//------------------------------// // Chapter 25: A Canterlot Wedding // Story: Fiddling with Her Heart // by Kevinltk //------------------------------// After the picnic, Octavia and her friends quickly scrambled to prepare for the wedding, and after only one day, they found themselves on the train to Canterlot. Most of her friends were still as energetic as when they first found out about their roles, running on the euphoria and anticipation for the celebration. Most of them were now sticking their heads out a window to either look at Ponyville shrink away or to watch their train’s ascent up the mountain to where Canterlot stood. “I still can’t believe it!” Rainbow Dash cheered. “A sonic rainboom? At a wedding? Can you say best wedding ever?!” With a big grin, Pinkie took in a deep breath and cried out, “Best wedding ever!”, eliciting a chuckle from her friends. Spike scoffed. “So you all get to help with the big fancy wedding, but I'm the one who gets to host the bachelor party!” he announced, pointing to himself with both of his claws and a smug grin on his face. His confidence quickly faded when he scratched his head. “Uh… I have just one question, what's a bachelor party?” A few ponies smirked and rolled their eyes as giggles filled the car. “Spike, a bachelor party is basically another party except it’s to celebrate the groom’s last days before he gets married,” Octavia explained. “Usually, it’s just among the groom’s friends, and the bride often does the same thing with her own friends.” “Yea, those parties can get pretty awesome,” said Rainbow Dash. “They can get pretty wild, if you know what I mean.” she added with a smirk while wagging her eyebrows. “The last one I went to was pretty cool. But after they brought out the—hey!” “Now, now,” Rarity chided, using her magic to toss a pillow into Rainbow’s face. “that’s enough out of you.” “I’ve thrown some parties like that,” remarked Pinkie. “Those were definitely some of the most wildest. We play lots of different games that are pretty funny.” “Yea,” Rainbow said, “it’s not like I was going to say they hired—” “Rainbow darling, I do so wish for you to not fill Spike Wikey’s head with such uncouth things,” Rarity stated with a glower on her face. “Whatever,” Rainbow replied with a huff, folding her forehooves across her chest. “Uh, I don’t really get what they’re talking about?” Spike asked. Octavia had a hoof over her mouth, trying to contain a giggle. She cleared her throat. “Maybe it’s better if you ask Twilight later.” Spike shrugged. “If you say so. Too bad she’s still kind of moody,” he remarked, pointing at the corner where Twilight was resting her chin on a hoof as she looked out the window with a sullen look. Octavia sighed and shook her head. Twilight was the only one out of all of them that was not enthusiastic about the upcoming event. Ever since yesterday, she pretty much stewed in her thoughts unless somepony talked to her. “Should we try talking to her again?” Octavia asked Applejack who was seated next to her. “Yea, this is supposed to be somethin’ she should be happy about,” Applejack replied, glancing at Twilight. The two of them looked at each other and nodded before making their way towards the sulking unicorn. “Why the long face, sugarcube?” Applejack asked as they approached Twilight. Twilight let out a big sigh. “I'm just thinking about Shining Armor. Even before I moved to Ponyville, we were seeing each other less and less due to his job as a royal guard. We were able to exchange a few letters, but eventually those stopped as well.” A small scowl appeared on her face. “And now that he's starting a new family with this Princess Mi Amore Ca-whatshername, we'll probably never see each other.” She let out another sigh and hung her head. “Come on now, you're his sister. He'll always make time for you,” Applejack assured. “Couldn't seem to make time to tell me he was getting married,” Twilight retorted with a frown. “You haven’t seen your brother for a long time. Do you really want to be angry at him when you finally see each other again?” asked Octavia. Twilight grumbled as she continued to gaze out the window. Octavia frowned and turned her head to Applejack. “Is there anything we can do for her? I’ve never seen her so upset,” she whispered. “Ah dunno. Ah’m startin’ to think she’s gonna be like this until she sees her brother.” “We're here, we're here!” Pinkie suddenly announced. Just as Octavia and Applejack turned arond, a translucent wall of pink quickly passed through the car. Octavia winced as it swept over her. Her whole body tingled as a brief chill went up her spine. She noticed all her friends were also shaking off the effects of the odd sensation. “What was that?” she asked. “Just a shielding spell,” Twilight bluntly informed as she quickly gathered her belongings. “Let’s get moving. I have something I really need to take care of.” “Whoa, what's with all the guards?” Rainbow Dash asked, peeking out the door. Octavia’s eyes slightly widened when she looked out the window. She easily recognized the gold-plated armor and helmets of the royal guard on the twenty or so burly stallions rsolutely standing either on the train platform or on the roof overlooking them. Many of them were staring at the train with their patented steadfast faces and spears at the ready. Turning around, she saw that they had passed through a slowly-closing hole in a giant, shimmering wall of pink. The barrier reached high up into the sky before arcing across the city. The entirety of Canterlot must have been under the massive shield. “I'm sure they're just taking the necessary precautions,” Rarity reassured as they got off the train. “Royal weddings do bring out the strangest ponies.” Pinkie sneezed, spraying out a cloud of confetti and streamers. Rarity rolled her eyes. “Now, let's get going! We've got work to do!” “And you've got a big brother to go congratulate,” Applejack said, looking back at Twilight. “Yeah. Congratulate,” Twilight spat as she stormed past the guards. “And then give him a piece of my mind.” Octavia looked back at her other friends. “Should we go after her?” “Ah think it’s best we leave her be for the time bein’. She really needs to have some time alone with her brother to sort things out,” Applejack remarked. “Besides, she can take care of herself. She lived here since she was just a filly.” “Well, somepony still has to keep an eye on her.” Spike sighed and shrugged. “The things I do for that mare. What would she do without me?” he asked before running off after the unicorn. “We’ll catch up with you two after we make a quick stop at my house,” Octavia shouted at the dragon before he got too far away. She then turned to give the rest of her friends a small smile. “Anyway, shall we head to my place?” “Oh, I would love to see your house, if that’s alright with you,” Fluttershy replied with a smile of her own. “It would be wonderful if we could freshen up a bit before we head to the castle,” Rarity said. Applejack chuckled. “After all your time at my place, it’s about time I get to crash yours.” “Knowing you, please refrain from doing any actual crashing in my house,” Octavia dryly warned before leading her friends towards her home. Along the way back, she noticed that the train station was not the only place where security was increased. Having spent a good part of her life in Canterlot, Octavia was not unfamiliar with the occasional sight of the capitol’s royal guard, but seeing countless pairs of guards patrolling the streets as she made her way back home was certainly an odd sight. It took a bit longer to travel through the city because Rarity could not help but stop every now and then when she passed a display window that caught her eye, but Octavia finally found herself standing in front of her home. She let out a giggle when she noticed all of her friends were looking up at her house with their jaws hanging slightly agape. Rainbow let out a long whistle. “This is your place? Nice.” “There are a couple of pleasant perks for being a rather famous musician,” Octavia pointed out as she unlocked the door and bade her friends inside. “My goodness,” Rarity muttered, slowly looking over the fine furniture and decorations. “You have quite the collection.” “Yea, from the looks of it you must be swimming in bits,” Pinkie remarked. A light blush appeared on Octavia’s face. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far. While it’s true that I have accumulated a fair amount of money over the years, what you see is more of just a show. I don’t care too much for extravagance. It’s mainly meant to help me fit in with my clients.” She glanced down at the ground. “I hope it does not look like I’m showing off.” Applejack grinned and threw a hoof around Octavia’s neck. “Aww, don’t worry about that, sugarcube. We know that you aren’t like most of those prissy types that live here.” Octavia smiled. “Thanks. Come, make yourself at home,” she said, leading her friends to the living room. “Would anypony like something to eat or drink? I’m sure I can quickly scrounge up something.” “Yea, I could go for some grub,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I would like a bit to drink if that’s too not trouble,” Fluttershy added. “May I use your washroom, darling?” Rarity asked. “I need to do a bit of touchup on myself.” “Sure,” Octavia replied, turning to point up the stairs. “It’s just upstairs and to your right.” “Thank you, darling,” Rarity said as she left the room. Octavia turned around and a small frown appeared on her face. She stared through half-lidded eyes at Pinkie who was now merely an inch away from her and had an eager smile on her face. “Is there something you need, Pinkie?” Octavia asked in a monotone voice. “So… you said we could have a party at your place…” Pinkie reminded, her voice full of anticipation. Octavia rolled her eyes. “I suppose that’s true.” Her eyes widened when Pinkie somehow pulled out her party cannon from her mane. “Wait!” she cried out right before the cannon went off. Pinkie turned her head back towards her and cocked it. “What?” Octavia sighed. “While it’s alright for you to throw a party here, do keep in mind that we need to head to the castle before it gets too late, so please keep it simple. I also would appreciate it if no explosives or siege weapons went off in my house.” Pinkie let out a small huff and stuffed the cannon back in her mane. “Fine…” “Think of it this way, whatever you were planning for here can be done many times better at the wedding reception,” Octavia offered with a smile. Pinkie gasped. “You’re right! I can just combine them! It would be a party in a bigger party, making it an even bigger party!” Octavia chuckled. “With that settled, let me see what refreshments I have,” she remarked as she went to the kitchen. “Ah’ll help you out,” Applejack offered, following right behind her. “Let’s see, I haven’t been gone too long,” Octavia said as she went to a cupboard. “I should have plenty…” Octavia cocked her head and furrowed her eyebrows when she opened the cupboard. The shelves were bare. A quick inspection of the other cabinets and cupboards led to the same result. “That’s odd. I know I had plenty of snacks lying around before I went to Ponyville.” “Uh, sugarcube, Ah think you should take a look at this,” said Applejack with a small smirk on her face. She was pointing to a note that was hanging on her refrigerator door. Octavia slightly raised one of her eyebrows, glancing at her friend before reading the note. Dear Octavia, Since I did not know when you were going to be back, I took the liberty of raiding cleaning your kitchen for you. It would not do if you came back to a house full of expired food. No need to thank me for my selfless deed. Fancy Pants PS: Like always, your choice in coffee is always delightful. Octavia crammed both of her forehooves into her face. “I will never figure out what goes on in that blasted head of his.” Applejack snickered. “Ah knew Ah was gonna like that stallion when you introduced us at Twi’s birthday party.” “I need to make sure to give him my thanks the next time I see him.” “At least he was kind of helpin’ you out.” Octavia stared at Applejack through half-lidded eyes. “Like your so called assistance in waking me up?” “Yep!” Octavia groaned. “I swear, both of you are helping me just to fulfill your sadistic pleasures.” “That’s what friends are for,” Applejack proudly proclaimed. “I need new friends,” Octavia dryly replied as they exited the kitchen. At least she did not have to worry about her friends’ needs go unfulfilled. In the few moments that she was in the kitchen, a plate of cookies and a bowl of punch had appeared on the living room table. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity were enjoying the impromptu party as Pinkie finished blowing up a few balloons. “I’m sorry, but it appears I don’t have anything after all,” Octavia apologized to her friends. “Apparently, there’s a chance something might happen to your kitchen when you’re away for an extended period of time.” “Oh, don’t worry about that, darling,” Rarity replied. “One cannot blame you considering the circumstances. Besides, Pinkie tends to pull through in situations like this.” Pinkie nodded. “Yep, I always keep stuff around in case of emergencies,” she explained before stuffing a hooffull of cookies into her mouth. Octavia slowly nodded. “Anyway, I need to get my cello. You girls go ahead and keep on enjoying the party. I shall be back in a few minutes.” “Alright then. Don’t take too long, or else Pinkie will come find you,” Applejack pointed out. “I sure will!” Pinkie’s voice rang out as Octavia went up the stairs. Octavia went straight for her closet as soon as she entered her room, digging out her cello case and opening it up. A small smile appeared on her face as she gently swept a hoof over the polished wood. It was good to be reunited with her beloved instrument. Before her stay at Sweet Apple Acres, she never spent more than a day away from it. After spending more than a month away from it, she wanted to try some of the things she learned from playing Applejack’s fiddle. Being able to perform in front of her friends on such a grand stage was also making her even more eager to finally start playing her beloved instrument again. With a satisfied hum, she closed the case, exited her room with her cello, set the instrument by the front door, and joined her friends in the living room. “So, when shall we leave?” Octavia asked as she partook in some of the sweets. “I’m sure all of us can hardly wait to start preparing for the wedding.” “Oh, that reminds me, darling, what would you like for your dress?” Rarity asked. Octavia blinked. “Dress? What dress?” “Why the one I’m making for you of course,” Rarity replied with a smile. “You need something to wear when you’re performing at the reception.” “While that is very generous, you really don’t need to. I’m not going to be on stage the entire time.” “That just means you’ll look nice when you’re able to join us for the rest of the reception.” “Are you sure about this? You do have quite a bit on your plate with the bride’s dress and her bridesmaids. Not to mention that I’m guessing you’re also planning to make a set for the rest of our friends.” Rarity let out a light laugh and waved her hoof. “Oh, you know me, darling. I do work quite well under pressure. Besides, since we’re in Canterlot, there’s a wealth of new ideas and materials for me to try out.” Octavia sighed, but a small smile was on her face. “You’re probably going to make me something whether I allow it or not, aren’t you?” “Perhaps,” Rarity remarked smugly. “Very well, I would greatly appreciate it if you made me a dress. I trust your creativity and fashion sense will produce something extraordinary, whatever it may be.” Rarity nodded happily. “Wonderful! You won’t regret it.” Applejack chuckled. “If you two are done, Ah think we really should head to the castle to get started on our work. We should also see if we can find Twilight.” Everypony nodded and after cleaning up and grabbing their belongings, they were on their way again. As they got closer and closer to the castle, Octavia noticed that the amount of guards and security increased greatly. Looking up, she saw that there were even pegasi of the royal guard flying overhead. “Royal wedding or not, this just seems all a bit much. It feels like the entire guard is out in full force,” Octavia wondered out loud. “Have you ever seen them do somethin’ like this?” asked Applejack. “Not really,” Octavia replied as she continued to look around. “I have seen increases in security for special events before. The most notable one being the Grand Galloping Gala, but that paled in comparison to what we’re seeing now.” “So you think there’s somethin’ else goin’ on?” Applejack asked. “It could be, but it’s hard to say. Then again, I might just be a bit paranoid with all the excitement.” She looked back at her friends, a small smirk on her face. “Although, now that I think about it, there would be a good reason to have some extra security, considering what happened after the last gala…” Fluttershy let out a squeak and hid behind her mane, but Octavia could still see the blush growing on her face. “We didn’t mean to cause so much trouble.” “That’s alright, Fluttershy. I was just joking. I know you girls didn’t really mean for all that to happen,” Octavia assured. “Still, that was quite the first impression you all made.” “Hey, you know us. We either go big or go home,” Rainbow boasted. “Well, you certainly went big. I heard it took them about a month before the ballroom was all fixed,” Octavia replied. “Aww yea!” Rainbow cheered and pumped her hoof. Rarity rolled her eyes. “Excusing our activities, it really is quite amazing that you were there as well even if we were too distracted to really get to know each other.” Octavia nodded. “Hard to imagine that the very mares who interrupted one of my gigs would become my best friends a few months later.” “I know! Isn’t that great!?” Pinkie gave the gray mare a quick hug. “I just knew you were special when I jumped up on stage with you that night!” Octavia rolled her eyes. “You were definitely the most memorable part of the night,” she dryly stated. “Yea… imagine how things would’ve turned out if we first met that night instead,” Applejack wondered. Octavia turned her head towards Applejack, and they both stared right at each other. It was barely there, but she heard the small quiver in Applejack’s voice. After a moment, she gave a small smile, and Applejack returned it with her own. “Hey, you two,” Rainbow’s voice called out. “Stop it with the weird looks. We’re here.” The two of them quickly looked away from each other. Octavia could hear Rarity and Fluttershy giggling behind them. They had arrived at the gates that led to the royal castle that housed the princesses who raised the sun and the moon. A couple of guards were stationed in front of the entrance, their unwavering gaze staring straight ahead. Behind the gates, Octavia could see the massive structure. Like the rest of Canterlot, its pristine, white walls stretched high into the skies, and the towers were topped with golden spires. Even though she lived relatively close to the hallowed building, she could not help but revere at the sight each time. After telling the guards who they were, Octavia and her friends were admitted inside and started making their way across the grounds to the castle doors. “Hello there, my little ponies,” an angelic voice greeted from above. Octavia looked up and let out a small gasp. A white alicorn gracefully landed in front of them, her lithe and grand stature towering above them all. Her green, pink, teal, and lavender mane and tail danced and billowed despite the lack of any wind, and her golden crown, chestplate, and slippers gleamed in the day’s light. Upon her face was a warm, almost motherly smile. There was no mistaking who this regal pony was: Princess Celestia, bringer of the sun and co-ruler of Equestria. Octavia bowed deeply. Taking a quick glance, she saw that her friends were doing the same, although not as much as her. Celestia giggled. “Please, you all know that you don’t have to do that for me, especially what you have all done for Equestria,” she stated, beckoning them all to rise. “It’s good to see you all again.” “It’s good to see you too, Princess. We’re all grateful you are lettin’ us help with the weddin’,” replied Applejack. Celestia nodded. “I know all of you are extremely talented and will do wonderfully in the tasks I have asked you to do.” The alicorn turned to look straight at her and say, “And you must be Octavia.” Octavia’s eyes widened. “Y-you know who I am?” Even though she had performed at the castle a few times, she never directly interacted with any of the princesses. “Of course, your friends have mentioned you quite a few times in their letters to me, not to mention your name has been floating around Canterlot for some time. I’m looking forward to your performance.” A big smile appeared on Octavia’s face and she bowed again. “Th-thank you. I’m honored. I promise I will do my best.” “Excuse me, Princess Celestia, but have you seen Twilight?” Fluttershy asked. “She pretty much ran off to find Shining Armor as soon as the train stopped, and we’re a bit worried about her.” “She’s doing fine. Last I saw, she was catching up with her brother and Cadance.” “Uh, who’s Cadance?” Rainbow asked. “Oh, you girls probably know her as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” Celestia answered. “Wait a minute, are you saying Twilight knows Cadance? When she saw the invitation, she didn’t know who this Mi Amore pony was,” Rainbow pointed out. “That’s actually not that big of a surprise. Twilight always knew Cadance as just Cadance, even after all that time she was foalsat by her.” Octavia and her friend’s stared at the princess as their jaws dropped. Celestia chuckled. “Careful, girls, you wouldn’t want something to fly in your mouths.” “S-sorry, it’s just that we never knew Twilight also had a princess as a foalsitter,” Rarity replied. “Princess Cadance was still learning many things at the time, and I helped set the two of them up, so that they could learn from each other. I was so happy when the two ended up growing very fond of each other.” “Now that Twilight knows who her brother is getting married to, she must be ecstatic for this wedding,” Octavia remarked. The princess nodded. “All the more reason to make this wedding special. Now, shall we get you all set up to do your assigned tasks?” Everypony nodded enthusiastically. “Very well then. Rainbow Dash, is there anything you need to prepare for your Sonic Rainboom?” asked Celestia. Rainbow flew up into the air and flexed her forehooves. “I just need plenty of airspace to practice. I want to see if I can do it against gravity.” “Easy enough, just give me a few moments to check in with the guards, so they know what you are doing.” Rainbow Dash blinked and landed back on the ground. “Uh sure. I guess I could warm up some more and do some stretches in the meantime.” “Excuse me, Princess,” Octavia spoke up, “I hope I’m not being rude, but I can’t help wondering why there is so much security? I know this is a grand event, but in all my years in Canterlot, I never seen such extreme precautions.” The princess’s smile became more subdued as she nodded. “Given who you girls also are, I suppose this is something that you should know. Some time ago, we found a bit of evidence that something might be threatening Canterlot.” Octavia gasped along with her friends. “An attack? By who?” Celestia shook her head. “We do not know. We haven’t found any decisive information.” “Then why have a weddin’ while this is goin’ on?” asked Applejack. “Preparations for the wedding have started long before we found out about it. Due to the ambiguity of the situation and lack of any further signs, we believe it might be a fluke. We’ve taken precautions in case there really is a threat, but there’s no need to disrupt our lives anytime we think there’s danger.” “I see.” Octavia bowed again. “Thank you for sharing this with us, Princess.” “It is no problem. I just ask each of you to proceed with your tasks, and do not tell anypony else. Now then, let’s continue getting you girls situated. Pinkie Pie, the reception shall take place in the ballroom and shall extend into the castle grounds. Rarity, the suite you stayed at the last time you were here has been prepared into a design studio for you, and Applejack, you have been allowed full access to the kitchens,” Celestia explained, turning to each pony as she called out their names. “Members of my staff shall be coming to meet you shortly and have been instructed to help you in anyway they can.” The sun princess turned to Octavia and Fluttershy. “As for you two, the other musicians that are going to play alongside you shall be arriving a bit later. In the meantime, please follow me, and I shall show you where you will be practicing.” After bidding the others goodbye and agreeing to meet at a cafe later on, Octavia and Fluttershy followed the white alicorn. The princess led them to a large room where tall, open windows lined the walls. Cream-colored cloth were woven among the pillars that stood between each window and held up vases of flowers. A red carpet extended from the entrance to the opposite end of the hall, continuing up a small flight of stairs that led to an arch made entirely out of flowers and leaves. Behind it lay three entryways that led to a balcony overlooking the castle grounds. “As you can see, just about all the decorations have been set up, so all of you will be able to practice where the wedding ceremony will take place,” Celestia stated. “Everything looks lovely,” Fluttershy complimented. “I hope I don’t mess anything up.” Celestia lowered her head to look into Fluttershy’s eyes and gave a comforting smile. “Don’t worry, I’m know that you will do great.” She stood back up and made her way out of the room. “I’ll leave you two to get settled before the other musicians arrive. Have fun.” After the princess closed the doors, Octavia set down her case to the side and began unpacking her cello. Glancing at her friend, she noticed the pegasus was just standing there, fidgeting around. “Fluttershy, are you alright?” “Oh, sorry, I’m still pretty nervous about performing like this.” Octavia offered a small smile as she stood back up with her cello ready. “No need to apologize. It’s natural to be anxious before a performance, especially one of this magnitude. Still, I do think you need to get your birds ready. Maybe we can do a little practice together before the others arrive.” “Oh, right, sorry,” Fluttershy replied as she flew over to a window. She took a deep breath and then began a simple, wordless melody. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was sweet and heavenly. The pegasus could easily rival or even surpass many professional singers. A moment later, a small flock of birds of all different sizes and colors flew in, and a few of them nestled on Fluttershy. She smiled and cooed at the birds as they chirped back at her. “I never heard you sing before, Fluttershy. You were wonderful,” Octavia complimented. Fluttershy smiled back at Octavia. “Thank you.” “Have you ever thought of performing?” Fluttershy quickly shook her head. A few birds flew off her at the sudden movement. “Sorry, but I can’t. Just the thought of standing on stage scares me.” “Ah.” Octavia nodded slowly. “Stage fright. That’s something that is well known in my line of work. Will you be alright for the wedding ceremony?” “I think so. Even though there’s probably going to be a lot of ponies, they’re not really going to watch us. It also helps that you and other musicians will be playing with me.” “That’s good. You have such a lovely talent. Maybe one day you’ll be able to get over your stage fright and try performing by yourself, and I’ll be sure I and our friends will be there to cheer you on.” “Maybe, that does sound kind of nice. For now though, I just don’t want to let the princesses or Twilight down.” The two of them turned when the doors to the room opened, letting in a bunch of ponies with instruments of their own. A few minutes after exchanging pleasantries and greetings with the musicians, they began rehearsal. Besides the usual wedding march pieces, the other songs and melodies they were going to play were easy enough for their skill level. After all, it would be impolite to outshine the lucky couple on their special day. Most of the time was dedicated to finding ways to enrich the music and play in harmony with each other. Octavia and the other musicians were quick to comfortably play in sync with each other, but Fluttershy did not have such luck. Since she was working with living animals instead of an instrument, it was difficult for her to have her birds constantly keep up with the others, but when she did, it resonated in perfect harmony. Although Fluttershy was the one who usually caused a hiccup in the practice, Octavia did not feel a hint of annoyance for the demure pegasus. Besides being her friend, she was fascinated and amazed at Fluttershy’s ability to work with her birds. Looking at the other musicians, she could see that they were also quite intrigued by the unique talent. Before they knew it, evening was beginning to descend, and right as they agreed to call it for the night, the doors flew open with a big slam. Everypony turned to see a tall pink alicorn with purple-tipped wings stride in. A small crown rested on her tri-color mane of purple, magenta, and yellow strode in, and she wore a golden collar around her neck. That must be Princess Cadance, Octavia deduced as she watched the alicorn walk towards them. As they all bowed to her, Octavia could not help but feel a bit uncomfortable with the princess having a bored look on her face. “You there,” Cadance barked as she pointed at Fluttershy, making the pegasus let out a small squeak. “I hear you are actually letting birds sing during the wedding ceremony.” “Um, yes, princess,” Fluttershy meekly answered. “Then let me see what you can do. Don’t mess up,” Cadance commanded. Fluttershy quickly nodded and got her birds to start singing. The birds sang sweetly, and all seemed well until one of the larger birds let out a big, piercing squawk. Cadance, as well as everypony else in the room, winced at the noise. “Are you kidding me?” she asked, glaring at Fluttershy with a big scdowl. “I can’t have something like that happen at the wedding. You better get your act together by then!” “Sorry,” Fluttershy quickly apologized several times, reeling back from the angry princess. “I’ll make sure everything will be ready by then.” “See that you do,” Cadance scoffed before turning to one of the other musicians. “Your turn. Let’s see if you are more competent.” Great, she’s one of those brides, Octavia lamented as she watched Cadance go through each musician, berating and demanding each one to play better. Eventually, Octavia found herself standing face to face with the pink alicorn, being the last one to be judged. “You better not disappoint,” Cadance warned. Octavia nodded and commenced playing. With her formal cello training and her time with Applejack’s fiddle, the music easily flowed out of her as her hooves easily manipulated her cello and bow. A small smile flashed across her face before she looked back up at the princess. Cadance stared at her with a raised eyebrow. “Hmm… I guess you might be deemed passable, for now. See to it that you don’t mess up later.” Octavia just smiled and nodded, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. As she watched Cadance exit the room, she raised her own eyebrow when Twilight popped out from behind a flower pot with a frown on her face. Before she could call out to her, Twilight ran after the pink alicorn. Guess she’s busy checking things off with Cadance, Octavia concluded with a shrug. She turned to Fluttershy when she heard her let out a big sigh. “My goodness, I hope the princess isn’t too angry with me,” Fluttershy mumbled, taking several more deep breaths. “It’s alright, Fluttershy. We still have plenty of time to practice,” Octavia assured. “But did you see how she was almost yelling at me? I must have really messed up,” Fluttershy moaned as she slowly sank to the ground. “Don’t worry about her. I’ve played in weddings before, and I can assure you that she doesn’t really mean it. Some ponies go crazy obsessing over trying to get everything perfect for their special day.” “Really?” Fluttershy looked up at her. Octavia nodded, offering a warm smile. “Yes. As long as we give it our best, she’ll be happy in the end. Now come on, it’s almost time for us to meet our friends.” Fluttershy nodded, and after dismissing the birds and thanking them, the two of them made their way into the city. They parted ways so that Octavia could quickly drop off her cello at home while Fluttershy went ahead to reserve a table at the cafe they were all going to meet at. By the time Octavia arrived at the cafe, she saw that all her friends had arrived and were seated, including Twilight and Spike. Suddenly, the purple unicorn slammed her hooves onto the table and stormed away, heading right towards Octavia with a frown on her face. “Hello, Twi-” Octavia greeted, but Twilight just grunted and brushed past her. “-light?” She turned to call out to the unicorn, but Twilight had already disappeared around a corner. “Is Twilight alright?” she asked as she sat down with her other friends. Rarity sighed. “I’m afraid Twilight is not happy with her brother getting married to her old foalsitter.” “How can that be? I thought she adored the both of them.” “That may be true, but I think she has convinced herself Cadance is like some sort of monster. It’s a shame that she doesn’t seem to understand that plenty of ponies aren’t themselves when a wedding is involved,” Rarity explained. Octavia sighed and nodded. “Fluttershy and I witnessed Cadance ourselves, and I admit that she was quite harsh. Still, I have performed at a few weddings where the ponies were even worse than her.” “Ah can also tell that she really loves her brother, and with him gettin’ married, she’s probably jealous or worried for him. Ah can understand that, Ah’m a bit overprotective with Apple Bloom at times, but the girl is startin’ to take it too far. She’s thinkin’ there shouldn’t even be a weddin’,” Applejack added. Octavia bit her lip. “It seems like she’s the only one opposed to the wedding. You don’t think she’ll do anything drastic, do you?” “Ah don’t think so. She learned her lesson not to overreact after the Smarty Pants incident, and we’ve been tryin’ to calm her down.” “What do you think, Spike? You live with her, after all,” Octavia asked as she turned to the dragon. Instead of answering, Spike was too busy playing with a figurine of Cadance, while Pinkie had a figurine of what must be Shining Armor. The two giggled as they made the two figures kiss each other, accompanying it with kissing sounds of their own. Applejack snatched the toys from the two, giving them a stern look. “Stop that, you two. These are supposed to be for the wedding cake.” “Aww,” Spike and Pinkie moaned. Octavia rolled her eyes. “Never mind. Let’s just hope Twilight does calm down.” The rest of the time was spent making light conversation, but Octavia could tell that all of her friends were worrying about Twilight, including herself. “So, what are you girls going to do for the rest of the night?” Octavia asked as they finished their meal. “Since Princess Celestia gave us all rooms at the castle, we’re probably gonna head back there and maybe do a bit more work before turnin’ in for the night,” Applejack answered. “What about you?” “I’ll be heading home and start working on my performance at the reception. I also want to see if I can compose something special for the occasion.” “Sounds good, sugarcube. Ah can’t wait to see you up on stage.” Applejack smiled. “See you tomorrow.” After bidding all of her friends goodbye, Octavia headed home and went straight to her room. Alright then, I just need to produce something to commemorate one of the biggest events in history. No pressure. I’ve composed my own pieces before, so this shouldn’t be too hard, she assured herself as she sat down at her desk, grabbing a quill in her mouth and placing a blank sheet of paper in front of her. After a moment, her quill flew across the paper, scratching a couple of notes. Taking her quill off the paper, she looked at her work before a frown appeared on her face. She crumpled up the paper, chucked it into the nearby wastebasket, and brought out a new sheet. The process repeated itself several more times. She realized that composing her own music now was much different than the times before she visited Ponyville. Her time with Applejack had granted her a deeper perception for music. While a few drafts showed some promise, they all seemed to lack something that would make the piece come alive. After a few hours of tossing balls of paper, twitching eyes, and cramped muscles, Octavia had an epiphany on what to do for her next course of action. She applied her face into her desk. Okay, this is going to be harder than I thought, she lamented with a groan. She wanted to write something that would convey the love and joy of a wedding, but nothing was coming through. Even though she was close to her parents and friends, it was not the right thing she needed. How could she compose a good song about love if she was not sure what it was like?