perhaps the disorganization, was a reminder of who Vinyl was to Octavia, an unexpected abnormality.
In a life that had been about decorum, posture, and display, it was a wet towel to the face to meet a mare like Vinyl. Brash, rude, and sometimes inane, the unicorn was everything that Octavia wasn’t. Except, perhaps, for kind...
Where Vinyl truly a repugnant mare, Octavia doubted she would have made it so far as a week in the apartment before begging her parents to allow her to stay with them. Yet, Vinyl wasn’t like that. She took an interest in Octavia, listening and judging her music honestly. She encouraged her to try new pieces, even when tradition said otherwise. She was a mare full of boundless energy, something that her traditional pieces dictated must be measured.
A small pulled at Octavia’s lips, her way of thanking the princesses once again for the chance to have a friend like Vinyl.
She knew Scratch was out for the night, likely at another gig in another bar she had never heard or understood the name of, but such was the way of the unicorn’s career. Where Octavia could only perform with royally-recognized symphonies and orchestras, Vinyl would jump from bar to bar like a frog would lily pads.
The idea of a Vinyl changed into a frog, glasses and all, made Octavia snicker to herself. Still, as encouraging as her friend was, she was equally glad to have had such a time with Princess Luna.
If she were to admit to another about her condition at an earlier time, she would have doubted she’d ever be as close to the princess as she was now. At best, the dark alicorn would know her name from the pamphlet of an orchestra’s score, or from her solo piece above an enraptured audience.
Even at the end of her dream career, the princesses were never supposed to be more than another goal post for her to reach, a position of power she wanted to recognize her. Like the conductor of the choir or the banker of the orchestra, they were never mares Octavia thought much of aside from their title.
She regretted ever thinking that way with all her heart.
Luna had done more for her than she could have imagined. Excusing her from her orchestra practice under the guise of personal performances. Orchestrating herself trainers for the newly-made alicorn in all fields Octavia was unfamiliar with. Telling her about the past of the royal sisters as if it were just another foal’s bedtime tale. And, most importantly of all, never once losing patience for the stumbling mare that was Octavia Melody.
Said mare sighed, realizing that her mind was still a mess. The fatigue of the day was truly weighing down on her, and there was only one true cure for it.
Her hooves clopped lightly across the apartment floor, reaching her bedroom door in a short period of time. Her hoof raised itself, flicking open the door handle with ease. Octavia mused for a moment that she should probably have used her magic, as the best way to master the art was to master its use for the simpler of tasks. She did recall Princess Luna doing everything from adjusting clouds to raising the moon with her magic. It made sense that Octavia herself should have at least managed a door by now.
Sweeping the thought away, Octavia trotted into her room, watching the pale moonlight seep into her room through the half closed blinds. Her favorite possession, her masterfully carved cello, sat proudly in the corner of the room, still as pristine as the moment she had last played it, only this morning.
Octavia reminded herself to practice the 18th 3rd Overture in tomorrow morning before she met with Ditzy and Luna again. The cello’s part in it was short and sweet, much like the pieces she would need to perform magic for mundane tasks. She couldn’t very well perform a symphony for every magical act she did. It would turn the grand display into a boring melancholy. The thought of that was unacceptable.
The gray alicorn slipped into her bed, feeling the plush mattress beneath her conform to her slightly larger shape. She bristled at the idea of gaining weight, but brushed it aside with her wings. Added appendages were supposed to add weight… at least when one planned on gaining them.
Octavia let the worries slide away as she rested her head on the pillow, a small sigh escaping her lips as she did so. They day was done and she needed rest. Now felt like the perfect time for a good night’s sleep.
Octavia opened her eyes just a hair, looking down at the sheets near the end of her bed. A small grin pulled at her lips as she focused a quick piece in her mind, a small cello addition to Hoofcowski’s Fifth Rhapsody. Maybe eight notes in total, whole note measures, it should have been enough to lift blankets up, over, and on top of Octavia.
Listening to the first note sing through her mind, Octavia let her magic follow the tune. She felt her ethereal force grasp the sheets, holding them steady. As the next few notes played, she heard both their low vibrations echoing through her mind as well as the sheets rustling above her.
Opening her eyes, Octavia saw the top sheet and comforter of her bed hovering above her, waving lightly in her….
The alicorn yelped, jumping from her bed, as the music cut and died off.
The sheets fell on top of the mattress, making hardly a sound as they flattened out. Octavia was on the ground, staring at her bed as if it had attempted to eat her. Breathing heavy, eyes wide, and mind racing.
It wasn’t the sheets that had scared her; she had lost her fear of the dark decades ago. There was no spider or stray fly in the room, as it was thankfully too dark to so much as notice them. What had shocked her, what had terrified her, was her own magic.
Her magic was no longer a dull gray.
Now her gray aura was tinged an aqua blue.