The Rest
Octavia kept her head low and wings flush against her body. She trotted towards the castle with no small degree of trepidation. The jacket on her back was heavy, the hat titanic, but it was the mysteries still swimming through her mind that were the greatest weight she bore.
A unicorn walked past her, looking as if the night would bring him no rest. A pegasus, then, leaning on her companion with a dull and drowsy look. A pair of young mares trotted by, clinging close to one another upon the moon lit avenue. Octavia saw nothing more than that.
Her eyes were focused on the ground, studying the cobblestone in frivolous detail, but her mind was elsewhere, barely considering the path she followed.
Of all the things both intimate and embarrassing that Vinyl had ever shared with her, Octavia had never seen her friend’s magical aura change. It was always the same neon blue--electric, even--much like the music she loved to play. No matter what she was doing. Anything. Whether she was getting her set ready for a performance, making some random calamity that could be inferred as a meal, or preparing a prank to pull on the privileged and strict Octavia, Vinyl’s aura never so much as hinted at a different shade.
Yet while she had done little different with her magic over the month or so she had had it, it was now an entirely new color altogether. It was probably nothing. Hopefully nothing. Just some small detail that no unicorns ever care to speak of due to its normalcy. Pegasi didn’t speak of using their tails as guides in casual conversation, nor did Earth Ponies so readily speak of feeling the roots in the earth. It was just mundane.
Yes… That was probably it.
Yet no matter how many times Octavia forced that reassurance through her head, she could not deny the possibility that something was horribly, miserably wrong.
“Halt.” It was a guard’s voice. Octavia looked up to see that she had passively guided herself to the castle. She she focused, blinking in the moonlight, on the guard, who turned out to be one the Princess’s Lunar Stallions. He looked just as intimidating now under the pale moonlight as any of the others. “Please state your business so that we may know how to direct you.” And he was just as well-mannered as every other one. Octavia let a stray thought remind her to comment on that to Luna, but it was quickly silenced beneath the cacophony of her other worries.
“My name is Octavia Melody, and I am here to see Princess Luna.” It was a letter of address she had made often when she was coming to visit the Lunar Princess in the past month. Enough that she knew how to prove herself. “Princess Luna has given the one named Octavia royal permission to seek her counsel during the hours of her night.”
The guard looked behind himself, probably judging something just outside of the alicorn’s vision. It was, in all likelihood, another guard simply confirming Octavia’s words. She had never had the curiosity to investigate, having always been too preoccupied with her thoughts. Now was far from an exception.
“Very well,” the guard spoke up. “You are free to enter. I apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused.”
No, apologies aren’t necessary, Octavia was close to saying. She had before on many other occasions. But for now, she was simply too distressed. She pulled the hat tighter over her horn, concealing the bony protrusion.
She walked forward into the castle, the guards watching her carefully. Royal decrees did not keep their suspicion at bay. Octavia doubted any less than mental conditioning could. She felt her hooves transition from the hard cobblestone of the outside to the soft carpeting of the castle. She soaked in the warm air all around her, insulated by the thick walls of stone and glass.
Octavia walked the familiar path towards the court, having made the journey more than a dozen times by now. She would see Princess Luna, the princess would excuse the guards and any guests that had recently entered with some apologies, and then the two would discuss what was new. It was a familiar ritual, and Octavia was grateful for that. Familiarity bred trust.
It didn’t take long before Octavia found herself before the large and imposing doors of the court hall. She found herself adjusting the coat over her back, ensuring her newly-trained wings were still folded beneath them. She could not stand the idea of it slipping off and revealing her transformation to any odd pony who happened to be visiting. It was by her observation that the more peculiar company often made their appearances under Luna’s moon.
Octavia lifted her hoof to the door, pressing her weight upon it. It opened slowly due to its great weight. She walked in once it had opened just wide enough for her to squeeze through. As it had been for all her prior visits, the hall was long and well lit by the chandeliers that hung high in the air. The prismatic windows, stained and cut in ways to symbolize turning moments in Equestria’s history, were delicately illuminated by the pale light of the moon. Everything was as it was during her prior visitations. Everything except one thing.
Princess Luna was nowhere to be seen.
Octavia blinked, staring straight ahead and towards the throne. It was empty, with no princess of either night or day sitting upon its great shape. There were no guests in the chamber and only a spare guard or two along the chamber’s vast length.
“Excuse me,” Octavia started, addressing one of the guards. He turned towards her, his expression as neutral and disciplined as any of the others’.
“Ms. Melody,” he acknowledged with a small bow. Octavia was loathe to admit it, but she did not recognize him as readily he recognized her.
“Where is Princess Luna?” On normal occasions, she would have made small conversation. But now was not a normal occasion. She had to make that clear. “Something… dire has happened. I need her counsel quickl--right now.” The guard did not change his strong gaze for even a moment. He did, however, acknowledge her.
“Of course,” he spoke politely, nodding towards the other guard in the court. Octavia could easily imagine the guard outside of her vision nodding in turn. It was likely a silent conversation between the two. “Please, follow me,” the guard turned from her, trotting towards a much smaller hall concealed partially by the drawn curtains. Octavia had walked through it before.
It took little time before the two were trotting down the smaller hall, which was still decorated by old art and decorated furniture. Octavia recognized them all, having seen them in previous excursions through the hall. The ornate dressers, cabinets, pews, and other such objects saw more use as scenery than practical storage or sitting space.
“Her highness is rather busy tonight,” the guard spoke up, earning the disguised alicorn’s attention. “She gave word to us before her court that she would be unable to attend.”
“I… see…” Octavia did indeed see, but the words created another portal of thought. If the princess was so busy she could not attend her court, how would she have time for Octavia? The lunar mare had already taken much of her day and night for the young alicorn. Would it be fair to ask even more of her?
But what if her work was strained now because of her aiding Octavia?
“Ms. Melody?” The guard spoke her name with a questioning tone, lacking none of the stern monotone his voice usually held. It took him calling her name for her to realize that she had stopped and stared at nothing from the beneath the brim of her hat. The coat atop her back was sagging to one side, leaving her wings mismatched. How long had she been trapped in thought?
“I’m fine, I’m… alright,” she attempted to convince the stallion half-heartedly, waving one of her hooves casually. “Just… I’m a bit tired.” It was a truth, but a half-truth. She was tired, but it was not fatigue that had made her mind slip away. It was enough to convince the guard stallion, however.
“It is a late night,” he admitted. “Though I am sure the princess will be able to help you with your problem.” He turned away from her once he was done speaking, trotting briskly. She followed, as he likely expected her to. She was already noting the familiar paths and turns, though the comfort she felt from the surroundings’ familiarity was counteracted by her discomfort at having more to say. There was likely more; a word of confidence, a small reminder of praise, but it went unspoken.
He was a pony bound to his duty and his princess, and to him that meant speaking only as he needed to, empathizing only where he needed to. Octavia knew ponies like that, but they lacked sense of duty. She just called them shy. An off-thought told her she was probably being perceived as such, but she dashed the notion as soon as it arrived. She was cautious, not shy.
“We are here,” the lunar guard spoke up again. And indeed, having followed the same path as they had before, Octavia found herself outside of the doors to Princess Luna’s study.
It was where she often spoke to the princess about her training, about who would make the best teachers for her newly acquired abilities. It was a quiet place, smaller than what most others would expect, but it was also far from bland by any pony’s measure. Inside were books dating from before Octavia’s family was named to the present, pillows and cushions seemingly made of magic itself, a cool breeze that never caused a chill, and, most importantly, a state of mind that helped the young mare think. She could only assume it was the same for the princess.
“I will leave you, then.” The guard had started to trot off before Octavia realized what he had said.
“Uh…. O-Okay…” She replied uneasily. He didn’t falter in his march.
It was not that Octavia was uncomfortable in the hall, alone or not. It was not that she was nervous, as she felt more safe around the lunar princess than most other ponies. It was a simpler, if a bit more foalish, feeling.
She had never intruded on the princess before without an invitation. First meeting aside, of course.
For some time she simply stared at the door, sucking on her lower lip in an attempt to sum up her courage. The jacket along her back did little to hide her fidgeting wings. Worse, the coat gave the illusion of her back moving independent from her legs, creating a disturbing effect. Her form was hidden lightly by the soft candlelight illuminating the hallway, but Octavia felt it burning on her back.
It was difficult for the young mare to tell what she was waiting for. A part of her hoped that the princess would walk out at any moment and she would be able to be invited in as she normally was. To suddenly intrude into the room seemed inappropriate to her. It didn’t help that the room belonged Luna herself.
She considered simply leaving. This was her problem, she reasoned, and not something that the already busy and most likely overworked Luna had to stress over. She had already given the young Octavia time and lessons for both her magic and wings, things that she believed she would never have needed before now. Who was she to ask even more of the alicorn?
A sight left Octavia’s lips, slow and deep. The wings beneath her coat fell with the action. She turned to leave, sure that she would need to deal with this new development on her own, or when Vinyl inevitably found out. The latter was far more likely than the former. But just as she turned, she heard something.
It wasn’t the sound of far-off hoof beats or the mutterings of a pony echoing down the long halls like she expected. Instead, it was a harmonic noise--a familiar one--reverberating from beyond the door. It made Octavia freeze for a moment, turning her head back to the doors. She focused, straining her ears as she perked them to their tallest. She was doubtless now of what she was hearing.
There was a piano playing in Princess Luna’s room.
It was near impossible for the mare to decipher the song that was being played, but the notes were as recognizable to her as a well published book to a librarian. Each note that echoed through the oak doors was played, strong and confident, with intent, carrying the next with as much grace as a dancer upon her stage.
It enraptured the young alicorn. She was hardly one to consider herself an expert with the old tool, but like any good musician she could recognize the notes well. They were far different from those of a cello or violin, able to play the lowest notes to the highest notes in chords that could make them ring together. It was a wonderful sound, a peaceful sound, and Octavia found herself seeping into it.
So much so that she did not realize she had opened the door and taken a few steps in. The music stopped in time.
“Who enters?” Came the recognizable tone of Princess Luna, strong and loud enough to shake Octavia from any day dreaming she was caught within. Her legs shook, mind racing at the realization of what she had done, exactly what she had been just leaving to prevent.
But regardless of her entrance, she could now see the room she had entered clearly. It was still Luna’s room, still the same room where she had had many meetings with the princess and made a few heavy decisions, but now it held a new hardly ignorable addition: the Grand Piano sitting in the center of the room.
The pillows were pushed away, leaving room for the large, elegantly carved structure. The dignified instrument was lined with masterfully tuned keys and strings hiding within, all of which were waiting for the right beat to play. It shimmered in the night, a sign of the clear polish that decorated the dark surface of the musical tool. Luna herself, in all her nightly beauty, sat at the pew.
Her hooves hovered over the keys, staring back at Octavia with an inquisitive gaze. The gaze turned from questioning to relaxed to wondrous almost too fast for Octavia to catch. Almost. She could recognize the look of inquisition Luna had given, as any pony would were they being interrupted. Octavia equally hoped it was their comfortable relationship that had allowed the look to relax as well, but it took her a moment to think and realize why Luna’s expression was caught the way it was now, with wide eyes and slightly gape jaw.
Octavia looked at the doors, the ones she had no hooves upon, the doors she had opened with instinct, the ones that were surrounded in her magical aura, her color changed and altered aura. Dread quickly flooded into Octavia once more.
“Oh…. Oh my…”
Of all the ways she had hoped for the princess to respond, that was not one of them.
Octavia was hoping for the princess to giggle lightly, to easily instruct her as to the meaning behind the change in aura. She was supposed to invite her in with nothing more than a question or two and a simple dismissal of the change. That would have been enough. That would have been all Octavia needed to know that this change was normal, easy to manage, predictable, not a problem.
But Luna had done none of those things. There was no denying it. This change was yet another drastic alteration to Octavia’s self. One she could not ignore, not even with alicorn-hood trusted upon her.
“Oh my. Octavia!” Princess Luna’s voice had an urgency to it--just enough for it to shake Octavia from her reverie of doubt. It was then that she noticed there was a trail of tears running down her face. Of course.
“I-I apologize… your majesty, I-” Octavia stopped. A bare hoof was held up to her, instructing her to give silence. Luna’s stern-yet-comforting gaze was just behind it.
“Enough of that,” the princess dismissed the apology as easily as she would a gnat in the room. “What has ailed you enough to bring you to tears?” Octavia looked downwards again.
She felt like a foal. A fool and a foal, refusing to speak to her better and finding pain where there was meant to be comfort. It weighed upon her, dug into her, and it hurt.
“Octavia,” Luna’s voice carried to her. It was calming, as was normal for Luna, but it was also more than that. It was caring, empathetic, and heartfelt. It sounded as if the princess was speaking not to one of her many subjects but to Octavia herself, genuine and honest. “Please, look at me.”
Octavia did so, but held as much hesitation as she did with so many actions before the lunar princess. Her head remained bowed, looking up with a tear-stained expression. The edges of her wings drooped, just barely above the floor as they shook from her pitiful attempts to control her breathing. Even with such elegant wings and a magnificent horn, Octavia was sure she looked every bit as miserable as she would have without them.
Luna, however, was still smiling down upon her like an angel illuminating the night.
“You do not deserve and do not need to bear any more weight than is placed upon you now. I am understanding of and will help you with any problems that may come to pass upon you. Please, tell me what is wrong, and I will do my utmost to right it.” Every word was spoken with that same smile. Every word sounded like an encouraging chime to Octavia. Everything about it was uplifting.
“But have not I not inconvenienced you?” The sick part of Octavia spoke up, the dark part that told her she was exactly what she feared to be: a hindrance, a blockade to others. “You must have so much work because of me, more than you deserve. I-I should probably just leave-” Once more the younger alicorn was silenced. Luna did not speak in turn, however.
Instead, she used her own blue aura to lift the hat from Octavia’s head, placing it on a table on the far end of the room. She then maneuvered the coat from the musician’s back, letting the younger mare’s gray wings stretch in the fresh air. Only when Octavia was bare of the façade of her clothing did Luna speak again.
“Any work I have can wait, and will wait, until you have your peace of mind. That is a promise.” Luna placed her hoof on Octavia’s shoulder, comforting the ever-worrying mare. To Octavia it felt like a cool pack of ice on her heated mind. It was heavenly. “And I suspect that your true cause for concern is of the change in your magic’s color, is it not?” With Luna’s hoof upon her, Octavia didn’t feel any need to skirt around it or her worries.
“Yes,” she admitted, speaking in a quieter tone. “I… I cast my magic earlier and saw it for the first time. It was the same this morning: gray as my coat. But now…” Octavia turned to see one of the plush pillows along the side wall, stacked with others. The soft, modestly decorated cushion was elegant even in storage. Her horn alighted, lifting the object up. It was surrounded in the light blue hue as her covers had been before, as the door too had been before, but like no other objects before them.
“Ah,” Luna noted with a small tone. It was not, to Octavia’s relief, one of worry or pain. “I believe I know the cause, and I can say with safety that there is no reason for concern.”
The feeling those words brought could not, in turn, be described. Though they eased a great weight from the young Octavia, one she knew she needed no longer bear, her curious mind was not so easily satisfied. She half suspected Luna was waiting for her to ask the question.
“Then… what caused it?” Luna only smiled down at her. Octavia felt comfort in that smile. It was not much different from the smile Vinyl would give her; full of mischief and devious thoughts. But even with Luna she knew what it would bring.
“Young foals, before they have thought of where they are, attach to their parents when in need.” Octavia had to admit, she did not expect the talk to be about psychology.
“I… beg your pardon?” Luna retracted her hoof, still smiling at Octavia. With a wave her head, she motioned for the younger alicorn to follow her deeper into the room. Octavia did so, making sure that her posture and poise were presentable and praying her humiliating display from earlier had been forgotten.
“For a foal born normally, love and attachment are two important aspects of their growth. It allows them to explore, to question, and to reach out into the world.” Luna’s bare hoof waved through the air as she spoke on. “However, there are also foals that are not so fortunate. Ponies of the age of only a babe that must bear the world alone. Do you know why I am telling you this, Octavia?” Honestly, Octavia hadn’t a clue.
“I… think so…” the mare uneasily replied. Luna only smiled coyly, taking the moment to launch into her reply.
“Those ponies that are born without a doting parent cast magic of a gray hue.” That nailed Octavia’s attention.
“They what?” The younger alicorn responded in kind, giving a question that Luna was quick and happy to answer.
“They cast colorless magic,” the alicorn continued. “It is not common amongst elder ponies, but gray magic is a sign of no core--no center--for one’s self.” Octavia heard what the princess was saying, but at the same time she felt as if she was being insulted.
“Princess… Luna,” the mare corrected herself. “I can promise you that my parents have been nothing but loving and encouraging towards me since my birth and to this moment in my life. I have never once felt desperate or alone. Besides which, I can assure you that Vinyl has kept me company even when solitude has been preferred.” That earned a small giggle from Luna. Were it any other pony, Octavia was sure she would have thrown a pillow at them. Only a pillow, but maybe filled with rocks.
“And of this, I have no doubt,” the alicorn agreed. “But you misunderstand, assuming that it is simply love that decides the color of your magic. Rather, the magic you cast can be controlled in any way, including the color it bears.”
To demonstrate, the princess lit her horn with absolute ease. It flashed the familiar dark blue, a hue that fit a night’s sky. It danced about the room, giving a quick display of its properties. Octavia followed it carefully.
Especially when it brightened into a dazzling white. A shocked gasp escaped her mouth, while a giggle emanated from Luna’s position.
“The color of one’s magic is a natural color, a color of their instinctual choosing. I did not mean to mislead and say it was a part of their character. I meant to imply that the foals that were loved felt safe in a color. A dragon of the mountains would find peace with dark rocks, as a fish would with deep blue waters.”
Luna placed her hoof on Octavia’s chest, lightly pressing against the fine coat. Octavia glanced down at the appendage, confused. She raised her head back to look at Princess Luna. The diarch had never lost her smile, though her magic had ceased.
“Before, when you cast your magic for the first time, your thoughts were of yourself and of what this meant to you.” Though more objective than questioning, Octavia could not call the princess wrong. “But now you are thinking of others, not just yourself, and that has brought about the color you think of them as.”
“Is that… common?” Luna shook her head at the question, but her everlasting smile kept any thoughts of worry at bay.
“There is very little in common between what has happened to you and an ordinary pony.” It was more of a confirmation of facts than a new conjecture, but Octavia appreciated it all the same. “I am sure if you were to cast your magic now, thinking of yourself over others, it would change colors again away from whoever you associated with such a peaceful blue.”
As if to test the theory, Octavia cast her magic without hesitation, lifting the same pillow as she had before. She thought of herself practicing her cello at an hour before the school bells had rung, tuning one of the strings to better fit to the chord.
And, as she did so, the hue about the pillow started turning gray.
Relief flooded through the mare. It silenced her inner music and brought the pillow down with a dull thump.
“Please, do not worry over this,” Luna spoke on. “I promised then as I do now. There is nothing to worry over, only to think on. Much like adding an extra octave to a piece. It is only meant to be considered, not fretted over.” An appropriate analogy, and one Octavia was immensely grateful to hear.
She smiled up at the princess, an act that Luna returned in kind. They nodded at one another, letting the moment slip away in silence. For some time they simply stood and appreciated.
“Here,” Luna instructed with her hoof, pointing towards a small section of the otherwise large room. “I believe I know how we may calm your wary nerves.” Octavia followed the hoof of the dark alicorn, stopping only when she saw what she felt didn’t belong in the room. The object made her gasp.
It was true that it didn’t belong in the room, what Luna was pointing towards, but it was a thing that Octavia had much love for, and many hours of kinsmanship with. It was a classical tool, one that had been used, tuned, and perfected over many centuries, one that had run deep in her family line, and just as deep in the realm of music.
Octavia felt her wings rise, ever so slightly, as she gazed upon a grand, intricately crafted and pristine cello.
It sat upon its stand, leaning back ever so carefully. Sitting precariously upon its tail piece made it as tall and imposing as all cellos were. It had four deftly tied strings along its bridge. The pegs and scrolls were positioned at the top, as they always were, but here they were reflecting a light Octavia couldn’t see. The belly of the wooden instrument was much the same, shining in a way that made the gray alicorn wonder how she ever could have missed it.
That was right, everything about the shape and strings seemed normal. Perfectly normal, in fact. The kind of normalcy that was required to play an instrument as delicate and deep as the cello. But the color, the color was so different. It took Octavia the full moment, or perhaps even two more, to realize that the instrument was not reflecting light, but creating it.
Simply, it was glowing. It was glowing like a well-lit sky.
“Does it… suit you?” Luna asked from aside Octavia, holding a trace of hesitance. The younger mare hadn’t noticed. “I was not sure of how to commission the piece, but I believed it appropriate for you. You have been forced to learn much in such short time. I thought it would be… beneficial...to let you work with something more familiar.” Those words made Octavia stare at Luna, mouth agape.
“This… This is for me?” Octavia could not lie and say she misunderstood the princess, but she would be perfectly honest to admit that was caught in disbelief. She was the one in debt to the dark alicorn, to the Lunar Princess. Why was she the one receiving such a gift?
“It is,” Luna spoke kindly with an equally kind bow of her head; short, but noticeable. “It would not take centuries of wisdom to notice you are bearing more than most ponies ever have had to handle.” The words felt less like a compliment and more like a reminder. Octavia’s wings folded as she spoke, as if fallen under the weight of the notion. “But if there is one benefit my… isolation… had taught me. It was the saving grace of small joys.”
Luna let the admission hang in the air while she trotted by Octavia. The younger and smaller alicorn fought the urge to gape at her as she passed. The lunar mare stopped when she was by her piano again. The seat moved out and the cover lifted to present to her the keys of the wondrous tool. Luna’s horn flashed briefly, her magic working so quickly it was almost impossible to see, but it was long enough for her crystal horseshoes to be removed, revealing the equally elegant hooves beneath.
“Music is as much an escape to me as books are to my sister.” It took Octavia a moment to realize that Luna’s voice had dropped in tone. It wasn’t dark, and far from ominous, but it had a recognizable pitch to it. Octavia recognized the melancholy well. “My elder sister would often read to me when we were young, losing herself in stories and tales both true and false. She loved worlds far from our own, in either time or distance. I, too, enjoyed those stories, but I found my peace in another tool, in another way.”
After a moment of silence, Luna’s hooves lightly fell onto the keys.
The echo of the well strung instrument rang through the room, vibrating along Octavia’s bones and reminding her to breathe. It was more welcoming than a breath of fresh air. With masterful skill, Luna continued to play the keys. Octavia was reminded of the solo Luna had been playing originally when Octavia had come to see her. Her hooves were rising and falling over the many keys, both sharp and flat, playing chords and songs that needed no words.
“Music is an escape, but it is also a reminder,” Luna continued to speak, her voice rising as she did so. Octavia felt her own lips turning up with the elder alicorn’s voice. “That no matter how much the world may change, or we may change along with it, music will remain the same. It will still touch the soul, it will still guide the heart, and it will still ease the mind. It hasn’t changed in thousands of years. Not even a falling nation can alter it.”
Princess Luna continued to play, and Octavia closed her eyes. In but a moment she simply let go, lost to the melody.
Luna expertly moved her hooves over the keys, playing single notes that rang together, almost as if nature intended them to. They sifted through the air, settling over Octavia like the curtains of time and turning every moment into a sacred pleasure.
Octavia shut her eyes, briefly letting the notes flow over her. She felt her wings rise, as if they were trying to catch the sound and glide over it. Princess Luna was right. It was lifting her soul and guiding her heart. It was exactly the way she felt when she played, when she practiced, when she was free of the world’s worries.
The gray alicorn took in a long breath of air, savoring it like she was every note the princess played. It sounded like the stars were ringing with the notes echoing about the room. She took her on a journey in themselves, reminding the young mare of who she was, not what she was.
She was Octavia Melody, first chair in the Canterlot Orchestra, the youngest to take the position. Trained since a small age, growing in skill through her own hard work and talent, and finally amassing into a young mare. She was a young pony that any set of parents would be proud to have, and that anypony would be thankful to call a friend.
The mare looked over to the cello the princess had made for her. It was seemingly glowing with the music Luna was playing. Either it was glowing from the princess’s magic or it was calling to Octavia. Both seemed equally likely, and equally enticing.
Octavia lightly and easily trotted over to stand behind the instrument, gently easing it off of the stand once she had reached it. It leaned on her like a weary friend, in need of another to sing. Octavia was only too happy to comply.
She grasped the bow of the cello, letting it sit comfortably in her hoof. Once it had settled peacefully, she deftly rested it against the strings of the instrument. It bounced lightly, settling against the wooden body as it would a bed. Octavia felt her eyes shut briefly, as if she too were about rest against a bed. Truly, with Luna’s music flowing through the air and the cello in her grasp, it was hard for Octavia not to think of this as a moment worth losing herself in. There was, however, one obvious way to make it even better.
Pulling the bow across the strings, Octavia began to play.
Luna looked over at Octavia quickly but briefly. She heard the slow hum of the cello’s strings verberate behind her, running down her spine like a cool stream of water. It supplemented the quick rings of the piano perfectly, carrying the notes like a strong ship upon steady stream. The two mixed together, played together, and, slowly, were lost in each other.
And as the two lost themselves to the music they played, memories began to take shape in their minds.
Octavia remembered the first time she picked up a cello. It had stood so tall above her that it had appeared gargantuan. Her hooves could not wrap around the wooden body, but her soul could feel the music that it was capable of crafting. She felt joy when she plucked its strings, peace when she pulled the bow, and bliss when her parents congratulated her.
Luna recalled a distant memory of her youth, of her and Celestia. They had been foals in a brand new world, exploring for the sake of exploring and adventuring for the joy of discovery. They had found lands untouched, magic unfounded, and peace being uttered on breathless air. She could even recall, albeit faintly, the first time her hooves had touched the keys of a piano and the mixture of joy and fright she had received when the piano had spoken back to her, its deep tones echoing.
Octavia saw herself taking lessons, saw an instructor teaching her how to hold the grand device. She saw herself learning how to pull the bow and how to position her hooves. She remembered having to adjust her chair twice over before being comfortable, and having not dread of learning an instrument, but excitement. She remembered her sister telling her to take it slow… but she could not remember her sister.
Luna remembered telling her elder sibling of how much she enjoyed the piano, of how it spoke to her in a way she felt magic did. She remembered her sister smiling at the words, holding her close and congratulating her on finding such a simple joy in such a vast world. Luna remembered holding her back in return, promising that she’d play as she was read to. She remembered them agreeing.
Octavia finally recalled being excused by her mentor. Not out of spite, but out of thanks. She had learned all that he could teach, and had been and still was able to play like a master at an age where youth was still thought to be foolish. But it was to be expected. She had practiced all through her nights, and even part way through the day. She recalled sleeping when the sun shined brightly in the sky instead of when the moon gave off its dim glow. But she had never owned the nights… had she?
Luna remembered playing the piano one last time, before everything had gone awry. She remembered playing a small duet for her sister, performed by her and her magic. She let the keys tell her where to push, how deeply to depress them, and how slowly the piece was meant to be played. There was no rush, not in the realm of music. Nothing was meant to go at a pace faster than what was intended. It was not speed that was the measure of skill in music, but emotion. The feeling of the heart was what one used to judge the quality of a piece. By that regard, she was a master.
Octavia had been called a master by many ponies, young and old. She never had told any of them they were false. She thanked them with a bowed head, taking care to keep her horn away from their eyes as she did so. These weren’t here memories, but they felt to her as natural as her own past.
Luna let the feeling at last wash over. The piano told her it was coming time to end, to let the music fall asleep once more. Once she finally did she felt such joy, such bliss, such peace.
Octavia had never felt such peace.
Luna had never felt such acceptance.
Octavia was happy.
Luna was in bliss.
The two let their respective instruments soften and, eventually, quiet. The room was becoming a vacuum with how quiet it was. Yet both mares kept their eyes shut, enjoying the slow release the music had given them and the peace it had let them enjoy. There was no rush to move from where they were, no need to hurry. For now, simply peace was enough.
END
And once both had opened their eyes, they were greeted with a new sight.
Stars were dancing around them.
They were not stars on the wall paintings or curtain designs. They were small lights, near enough to actual stars, blinking across and around the room. They hovered between Octavia and Luna, each shimmering with a slow light that usually belonged to the night sky. Some were slowly swimming behind the alicorns, as if searching the empty room for where the music had gone.
It made the comfortable darkness brighten into a clear night, leaving pale light to move about the room. To own, for a time, the air around them. They did not compete with one another, shining brighter than the former or dimmer than the last. They simply existed by one another, like petals on a leaf or strings on a cello. They were all perfectly placed, perfectly spaced, and perfectly content.
“Wow…” Octavia felt the words slip from her lips, the first word either mare had said in some time. It didn’t do justice to the beauty that surrounded them, but there were few words that could, and even fewer ponies that could imagine them.
“Yes,” Luna agreed, nodding her head and joining in searching out the wonders around them. The awe in her voice told Octavia this was not a very common occurrence. “Yes, indeed.”
It took longer than they expected for the lights to slowly dim, but die down they did. There was no more music left to keep them afloat, no more magic left to keep them alive. Like the leaves in autumn, or the snow in spring, what they needed to exist was gone, and so they left as easily as they came.
A blink here, a twinkle there, and then the stars slowly disappeared from existence, leaving not even dust behind. Only the memories of their sights remained with the alicorns, the sight of the stars and the sound of their music. It was plenty enough for the two.
“That was… beautiful.” And again, there was no justice in the words Octavia spoke, but she could not do justice with words where only music seemed to hold meaning.
“It was,” Luna agreed, the volume in her voice only just above a whisper. It grew as she spoke on. “And I believe that may have answered a question we both have held for some time now.” Octavia turned slowly towards the diarch, staring at her with eyes that hadn’t faltered since they had opened.
“What is that?” Luna smiled lightly, kindly, at the question.
“We still have no rhyme or reason for how your horn or wings came to be.” As she pointed them out, Octavia felt her wings recoil against her side. She wasn’t aware of when they had opened. Probably some time during the performance. “But now we have an idea of what you are capable of. That may very well be the key to finding out why.” Something in those words stuck with Octavia.
“W-Wait, princess, are… are you saying…” She stopped, as if caught in disbelief. It was supposed to be obvious, at least obvious to her. The stars were Luna’s doing. They had to be. Who else could create such a beautiful night but the princess of it? But the dark alicorn’s coy smile and light voice said otherwise.
“I am saying that I cast no magic during our performance, Ms. Melody,” Luna confirmed. The princess of the night stood from the piano, poise as elegant as ever. “And I can also say that you performed leagues and years above what most other mares or stallions your age could muster.”
“I… I don’t understand…”
“A princess of love sits far to the north,” Luna began cryptically. “And she knows of it in all its forms. She knows of love by family, and the joy only a sibling can feel. She knows the love of marriage, as her kinship is stronger than almost any other I’ve ever bared witness to. And I believe she will know of the love of parenthood, though that will only come with time, however brief.”
“Princess?” It was a silly question, half muttered, but it was all Octavia could say to the dark alicorn slowly trotting over to her.
“A princess of friendship is to the west, and she knows of near all the many lessons that comes with it.” Octavia knew well of whom Luna was speaking. “Through the trials of life and the turns of fate, she has learned of friendship through friends in every manner and way. Good times and bad, trials and tribulations. There is no other pony who knows more of what friendship is then that mare. But you, Octavia, are related to her in a way I could not have suspected before now.”
Even with the soliloquy, Octavia was no closer to understanding the Lunar Princess than when she began. She was starting to feel a bit nervous.
“You, Octavia, are a learning master of the soul.”
The sentence didn’t process properly.
“W-What?”
“Your music made it clear to me,” Luna spoke almost breathlessly, happily. “Through following the flows of the guiding hand of magic, you were able to not only learn about but empathize with a life you have never had. You copied and cast a magic only I have, not only by following the flows of my magic, but by listening to my own music play.”
Was that what that was? Was that what she did? Octavia felt herself fall to the floor in stunned wonder. Her eyes looked up from her sitting position. Luna continued as if she had not moved at all.
“And if not that, then the changing patterns of your magic make it all the clearer.” Luna went on to say, her voice never losing its wise tone. “You easily changed it from a comforting gray to an inviting blue, then altered it back with but a thought,” Luna continued, smiling.
“I spoke to you honestly when I said most other ponies learn not to follow magic, but to control it. You, young Octavia, followed the magic, and in doing so found the most wonderful pieces of my soul. You changed your magic, in color and form, to match others.” Luna’s regalia-free hoof rested on her chest, eyes shutting briefly as she did.
“You were able to effortlessly follow my music--to give it new lift. And by following my music, you followed me to my soul--and the magic that rests there. You… Octavia, are a musician that most other ponies could dare say never match.” The idea wasn’t as enticing to the young alicorn as she would have hoped.
“And there is no better way to understand the soul of another than by following their path, the same way you use your music.”
“What… what does this mean?” Octavia hoped she didn’t sound as breathless as she imagined. With the serene expression Luna was giving her, she couldn’t tell.
“I don’t know,” Luna admitted, much to the gray alicorn’s disappointment. “Not yet. But it is hard to imagine we will not find out soon enough.”
“Then what am I to do now?” Octavia asked more quickly than she would have liked, but she was being held on the edge of a cliff, being promised answers she had spent near months looking for.
Luna leaned in, gently raising Octavia’s muzzle with her hoof. It was a soft touch, a kind one. Luna stopped only when Octavia’s wet eyes settled on the princess’s kind dark orbs.
“We look for another whom you can follow.”
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Well that was unexpected for her to have that as ability
, nyway 
Gonna be predictable and vote Vinyl Scratch
Anyone, eh? With a cello?
Bwaaaahahaha.
With Vinyl, who has a heretofore unmentioned talent in Cello. This type of music would be her. I can see her glance and grin at Octy, who matches it due to how she works as an alicorn... and then you have the above.
...that was awesome.
I'm going to vote for Fluttershy. What she has just learned has to be earth shattering for her. She needs calmness and stability in her life now. Fluttershy is (almost) always the paragon of tranquility.
VOTE:
I think Octavia should follow.. dun-dun-dun... VINYL! She's the one who knows Octy the best, one with big heart and good soul. Vinyl and Octavia should get some alone time, walk city, explore it and their souls. No more formal training , practical jokes, music, fun and going out for her future subjects. Maybe even to concerts, hospitals and such, to help and comfort
Lyra Heartstrings
Vinyl Scratch, and for music, throw in some nice Daft Punk.
I vote Fluttershy. Her deep understanding of animals, both timid and savage, give her an understanding that most cannot. She also has those same traits... timid when around strangers and friends, but can become savage as would any predator when those close to her are endanger. Fluttershy as problems balancing her two sides, and I think Octavia could learn and help at the same time with Fluttershy.
DAMN U FOR SCARING ME LIKE THAT!
Octavia better return to Luna later. That duet scene was just emotional on an amazing level, and the way you write them gives them such good chemistry. The explanation for Octavia's transformation and the way her magic connects with ponies ... just wonderful.
As for following, I'd say Octavia goes to Ponyville to find Fluttershy. Connecting with her animal empathy should be interesting.
Pinky
Vinyl. You can never have too much vinyl.
While Vinyl is the most obvious choice, how about Lyra? Just, not human obsessed Lyra, Musician Lyra.
5251870
THANK YOU! xD Finally someone else who votes for Lyra :P
I say Vinyl.
Discord. Two Cellos Thunderstruck. In the fanciest theater in all the land.
Look. I know I always suggest Discord for each one of these, but I am dead serious when I say this NEEDS to happen. Also, yea I know this exact song was suggested before, but Vinyl is a poor fit for it and with her I would think her doing something electronic based would be more her.
Where as the pure resentment for the norm and general feeling of this song suits Discord very well, especially with the atypical nature of the piece from a playing the cello stand point.
Wow, I don't know who to choose. As a musician myself, this chapter was so beautiful that I almost cried. Music is the best way to reach others' soul.
As for my election, I think I'll go for Cadence. You already mentioned her and I feel that she would make another beautiful chapter. She's kind, loving and can help with Octavia's insecurities toward her new changes. Besides, she has a wonderful voice, singing alongside Octavia's cello would be amazing.
Edit:
And for the music I can Imagine something like this with Octavia, Cadence and Luna;
Ugh, fine in a fit of madness I also went on the look out for a good fit for Vinyl.
And may I present Palladio by Escala. Vinyl would take care of most of the instruments, or Octavia could really show off here and cover a few additional with magic. Either way, the feeling of this piece bring forth closer to a Vinyl vibe than Thunderstruck does to me. Triumph, joy, and energy without any sort of violence to it.
Iron will
Octavia needs to calm down, go slow, and keep stable. Obviously, the best choice is Vinyl Scratch. As much as Octavia is frequently annoyed by Vinyl, they're still best friends and know each other very well. They're familiar with each other, and besides, who else would Octavia have more fun with practicing her new abilities?
(This one was on a list I had lying around, and you asked, so...)
About the story itself, well, it was fantastic. It's hard to fit a story with music, but I always love when it works and you chose a beautiful piece. The revelation at the end fits well enough for my headcanon, so I really like that too. Thanks again for another great chapter!
5251960
I still hope Discord shows up eventually...
I say Vinyl.
Now let the music sing:
That. Was. Wonderful! Your writing is ... just like Octavia's and Luna's Music.
I'd love to see her follow a character that's a little opposed to her.
A character that's more extroverted.
Vinyl would be great. Though they new each other quite well allready, I think she (Octavia) could get herself a deeper understanding of her (Vinyl).
EDIT: Lyra would be good as well, but seeing as Vinyl has been portrayed as very close to her and seeing as she has gotten very little 'screentime' over the last chapters it maybe would be smoother to choose her.
I like the idea of Fluttershy, so I vote her. Also, I losing lots of money cause of all this Shipping.
Lyra or Zecora
Oh. My. What a stunning chapter. This story is playing out with a beautiful melody all its own.
Octavia meets up with a group of cello playing changelings from another hive/not connected to Chrysallis any more
Magic happens.
My first vote would have to be Pinkie Pie just for the complexity possible there. Next would be Sunset Shimmer as the latest movie has made me come to like her and her life would make an epic song.
Cadence
It is strange, for the music, the nature, of nature, for all the ifs, for the whens, to hear the songs of all. I have to agree with of all things, zecora listens to the songs of the world in a way few really do.
Gonna go with Vinyl on this one. Hmmm... here's a song.
For Fluttershy, perhaps this :
Or maybe something more like:
But if singing is required for Flutters, then I think this will do nicely:
For Celestia, I fancy this tune:
In the case of Discord:
Or:
Finally, for Vinyl:
I could go all day, but I won't bore you with suggestions for some dozen or so other ponies.
Gonna have to go with Vinyl on dis one.
Also this.
Or maybe this.
Edit:
DOUBLE POSTS.
Pinkie. With a Flugelhorn. And the song from Over a Barrel.
I can't help but think Sweetie Belle would find Octavia playing and get the urge to sing with the song thus finding her talent.
maybe something with a violin but its not a cello...
Edit: Cant find any good music featuring a cello and singing.
Edit2: Well I found a good one but not for my original idea. Something in the water
Vinyl.
hmm idk but if you ever do work Fiddles into it you could introduce her by having Luna drag Octavia to a competition. (Maybe Fiddle's is Octavia's free spirited sister that went off on her own and beleives music is freedom who knows)
Pinky and Cheese doing Polka
or
The CMC
I think it should be Sweetie Belle... I don't know how or why... but the thought of the two of them doing a duet to, say, Christina Perri - A Thousand Years... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtOvBOTyX00
Or, perhaps... have it be Discord - imagine being able to touch the soul of Chaos Incarnate...
5252503
YES! That song is PERFECT for Discord!
5253193
Which one? I put two of 'em.
I kinda want her to search for someone to follow, music is all over the world, wouldn't it be right for her to go visit the other capitals of the world looking for a unique musicians to follow.
Germane Horn's, Zebrician Drums, Changeling wing buzz choirs, Griffon warsongs, Dragon Gold-scratching.
Anyways, that might be later, but I though it be interesting especially since going away to get her bearings would be viable.(before the press finds out.)
That was totally unexpected and completely BRILLIANT!!
I would have to say Vinyl. It seems the logical choice, given they are friends already and I think Octavia might be more relaxed in that setting than with someone who isn't a friend.
For a song this would be the best I can think of:
Edit: fixed link... I hope
Octavia has already spoken with the Royal Sisters. She has already talked with Twilight. There is one alicorn she hasn't yet spent any time with, who might have a new perspective on her ascension, especially in light of this chapter.
Cadence. I vote Cadence.
...or Vinyl. Because OctaScratch forever, either as a friendship or more. But at least go visit Cadence.
...actually, I could see Vinyl dragging Octavia north. Any excuse for a roadtrip :P
5253369 I think has a good idea there. I think Vinyl is a good next step, but Cadence would likely be a great stop after that.
I also usually don't do this with unfinished stories but this chapter just shot this onto my top 10.
Vinyl.
Discord!
Just one brief technical note. I love the chapter a ton but there is one line that stands out every time I read it. (Maybe it's just because I've been practicing holding a bow on a cello for the last week maybe
)
The bow, and the strings for that matter, never actually touch the body of the instrument. They do touch the wooden bridge but you don't really get too soothing a sound if the bow is placed close to the bridge. If I might make a suggestion perhaps something along the lines of "it bounced lightly, settling against the strings like a sleeper in a hammock between two great trees."
Just thought I'd say something. It's still a good line but it kind of breaks the mental image a bit in my mind. Again loving the story and keep up the great work.
I vote for Spike. He too can play the piano, and I could see them playing pretty much anything from The Piano Guys. (Since they use just piano and cello. I cannot link vid as I have no wifi. Sent via phone, where I cannot link YouTube videos.)
5252795 that picture fits perfectily with your answer
This is going to sound weird, but given that he's already proven to have a barbershop baritone going on, I vote for Big Macintosh.
This is mainly because you could do something really funny with Octavia copying his massive strength magic or just dealing with the only pony more level and composed than her.
I have to vote that she next sees Pinkie Pie.
This has been a big change for Octavia and she's been experiencing a loss of control and negative emotions like worry and sadness very often.
Pinkie would have her usual upbeat way of singing and I would like to see Octavia just let go of her worries and really smile.
5253329
Just have to say, I now have to add this song to my pony tracklist.