Melody sighed as she made her way towards her second class of the day. “Still not saying anything?” she asked, looking back at her roommate. In response, Cassandra simply scowled and glanced away from her.
Shaking her head, Melody turned her attention back to the path front of her. “Fine, act like a stubborn child, like this is high school.” She whispered. After a few moments, the line of students she was following turned into a classroom, prompting Melody to follow suit.
Taking one of the remaining chairs in the humble auditorium, Melody allowed her gaze to wander as she inspected the room. Chairs scattered about with no real order, various instruments hanging from the walls or on shelves, a podium at the front of the class, and a simple desk a few meters away from her. Seeing nothing of interest, Melody turned back to the desk.
‘Octavia Philharmonica… Why does that name sound familiar?’ Melody pondered. Hearing faint whispers from her fellow students, Melody turned her ears to try and catch what they were saying.
“Do you think it could really be her?” A girl somewhere behind her spoke faintly.
Her neighbor shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, but the name certainly matches.”
“Well who else could it be, it’s not like ponies are known for having the same name. Not sure why she would lower her standards to becoming a teacher.”
“Yeah, but she hasn’t been heard from in like, eight years, why would she be teaching at a school when she was-”
Melody’s attention was drawn away from the conversation as the side door opened, allowing an elegant grey earth mare to step through. Melody stared at the mare for a moment, noting the carefully styled mane, professional gait, and simple pink bow tie, before she finally realized.
‘Oh my god, my music teacher is one of the greatest modern classical artists in Equestria!’ Then her more pessimistic side spoke up. ‘Oh my god, I have to learn under somepony whose standards are probably impossible to reach. She is going to kill us all.’
Octavia trotted calmly over to the podium, her movement carrying with it a subtle air of grace and confidence with each step. Once she reached her destination, the mare rose up and placed her forehooves onto the podium, clearing her throat before addressing the students.
“Good afternoon class. My name is Octavia Philharmonica, and I will be your instructor in the study and practice of various music genres native to both Earth and Equus,” she started, her voice bearing what Melody could only describe as a high class English accent. “Though, before we begin, I would like to take a moment to answer any questions you may have.”
One female, a young blonde haired female, raised her hand. “Um, forgive me if I’m mistaken, but are you the Octavia Philharmonica? The former Equestrian musician?”
She gave a small, almost sad smile. “You are correct. Prior to becoming a teacher, I was a well-known musician in Equestria.” She let out a nostalgic sigh before continuing. “I loved being able to express myself through my music back then, pouring my emotions into elaborate pieces that enticed countless ponies to come and listen.”
The student gave an odd look. “Then... why did you leave? If you enjoyed it so much, what could have possibly made you abandon it for teaching?” Seeing the half-glares she was getting from her fellow students, added, “Sorry, just curious is all. Didn’t mean to come off as rude.”
Octavia waved her hoof dismissively. “No need to apologize. It is perfectly natural to ask questions.” Her smile quickly dropped. “As for why left... I suppose the simplest answer is that the fame became too much to bear.”
“To be loved, envied, and even desired, by countless ponies... Many ponies would joyfully bask in such fame, and, for a time, I did as well.” A small, nostalgic smile graced her features. “For a few years, it was like a dream. I couldn’t so much as leave my house without hearing praises from passing fans.”
“Then what happened?” The words escaped Melody’s mouth before she even realized it, causing her to cringe silently at her question.
Octavia’s expression quickly soured, an uncharacteristic growl escaping her throat. “Some of my more… ‘zealous’ fans discovered my heart, which so many desired, had already been claimed by another. Their previous praises and compliments turned to insults and threats to the pony I loved, some even going so far as threatened death upon her if we did not separate immediately.”
She gave a final, tired sigh. “Eventually, we decided to simply flee. We moved here to Earth and I decided to study so that I could become a teacher.” She shrugged. “I’ve been teaching here for the past five years, and, while I miss being able to take the stage as I once did, I’ve grown to love my current job and wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.”
Once she finished, the entire class fell into a brief, uncomfortable silence, before Cassandra finally spoke up. “Was anything done about the threats? I don’t know anything about Equestrian law, but I can’t imagine they’d let them get away with something like this.”
“Ponies are traditionally creatures of peace and harmony, and when it comes to threats, especially death threats, the laws have no wiggle room for the one sending them to try and get away through,” Melody answered. “Have a unicorn use magic to track the sender, then send in the guard to arrest him. It’s actually one of the few times the bureaucracy that Equestria is notorious for is pushed to the side in favor of haste and action.” She glanced back at Octavia with a frown. “But something tells me it’s never that easy.”
Octavia gave a solemn nod. “For a time, it was as easy as simply going to the guard and giving them the note. They’d arrest the sender, and that would be that.” Her frown deepened. “But, much like the hydra, for every one that was silenced, two more took its place. I would end up getting several of them each day. Eventually, we finally gave up and left, as I’ve said before.”
Giving a final sigh, Octavia turned her attention to her clipboard. “But enough of that. I believe it’s time we got along with class.”
“Seeing as part of the focus of this class is to learn how to perform music, when I call your name, I’d like you state which instrument you prefer. Understood?” She asked, her previous polite tone having returned. Seeing her student’s give their own forms of affirmation, she nodded and glanced down at her list. “Diana Brewer?”
“Present,” the student in question replied. “As for instruments I’ve wanted to learn how to play the cello for some time now.”
Octavia smiled and nodded once more, jotting down her answer before continuing down the list as she called out each student’s name and writing down their instruments.
“Cassandra Garnet,” she called out after a few minutes, pulling the woman from her thoughts.
“H-here,” she stammered out in mild confusion. “And I play the piano.”
Octavia wrote the response down before glancing back at her list. “Melody Gonzalez?”
‘I refuse to believe this is just an odd coincidence...’ “Present, and I play the Violin,” she answered.
“Wait, seriously?” one of the more well dressed student’s asked. “No offence, but you don’t look like the kind of ‘person’ who’d be skilled at such an instrument.”
Melody gave the man a deadpan look. “I wasn’t aware there was a special dress code you had to adhere to in order to know how to play an instrument,” she replied, mild hostility sneaking it’s way into her tone.
“Sorry,” the man said defensively. “I just didn’t ex-” he was cut off by the soft tapping of Octavia’s hoof on the podium.
“If you two are finished, I believe we were still in the middle of the roll call,” she replied, her calm voice carrying a stern tone boring no room for argument.
“Sorry,” they said in unison, both of them giving an embarrassed look at their interruption.
“No harm done, but let us get back to the matter at hand,” Octavia said politely. “Now, where were we...”