Octavia Sings the Blues

by GrassAndClouds2

Friends Again

When Octavia woke, she felt much more at peace.

Part of it was the brand new day, with the shining sun and singing birds. Part of it was having gotten several hours of sleep during which she could decompress from the events of the previous night. And part of it--perhaps the largest part--was the comment that Bonbon had made, which had bounced around in Octavia's head as she drifted off to sleep and floated through her dreams. Aren't they worth it? she had said in effect. And--with the benefit of a little distance--she knew that they were.

It still hurt, she thought. But not as much, and she knew that, the next time she fought with a friend--and there inevitably would be arguments; Bonbon had made that clear--it would hurt less than before. She would keep working and would become a better and better friend, until she was able to shrug off such pains as the occasional costs one paid in exchange for having such close companions. It was worth being vulnerable like this, if it meant she could bond as closely with Bluenote and the others as she had.

I should talk to her, thought Octavia. I'll talk and... explain why it hurt so badly, but also tell her that I know I overreacted a little. We'll make up. Maybe we'll make some more bread. I'll show her how to do it right. Perhaps if I do ask my mother to send me some of my plush instruments from when I was a foal, I will show them to her; I am certain she would want to see them. She frowned. If she cares... no. She is my friend. I know she cares. She--

Her thoughts were distracted as the faint, yet unmistakeable, scent of fresh naan wafted across her muzzle.

For a moment, she didn't believe it. Nopony else in the village could make that bread; nopony else had a suitable oven. But it was definitely naan, and it was coming from outside her window. And it smelled perfect.

Opening it, she looked down... and smiled when she saw the beaming faces of Vinyl, Titchy, and Bluenote. Bluenote had her tuba, Vinyl her drums, and Titchy a little tin drum of his own, which he was banging with joyful abandon. Bluenote balanced a silver tray piled high with naan on her back. "Thank you," said Octavia. "You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to," said Bluenote. "Besides, this bread tastes really good when you make it right." She winked. "If you don't get some soon, I might just eat it all!"

Octavia found herself laughing too. "I cannot wait to try it."

Vinyl began to levitate the bread. As she did, Bluenote began to toot away on her tuba, and Titchy joined in with a very simple two-one drum pattern, even sticking his tongue out as he gave the task his total concentration. Octavia couldn't hide her smile. "I had no idea I would wake up to such music this morning."

"We wanted to surprise you, Tavi! This song's for you!"

Bluenote tooted a merry acknowledgement on her tuba, and Vinyl began to sing:

"I'm gonna bake you a friend cake
I'm gonna bake you a friend cake
I'm gonna put it on a friend plate
and serve it up to you

Octavia chuckled at the lyrics. "What's a friend plate?"

"A plate you give to a friend, obviously. Come on, Tavi, you're ruining the beat!" said Vinyl.

Octavia bowed her head graciously. "I apologize. Please, continue."

"I'm gonna bake you a friend cake
I'm gonna bake you a friend cake
I'm gonna put it on a friend plate
and serve it up to you.

The bread was almost in Octavia's reach, but then Vinyl yanked it away. Bluenote played a small 'wah-wah' effect with her tuba, then continued, playing more merrily than ever and beginning to shift around on her back legs. Octavia could only laugh and grab at the dancing bread.

"I'm gonna mix it in my friend bowl
And add a little bit of my soul
I'm gonna put it in your cake hole
I'll serve it up to you.

Octavia shut her eyes slightly. Yes, they had put heart and soul into this, just as she had with her original recipe. Why was I ever worried? They understand me perfectly. "If you intend to put anything in my 'cake hole', as you call it--"

"Gettin' there, Tavi!"

"It'll be so moist
It'll taste so good
Then you'll feel friendship
Deep inside of you.

"I'm gonna fold in a friend seed
Add in some yogurt and ka-lonji
I'm gonna guarantee that you'll feed.
Now time for some kazoo.

"Kazoo?" asked Octavia. "What--"

Then Vinyl tossed Titchy a kazoo, and he began buzzing away with gleeful abandon.

Bonbon poked her head into Octavia's room. "What's all the commotion?"

Octavia gestured. "Breakfast."

"Huh. Wish I had singing telegrams for my breakfast." She waved down into her yard. "You go Titchy! Play that kazoo!"

Vinyl grinned, then took the kazoo back after a few moments and resumed:

"It'll be so moist
It'll taste so good
Then you'll feel friendship
Deep inside of you.

"I'm gonna cut it with my friend knife
I'm gonna cut it til it feels just right
I'm gonna feed it to you all night
That's what I'm gonna do.

"It'll be so moist
It'll taste so good
Then you'll feel friendship
Deep inside of you.

The plate darted near Octavia. She reached to grab it, overbalanced, and fell--but was caught by Vinyl's magic and safely lowered to the ground before she even had a chance to panic. She smiled at her friends, and then the plate hovered right in front of her. Bluenote stopped playing the tuba and began to sing:

"I'm gonna bake you a friend cake
I'm gonna bake you a friend cake
I'm gonna put it on a friend plate
Now put it in your mouth!

Octavia quickly grabbed a piece before Vinyl could steal it away, bit into it, and...

"Bluenote? This is absolutely delicious. Thank you."

The blue mare blushed a bright scarlet, and then, before Octavia knew it, the two of them were hugging tightly.

"Let's never fight again," said Bluenote.

Octavia laughed. "I will do my very best," she pledged.

And--as the music continued, as Bonbon brought out more raita yogurt and Vinyl set up the table and Titchy ran hither and yon and proclaimed that Vinyl was the best big sister ever--Bluenote and Octavia exchanged a look and smiled. For they were friends, and whatever obstacles lay in their path, they would overcome them.

That was what friends did.

Comments

[Talon and Thorn]

Awww!

I was going to complain that the make up was to quick but yes a good nights sleep can put everything into perspective and well that final song was just so perfect that I don't have the heart to anymore.

Titchy's certainly musically talented, three instruments so far, he'll be a one stallion band in a few decades at this rate.

Overall, Bravo!

[Talon and Thorn]

4184397

I guess we'll have to say the piano was a Minotaur instrument adopted by Ponies which is why they have the gloves to play it.

[punzil504]

It seems like she still needs some vindication from the foals... granted, Diamond Tiara's opinion of naan might not matter for a hill of beans, but wasn't that the spark that ignited the powder keg?

As for the song... yikes. My warped mind took that song places that it was not intended to go...

I'm gonna cut it with my friend knife
I'm gonna cut it til it feels just right
I'm gonna feed it to you all night
That's what I'm gonna do.

[Themaskedferret]

Very sweet and fun. Bravo.

[djthomp]

That was great!

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Yay! Good to see those two making up.

[Voltaje]

Good story man, enjoyed it all, from the start to end, now let's check the other stories of the Cadanceverse

[Lord King Cocoon]

I love the idea of Octavia believing that pain is worth it because she cares.

"Huh. Wish I had singing telegrams for my breakfast."

You know, Bonbon, that there's a certain mint-colored Element of Harmony that would gladly oblige you with that if you let her know.

---

4205242
It could have also been intended for unicorns, using their magic to push the keys.