Octavia stood with her cello in one hoof, her bow in the other. She was on top of an alter to the sun, a cherry blossom on one side on her, an old ruined gateway on her other side. She was playing a piece on her cello, her eyes closed, letting her mind flow with the music. She stopped and sighed, remembering why she came.
~~~
Octavia finished the piece she was playing for the three judges in front of her. She was in an audition for the Canterlot Fair to become part of the orchestra. One of the biggest and well-know orchestras in Equestria. She stood with her cello and waited for their judgement. They each looked at each other before focusing on the young cellist. A smile formed on each of their mouths as they lifted their signs.
"Ten!"
"Ten!"
"Ten!"
"Miss Philharmonica, that is some of the best playing we have ever heard! We can't wait to hear you at the fair!"
"Outstanding!"
Octavia beamed at her perfect score and the judges compliments. She thanked the judges and left the stage. She was off to the Canterlot Fair in three days time. But, as she was putting her cello away, one of the judges came up to her, and she didn't exactly have a smile.
"Hello, Miss Philharmonica."
"Hello to you as well."
"Listen, your score was well enough to get you a spot in the Canterlot Fair and to part of the orchestra there and we all would have liked to hear you, but another young pony got a perfect score as well and we were wondering, since he's younger, that he go to the fair instead of you so he can get more experience."
Octavia was stunned. Give up her place? Then again, the other musician was younger, but she looked forward to this her whole life. She was finally given a spot in this orchestra, but know having to just to give it up? She smiled falsely and nodded.
"O-Of course, I think it's a... a lovely idea for him to get more experiance."
The judge smiled slowley. "Thank you, Miss Philharmonica. Sorry for the inconvenience."
~~~
Octavia sat in the Canterlot Train Station, playing her cello. She was trying to earn bits for a ticket. She needed to get out of town. Many ponies threw bits in her case, but some didn't even look her way. She prepared to play another piece when a sheet of paper made its way to the cello case. She looked up and her eyes meet a dark blue stallion. He smiled.
"Thank you, sir."
He nodded and walked off. Octavia gathered all the bits she made and put them in a small leather pouch. She packed her cello and boarded the train. She found an empty seat and sat down, watching the landscape move by as the train made its way out of Canterlot and off towards Ponyville. She drifted off to sleep after passing the main gate of the city.
~~~
Octavia woke up at a little after six in the morning, her eyes looking back outside. She saw something and what she did next was risky. "Stop the train, please!" She cried out. The entire train jolted as the breaks were put on. When the train stopped, Octavia grabbed her cello and got off. She walked over to the conductor in the front of the train. She handed him the leather pouch with the bits and apologized. She walked away.
"Miss! Will you be OK?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you."
The train rolled away and Octavia kept walking. When she stopped, she stood in front of what looked like an alter, stairs spiraling all the way up it. She began climbing the steps up to the top. When she reached the top, she passed by two parallel quartz pillars covered with vines, a third lying across the top of them. On the opposite side was a small cherry blossom, its pink leaves blowing slightly in the faint breeze. The entire top was a red sun resembling Celestia's cutie mark. She stood in the center and looked up at the sky, the stars over her sparkling like the finest of diamonds. She returned her gaze to her cello and smiled.
Octavia stood with her cello and began playing.
Octavia smiled and started again. She played with all her heart. She let her hooves slide the bow back and forth across the strings and to hold the cello in place. She was lost in playing, her eyes closed, tears rolling down her cheeks. She smiled and began singing. Her voice carried with the tune. It was just her and her cello. She played as the sun came up, shining brightly at the alter.
The flowers of the cherry blossom began flying off their branches, fluttering all around the cellist. She opened her eyes and in the sunlight there was, she noticed a lake behind the alter. It was all so beautiful.She slowly stopped her tune after a couple of minutes. She set her cello down gentaly and wiped the tears out of hr eyes. The sun was reflecting of the water, showing it's majestic blue color. She then lie down and looked up at the sky, watching as the stars disappeared. She smiled and rested her head in her hooves, the sun warming her back.
Her eyes gently closed. She didn't care to go home. She was no longer sad that she couldn't be in the Canterlot Fair's orchestra. She had everything she needed. She was able to relax now. Not everything had to work out. There was no rush, no pain, no tears. Just peace.
"Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them."
-Evening Star