Octavia knew what she was going to do.
She knew what she was going to do when Luna asked her the question in the garden, amidst the healing rain. She knew when night began to call and the sisters had to leave. She knew when she and Vinyl departed the castle and left for their home. And, she definitely knew now; lying in her bed and staring at the ceiling above.
The answer came easy to her, now that the stresses and fears that were weighing her down were gone, lost to the rain her music had brought. When all of that was gone, the fear of everything that could go wrong and the stress of everything pushing down on her, the answer was as clear as the moon amongst the stars. It needed only a glance to see it.
The answer made her smile, making her wings flutter ever so lightly the longer it sat in her mind. I was growing ever larger, the more she thought of it. The idea wasn’t something grand or surprising, certainly nothing that no pony could see coming. Rather, it was just the opposite.
It was the inevitable, what was bound to happen eventually. It was what she and her close friends had put off for so long, waiting until she was ready. And now, she was. Octavia knew she was ready to speak of what she was.
Octavia was ready to announce that she was an alicorn. Her idea, the one she now loved so much, was how to do it.
Her friends had taught her more than she had expected, likely more than they were aware. Perhaps they were aware now though, with rain from before making the world around them clearer. Octavia knew well that her thoughts now were because of the rain’s gentle fall. It made her lessons easy to name.
Octavia knew much more was gained from the observation of the few than the audience of the many. The eyes of nameless ponies often meaning much less than the concerned gaze of ponies she could name. She cared much more for her friends, her family, than she did an audience she could name. Fiddle taught her that.
Octavia knew that the best criticism came from the best of friends. She could no more trust the baseless opinions of some random mare off the street than she could her fortune from some tabloid. A friend, however, based their decisions of a friend off of the history they shared. They did not decide off of a single event, but off of the numerous once of the past. Vinyl had taught her that.
Octavia knew that the greatest effects came from actions outside of boundaries. She knew that she couldn’t hope to have the best result come from what was most expected. Ponies thought in a certain way when they were forced into a collective. Collectives took actions outside of their thought process as wrong. The best way to avoid that thinking was to avoid the thoughts of the many. Discord had taught her that.
Octavia knew that her strength was not one to make a show of. Strengths came in many forms, in different sizes and shapes. While hers was doubtlessly one that was grand in magnitude and scope, other had fortes in areas that would never be spoken of more than an off hoof comment. But those were the ones that ponies depended on the most. And, to be depended upon without the eyes of thousands, was something that Octavia knew she preferred. It took both Princess Twilight Sparkle and Ditzy Do to teach her that.
But more than anything else, Octavia learned the importance of perception. It was easy for a pony to perceive what others saw, especially when there was only one perception to be had. It was easy to see a spirit as evil when ponies only spoke ill of it. On the other hoof, it was just was easy to see a princess as dark and cold when no pony spoke simply to her. Yet Octavia had seen the good in a spirit of chaos and the inviting smile of the princess of the night.
Together, they allowed Octavia to stand the presence of the former, but coming to love interactions with the latter. Every small gesture that would have been unheard of in her court was savored. Every word of advice that she had spoken was cherished. And all because she spoke to Octavia not as another mare in a crowd, but as a friend that was closer than any simple stranger could be.
Luna… she had taught her in so many ways the importance of friendship. Without her, Octavia was remiss to say she’d have any more than the single friend she already called a roommate.
All of these simple things, all of these choice lessons, they helped Octavia with her idea. Specifically, with a mind clear of regret and doubt, given fresh soil to be nurtured in, Octavia knew how she wanted to announce herself.
It would not be to a crowd of ponies, high up and separated from them. It would be in a small room, a ballroom at the largest. It would not be to a thousand faces she could never hope to place. It would be only a few dozen at most, ponies she knew well or close to it, whose names she could place to faces. It would not most certainly not be to a grand festival or cheer. It would be a quiet announcement, spoken with soft ceremony, perhaps at best with her showing what she was now capable of.
And the more she thought of it in the fertile soil, the more it continued to grow. Every action was clear, everything simple and true. But most importantly, she knew this was the best way to announce herself.
Octavia knew it was right because she felt it; felt it like she felt the perfect chord rumble through her cello.
But in all of her thoughts and machinations, there was still one question her idea did not answer, one possibility that had no wrong answer, but still needed a right one to be complete. Staring up at her ceiling, the night’s blanket lying atop of her, she whispered it aloud, hoping her clear mind would conjure a new one for her.
“Who will help me announce myself?”
A.
A. Mainly cause I ship it.
A definitely. Mostly in that it would really have to be another princess doing the announcing as anything else would be brushed off as a potential prank. Of course this WOULD be the perfect time to bring in ccadance since she hasn't been around yet. Especially as she was also another one of those out-of-nowhere ascensions.
Well, I know you're excited but maybe this is a typo?
A, and nice to see you taking into account the past votes to get the direction here.
Now it could be just me, but this chapter seemed a lot more poetic, I guess. It felt almost lyrical as I was reading.
A.
You know what?
Discord. Because he would make it awesome, even if it is small.
For the vote, I have to go with Luna.(whynolunaemoticon??) Can't not go with Luna. (And yes, despite my desire to just vote Luna because Luna, I actually thought about it and came to the conclusion that Luna would be best. Vinyl is a close second because of the longer history she has with Octavia, but her over-the-top self would be out of place for the nature of her announcement. Therefore Luna is best. [Discord is straight out for a couple reasons.])
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Because the story didn't go exactly as I wanted? That's not the point, the point is that the story is going in the direction that the public wants. I don't respect the voting on how the plot develops, I don't respect the seeming lack of any real conflict or the fact that the author seems to care so little for the story that he can't plot out the story and instead lets it be driven by the community.
This fic was an interesting idea and the first few chapters really captivated me, enough that I gave it a like. Now, I find myself disappointed with the direction it's gone, because there was no hint that this is the direction it would go this way from the description or the first few chapters. That's why I turn my like to a dislike and walk away, because what I presumed from the tags was a fairly reasonable fic with a little romance and a little adventure, but instead I get a ridiculous unnecessary tiny crossover which ruins the continuity of the story, and at this point, the only 'romance' worth mentioning seems to be leaning towards OctaLuna, which is a ship I rather despise.
honestly, I want to say A because the way Octavia is in this story, and how hard you made me start shipping it. On the other hand, I want to say B because Vinyl knows Octavia as well as she does, and she knows what sort of ponies to contact to set up something nice and quiet with her usual flair. Well, that and I ship it so very goddamn hard. Either way though, I can hardly wait for the next chapter.
I vote A. Though to be honest I was kind of hoping to see Celestia's and Luna's reaction to the Sun's Song.
A. Luna.
She will obviously ask Luna. It's the only choice that makes sense. Vinyl likes making a show too much and Discord will find the idea too dull.
I ship A as well, but I vote B.
Vinyl has been there through the whole thing helping her out every chance she can. She has said on a number of occasions that she knows Tavi. I feel she is the better choice because of this.
Luna might be more in Tavi's future but Vinyl has been ehr past and present more than anyone else.
A.
Luna has been wonderful to Octavia, and they've formed a beautiful bond between them. Plus, the romance tag promises shipping. Luna deserves Tavicuddles.
The Party approves the "A" approach
A. Luna. Or else D. All of the Above
C. Discord. Final Answer.
Ugh, even I, the one who wished for Discord in every chapter even when he was not an actual choice, wish to see Luna help Octavia. You know, for the shipping feels...
However that said, I am surprised that everypony helping her wasn't an option. Given how they are now important parts of her life. Anyways there's my two bits.
Pinkie
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I've read many crossover stories that have good worldbuilding and character interactions because the author is mixing fictional worlds together. Those stories can be excellent. This, though, is just taking a character and sticking him in a setting where he sticks out like a sore thumb. It's extremely jarring and I wasn't able to enjoy the chapter at all. I'm not a fan of the Zelda games, I have no interest in Link the character, and you didn't give me any reason to care about him.
ones
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When nopony simply spoke to her
Princess of the Night
[that error right there is one you make all the time. But one of these days you'll hopefully remember that titles, monikers, and nicknames get capItalized.]
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There wasn't any promised shipping here. So A.
But honestly I'd go with D) all the above. Simply because they all helped her find out who she was, B) has a long history with her and she would never have gotten as far without Vinyl's help almost every step of the way. C) Had a hand in getting her to think outside the box, and opened her eyes to new things. But it looks like A) is what was almost going to be shipped. Hopefully after the announcement. We can get some shipping.
But yeah, good call on splitting this from the last chapter.
B, because I ship it, and because Vinyl was there before all this happened... as well as during/after. Others may be able to help Octavia more, but Vinyl's steadfast loyalty should mean something.
A
B. In addition to the mass of "I ship it"s, it does feel right to proceed this where it began.
Well, let's lay out each character's baseline in the story first, shall we?
Vinyl is Octavia's best friend and roommate, which leads me to believe that even though they have their odds here and there, they're very close -- a good friend will support your decisions, but a best friend will push you to try and confront things outside of your comfort zone. It's not a stretch to assume Octavia wouldn't have gotten far without Vinyl's insistence. Beneath all that, it's clear the two have a long history together, as evidenced by the banter and dynamic between them.
Discord, by nature, is a wildcard, and can only be expected to do the unexpected. He enjoys stirring up monotony and injecting the unknown and unpredictable into an otherwise predictable situation, but has shown he can be helpful, or even benevolent. He's seen as the troublemaker for the most part, and is generally accepted as one who takes joy in the annoyance of others, but it's clear there's quite a bit more to him than that. In the chapter before, he showed a kind and even soothing presence about him, which was not expected. His true motives for bringing the visitor to Equestria are murky at best, but it's clear that he was pleased with the way Octavia was helped.
Luna is like the night itself in the sense that she is mysterious and misunderstood. It's true that Luna prompted and guided Octavia through much of her growth into alicornhood, whether by her own hoof or through others, but there seems to be more to it than that. She has shown that she can be commanding and authoritative, but it appears that she needed Octavia just as much as Octavia needed her. The two have quickly formed a strong friendship, likely to the surprise of both, but it appears there is far more to the night princess than either previously thought. I see that Luna seems to have found something she did on her own, without her sister's help, that allowed her to truly blossom into the pony she was meant to be -- likely the pony she once was, before her banishment. With true confidence in herself restored, she has allowed herself to informally befriend another pony.
Now, simply because of the depth of the relationships between the characters, and the potential lying just out of reach, I'm going to go ahead and choose Luna as my first choice, with Vinyl as a close second.
D. As in all of the above. Oh just think of what could happen with all of the together
A. Luna
The other two just don't seem the kind I'd trust with an announcement like this.
Princess Luna. Celestia had Twilight, Luna can have Octavia.
B. vinyl, not because ship, (this is not a ship story and that is OK.) But because I think Vinyl's ever-present support and encouragement (though it may have been less emphasized with all of the screentime Luna got) will be helpful to Octavia as she finally steps into the public light for the first time. Friends help friends, and giving Vinyl another opportunity to play with her and see what Octavia can do now that she has grown up a little and become happy and comfortable with herself would be a nice way to say thanks in my opinion.
Next choice would be A, once again nonship. That is not the focus of this story and it's presence or absence should be tangential to the story. Stop voting based on ships. (I wanted to make a comparison here but I couldn't quite find the words to express the irrationality I find with the idea.)
Alternative thought: event could include open call for anyone in the small party to get up on stage with her and have a go. Or just play without her. Like an open mic night kind of thing. Sounds like something that would be a good idea if this announcement is going to be personal and among those Octavia trusts and is at least well acquainted with.
B. Vinyl Scratch, for reasons others have already stated.
B. Vinyl Scratch.
Because of background and because she deserves the challange and knows Octavia very well. As said earlier, Luna may be Octavia's future, but Vinyl is her past and she deserves it.
I choose "all of the above!"
B: Vinyl Scratch. For a lot of reasons that can be boiled down to: Vinyl set all of this off by forcing Octavia to go to night court in the first place, it's only fair she gets the Finale, too.
Also it makes sense that, as close as they are, Vinyl would probably try to shoehorn her way into the event -somehow-. You don't leave your best friend to something like that without butting in at least alittle.
Also also I ship it.
I agree. It should be Vinyl. She won't mess it up and will do something appropriate for Octavia but in her own style.
Best would be Vinyl and Luna together, so they would balance each other out.
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I do not expect logic, I'm saying that I think of this as a serious story, an while Discord is lord of Chaos, I think that in serious stories, there shouldn't be any puling people/things from other universes.
I'm not complaining, as Wizard of Words pulled it off in a way that makes it serious.
I can't explain why, but Luna just feels like the best choice.
Luna. She was the first one to know what to do and help out Octavia with this, it's only fitting that she end it like she started it.
Personally, if Octavia could go with all three I'd be happy. Vinyl got the ball roaring, she was there for for Octavia and was there every step of the way. Luna helped Octavia find herself, helped her to discover her new abilities. Discord taught her how to deal with things beyond her comfort zone, how to become confident and creative with her new abilities, and finally to discover things about herself she never new about.
If I had a Choice, it would be all three, but since I don't I choose Vinyl Scratch B
a. Luna. I would choose discord, but I find luna will best pony.
All's at once would work too.
C. Discord may have shaken things up, may have done so many thing, but he ultimately helped her realize just what she has. And what a gift to share as well. Is not a friend someone whom has given selflessly, and should be returned in favor?
B mainly because she is, in this story, octavia most closest friend, and the one Who convinced her to talk to luna. So its Just right for her to have that honor
I go with Luna.
I'ma go with A: Luna.
Their friendship has been slowly progressing throughout the story and I'd definitely like to see more of it.
I would say Princess Luna. She would best understand Octavia's feelings on how best to announce herself.
I say B: Vinyl Scratch
Luna is Best Pony (of these three)
[He means he chooses A]
I think they all could help her show herself to the world. Perhaps they could have a concert with Octavia conducting. That may give her a way of showing her magic to the audience. A piece to use could be Mothership by Mason Bates. (The Youtube Symphoney not LSO} It has a place for Vinyl, is quite varied to suite Discord, can fit drifter and Fiddlesticks. I am not sure how well Luna could fit in, but this could be a grand finale for the piece.
Ask Luna of course ^^
A : it just feels right for me.