The Strings Of Life

by MLPxMaestro

Chapter Thirty- Track Intro

The Strings Of Life

Chapter 30- Track Intro:

Maestro and hundreds of other ponies were called to meet at the royal castle, apparently regarding the war. They were briefed on what they had to expect by Prince Shining Armor, and General Orion, head of the division that Maestro was apparently assigned to. He would be assigned to fortunately a division that was not currently on the frontlines. The 31st Equestrian Division, which the majority of was Earth Ponies. There was still a comfortable amount of Unicorns and Pegasi within his division too though to his luck.

He had to stay for the briefing; given his uniform, and then sent straight to his quarters he’d be assigned at for an overnight stay. The next morning, him and his fellow comrades had to pack up and get ready to head out the next morning on the train bound for the Griffon Highlands, or the Griffon Kingdom in general. They would be sent towards a Bootcamp set up just fifty miles south of the battle, which was a dangerous position knowing what the Changelings were capable of within that zone. Knowing that Maestro could not say just one last goodbye to his family bothered him, especially since he completely forgot to say his final goodbyes to his foster parents not to mention.

The train clacking down the track, and now on a straight shot to the Griffon Kingdom, Maestro tried to find comfort, but none could be found.

“Yo, whatcha thinkin about?” a Unicorn said beside him, catching Maestro but surprise from his state of mind.

Maestro turned his head to the sight of a light blue Unicorn with his mane and tail white as snow, and green eyes.

“Wha? Oh, nothing really…”

“I hear ya, but come on man, you’re not fooling anyone here. You’re thinking about someone aren’t ya?” the Unicorn asked him again.

“I suppose.”

“I’m Crystal Forge by the way, and you?”

“Maestro.” Maestro wasn’t feeling that much on talking for that time being, but Crystal Forge would not leave him be.

“Where you from? I moved into Ponyville just a few months ago.”

“Um, well I’m from Canterlot.”

“Canterlot? You’re kidding right?” he chuckled.

“No, I’m not.”

“Wow, and upper class pony? Hey fellas, we got a classy one over here!” he yelled out to the others, with a few of them trotting over there towards him.

Soon then, four other ponies surrounded him with grin on their faces.

“You say he’s from the high life?” one of the ponies asked.

“Heck yeah, man, this guy must be loaded.” Said Forge.

“You must got some stories to tell living so close to the ruler herself?” another pony added.

“No…it’s not really that great.” Maestro still trying to not get involved in whatever they were planning.

“Aw come on dude, just tell us atleast one thing that’s cool up there.”

“There isn’t anything cool up there. To be honest I wish I lived somewhere else, but I’m living there because…” Maestro then stopped himself to keep from feeling embarrassed.

“Living there for-…oh I know what it is now, heh.” Forge chuckled.

“You got yourself one of those fine Canterlot girls don’t ya?”

“Woo! Dang man, you must be lucky!” one of the ponies laughed.

“Hey, Forge…I heard they’re great in bed.”

“Shut up numbskull! I don’t care bout that…yet anyways.” He turned back facing Maestro, having more plans of bothering him.

“That’s enough from all of you.” Maestro heard a voice call out to the group.

“Oh yeah? Whatchu gonna do about it?” Forges accent could clearly be let known to Maestro that he was from Manehatten or somewhere around there.

“I said leave him alone.” The voice could be heard again, and closer to Maestro this time.

“Okay, okay fine…let’s go fellas.” The gang of ponies moments later then went on over to the next car.
Maestro now bringing out something tucked in one of his pockets he very fortunately had brought with him. It was a photo taken of him and Octavia. Him holding up the camera while Octavia unknowingly to him managed to make a funny face behind him.

He giggled to himself at the sight of something that his Octy did that was not done by her very much. But she was starting to warm up to things like that, but she still kept her refinement when she needed to, but every now and then giving Maestro a laugh or two not being herself.

“Sorry that they bothered you.”

“It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

“The tone of your voice says otherwise…I’m Starlight.”

Maestro got up and off of his bed to the sight of a surprisingly pretty Pegasus among the ranks.

“You are?” she gestured her hoof.

“I’m Maestro ma’am.”

“Ma’am? Hah! I’m no commanding officer. I’m the same rank as you are, but thanks anyway. Saying ma’am to me though…you’re from Canterlot though as I overheard from the punks who surrounded your bed.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“Oh okay, well I have an aunt who lives there, she snooty though.”

“Some of them are like that, thinking they’re too good for other societies in life.” He replied.

“I hear you, well hey when are we going to reach that dumb kingdom anyway?” she wondered.

“I have no idea, but it’s not going to be anytime soon though I bet.”

“I’ll hold you to that, mister.” She lightly smiled at him.

Lunchtime had hit on the tracks, and Starlight asked if Maestro wanted to hang out with her during lunch.

Maestro approached her bedside as she lay there looking out the window each a sandwich, and counting as many trees as she could, as fast as she could, as they rushed by her window.
“Oh, didn’t expect you to remember, heh.” She said.

“I have a better memory than you may think.”

“Gotcha…well I never mentioned it earlier when we first met, but I saw that picture you were holding…she’s pretty by the way, you must be awfully lucky to have her.”

“She’s expecting in four months…and well…I can’t be there to support her for it.” he replied, looking back down to the ground.

“Oh man, I’m sorry to hear that, but congrats on the future family-to-be.” She chuckled a bit, trying to brighten things up, but he seemed awfully serious about the situation ever since he got onto the train.

“Why so serious?”

“Because I made her a promise I would come back…” he then sat down facing her direction as he looked out the same window she was.

“What if…”

“What if what?”

“What if…I…I don’t…”

“Don’t think like that dude, she’s the luckiest mare in Canterlot to have somepony like you.”

“Thanks, but you don’t know her.”

“I don’t have to know her, who told you to think like that? Hey, I’ll admit, you’re a good looking guy, and nothing says I can’t complement you like that now can I?”

“Well no, but-”

“Okay then, I rest my case, and I make my case at the same time.” she intervened.

Time continued to pass on, and thankfully fly by as they kept chatting to each other. Sharing each other’s moments in and out of life around family. She was a couple of years younger than Maestro, almost one of the youngest in their division, but she was the youngest mare however in the entire division however.

Starlight never knew what it felt like to have a father either, as her father was electrocuted within the lightning test facility when she was just a filly, hardly old enough to remember. Then, her mother died of a broken heart just one year after the incident. She then had to be raised by her grandparents. She never could remember the true love her father and mother shared and gave her when she was a filly, but she was a pony of faith, and knew she would see them again whenever that time would come. Dealing with these losses had made her a strong mare, and one that is more determined than average to get something done. She also stands up for others that appear to be either bothered by something or just going though troubles in the first place. All in all, she is a strong mare, and decided to answer the call herself for Equestria. Her grandparents of course gave her the best of luck, and hope that she would return. Her grandparents currently reside in Cloudsdale.

It was now ten o’ clock at night, and everypony or most have been asleep for about an hour or so, but Starlight and Maestro seemed to go on into the night, continuing to share moments about each other. It was like they had been friends for years.

Starlight was now beginning to yawn after hours of talking, as she brought the cover over her halfway.

“Getting tired? I think I need to be getting to bed also.” Maestro’s bed coincidentally located right across the train car’s room from hers. The seats could be folded down so more beds could be assembled within the room, but only several ponies were in the room they were in. Overall, their car was one of the fewest crowded cars on the train. Though two more trains carrying recruits towards the Bootcamp were behind them, but by hours.

“Yeah, I think I’m getting kind of sleepy.”

“Sleep is already forming in your eyes.” He added jokingly.

“Shut up.” She replied back giggling for a second.

She soon after, brought out her pillow, placing the plushy object under her cranium.

“Goodnight Maestro, I’ll see you in the morning.” The sound of her voice seeming like she looked up to him, but was that what it really was?

Maestro making it back to his side of the room, thinking of one last thing before he closed his eyes.

“She always said that to me.” he thought, thinking of Octavia’s final goodnight words from last night. “Goodnight Maestro…I’ll see you in the morning, and I love you.” he recapped her words in his mind. He closed his eyes and pictured her kissing him before the lights would always cut out. The kiss he imagined felt so real, but when he opened his eyes for that moment…she wasn’t there with him.

“Octavia…damn if only you could’ve joined with me.” he thought frustratingly to himself once more, bothered by the fact that she could’ve joined him, but the fact that she was expecting immediately cancelled that out. With a final breath looking up out of the window and into the night sky, he thought of what he would return home to. A new breath of fresh air, a loving family, and a new perspective on life, as war will change anypony no matter who they are. But these certainly weren’t the only things that he would come back to.