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// I Was Once Like You 
// Story: Twilight Sparkle is an Awkward Dancer 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
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Chapter 8

"I was once like you"

The next morning, Twilight and Rarity arrived at Octavia and Vinyl's house to tell Octavia of what they had learned from Octavia's parents. Both unicorns could see that Octavia wasn't going to take the news well that they had visited her parents without her permission, but it was something that needed to be done. However, they found that Octavia was alone while Vinyl had gone out and was nowhere in sight.

"Octavia, there is something that we need to tell you," said Twilight with a look of worry on her face.

"What is it, Twilight?" asked the cellist, stopping her rehearsal of dancing and playing her instrument. "What is it that you and Rarity want to tell me?"

Rarity and Twilight sighed as they gave each other a look of worry on their faces while Octavia was kept in suspense.

"Well," said Twilight, stepping up to Octavia. "We went to Canterlot yesterday and visited with your parents."

This made a mental stick in Octavia's mind break in half, for as far as she knew, the two ponies that had given her a second chance would do such a thing to her.

"Why would you do that?" Octavia snapped angrily, throwing her baton into the air. "You know that they will never listen to me? How could you do this to me?"

"Please, let us explain!" cried Rarity, trying to calm Octavia. "We met your parents and they are nothing like what you say that they are!"

But, the more Rarity spoke, the angrier Octavia had become. In fact, she had become so angry that she had nearly slammed her cello face down onto the ground.

"Lies!" hissed Octavia, storming over to the ponies. "Why would you even bother to show yourselves to them? Did they tell you that I was a failure to them and that I would never succeed like everypony else?"

"They didn't say that, Octavia!" protested Twilight. "If you could just let us explain, we could-."

Octavia let out a loud growl and caused Twilight to crouch down to the floor and whimper like a young filly. Unlike Twilight, Rarity was undeterred and was determined to make her finishing school friend see sense. She used her magic to pin Octavia to the wall and hold her still.

"Now, that's enough, Octavia Melody!" shouted Rarity, angrily. "We wanted to see for ourselves that your parents were what you said they were. They actually turned out to be very nice ponies who encouraged you to follow your own path!"

Octavia was still in denial about what Rarity was trying to say to her and continued to struggle with her bonds. She let out several more groans and it was after a few moments did Rarity release her grip on Octavia, dropping her to the floor.

"Everypony has their own worst critic, Octavia," continued Rarity, as Twilight got back to her feet. "And sometimes the only worst critic is yourself! That's what you are Octavia, your own worst critic!"

Octavia crouched down onto the floor in order to desperately ignore what Rarity was trying to say, but it wasn't working. Even Twilight felt that the time had come for Octavia to face the cold hard truth.

"We're telling you the truth, Octavia!" said Twilight, firmly. "Your parents care about you and want you to be yourself as do us! I was once like you, you know!"

This caused Octavia to stop ignoring and perk up to what Twilight had to say. In her mind, she couldn't believe that Twilight was once like herself.

"You were once like me?" remarked Octavia, rising to her feet. "How?"

Twilight led Octavia back to a chair where she had been practicing on her cello. Once Octavia was sat down, Twilight took in a deep breath and began her story.

"When I was a filly," began Twilight. "All I cared about was achieving goals and learning about Equestria instead of being around other ponies my age. I isolated myself in studies and when I failed at something, I blamed myself and kept my feelings from everypony but myself. It was a mistake I would come to regret for the rest of my life."

"What are you saying?" asked Octavia, who was somewhat entranced by Twilight's story. "Are you saying that all I am doing is hiding my true feelings with this behavior?"

Twilight and Rarity silently nodded that they were right about Octavia acting the way she was.

"Then, how could I have been so foolish to act this way?" she groaned, getting up from her seat. "How could I have been so blind?"

Octavia then fell down on her knees and began to sob quietly as both Twilight and Rarity could see that they had finally gotten through to her.

"I'm sure you see that you see why I am trying to make you dance like me at the Garden Party," said Twilight, walking over to comfort Octavia. "All you have to do is, once again, be yourself. Don't let everypony see you as the stuck up pony who would much rather focus on her music."

"Indeed, you have a talent that is beyond anything that anypony has in Equestria," added Rarity. "You just have to give that talent a chance for everypony to see as you are."

Slowly getting the message, Octavia rose to her feet, feeling much more refreshed than she had ever felt.

"If you say that I shouldn't let everypony walk over me," said Octavia. "Then, you're right, I should let everypony know that I am more than what I say I am."

Octavia was still a little nervous, but it was a step in the right direction. However, there was one more matter that needed to be attended to.

"Does that include my parents?" asked Octavia, as Vinyl Scratch walked into the house. "Will I have to face them?"

"You will have to," replied Twilight. "They need to see you tell them what has been on your mind."

Octavia took an enormous gulp and could only think of what was to come concerning her parents…