Chapter 5: Anxiety
A knock on the door woke Octavia up from her slumber. Still feeling exhausted, Octavia groaned as she got up and tried to rub the drowsiness out of her eyes, recalling why she felt so tired.
Last night, she had made her way from the apple farm back to the inn she was staying at, but instead of going to sleep, she had just lay in bed, wide awake. She just could not stop thinking about the mystifying encounter in the apple orchard. Listening to the orange mare’s music made her feel calm and relaxed. Her worries and troublesome thoughts had melted away under the melody of the orange mare’s playing, but once she made it back to the inn and was not under the influence of the enchanting music, her thoughts came back with a vengeance.
All Octavia could think about was what happened earlier that night. Images of the mysterious mare playing her violin and then crying under the stars constantly flashed through her mind. As though she was trying to grasp the wind, it was a futile endeavor to try and piece together the enigmatic music she had heard. All she could remember were the emotions it invoked in her. She had spent hours fretting over her worrying thoughts before finally falling asleep from exhaustion.
“Miss, is everything alright in there? You’ve been in your room for almost the entire day,” came the inn owner’s voice from behind the door.
“Yes, everything is alright,” Octavia sleepily replied. “I just had a difficult night. Thank you for checking up on me.”
“Alright, I hope you feel better then,” the owner said as the sound of her departing hoofsteps reached Octavia.
Octavia sighed as her drowsiness slowly faded away only to be be replaced by her recurring thoughts of the orange mare.
Well, at least I’m not worrying about my own music, Octavia thought, trying to be optimistic. Unfortunately, her brain remedied the problem by reminding her that she needed to eventually come up with a solution to her own musical problems.
Octavia moaned as she slowly banged her head on her pillow. This is what I get for thinking too much.
Finally mustering the energy to do something else besides lamenting over her thoughts while lying in bed, Octavia looked at a clock hanging on the wall. It was in the middle of the afternoon, meaning she had slept most of the day away.
She contemplated on what she could do with the remaining part of the day. During her walk around town yesterday, Octavia noted that many shops were run and owned by the same pony and that they closed at the end of the afternoon. With most of the afternoon gone, going shopping seemed like a fruitless use of her time.
Perhaps a visit with her new friends, Pinkie and Rarity, would help brighten up her mood. With any luck, they might ease her worries or even help come up with a solution to her problems. Her plan for the remaining afternoon finally set, Octavia got out of bed and walked to a mirror to clean herself up.
She sighed when she got a look at herself. Her mane was a mess, more so than when she got up from a normal sleep, while her eyes were bloodshot. Splashing cold water onto her face and then vigorously working a brush through her unruly mane, there was hardly a sign of her weary state other than the bags under her eyes.
As she exited the inn, Octavia realized she never found out where Pinkie lived, so she decided to head straight towards Carousel Boutique, hoping to run into, or be ambushed by, Pinkie on the way.
Octavia yawned. With a sigh, she looked around. She still could not start the day, even when it was nearing its end, without a cup of coffee.
“Hello, Rarity, are you home?” Octavia called out as she entered Carousel Boutique.
“Hello again, Octavia,” Rarity greeted as she came down the stairs. “I was just working on your dress upstairs. I am confident that I can finish by tomorrow morning. So, what brings you by?”
“Well, I was hoping to talk to you and Pinkie. Are both of you available?”
“Oh, I’m afraid Pinkie is not available today. Apparently, when she ran out to meet you yesterday, she was trying out a new recipe for exploding cupcakes. Since nopony was watching them, they made a dreadful mess, and so now, she has been occupied with cleaning up the mess she made.”
Octavia just stared at Rarity.
Rarity giggled at the bemused mare. “It’s just Pinkie being Pinkie. You get used to it.”
“Right… Well then, would it be alright if I take you up on the offer you made yesterday? You mentioned that if I needed any help with my problems, I could come to you,” Octavia said sheepishly. “I’m sorry for asking this of you so soon.”
“Oh, of course,” Rarity replied with a look of concern. “It’s no problem at all. Whatever is the matter? I do hope everything is alright.”
“I’m not asking for much. Something happened last night, and I was just hoping we could talk and maybe get some advice from you.”
Rarity nodded as she headed towards the kitchen in the next room. “Come, let’s sit down and have some tea while we chat.”
Octavia followed Rarity to a table set in the middle of the kitchen. She really did hope Rarity could help out because the worrying thoughts she had tried to escape from when she was in Canterlot had now increased. Her trip to Ponyville was supposed to help her relax and at first, she was having a splendid time, but the events of last night ended up agitating her even more. Octavia’s thoughts were interrupted as a hot cup of tea was placed in front of her.
“I do hope you like Canterlot Grey,” Rarity said as she sat down on the opposite side of the table with a cup of her own. “It’s a favorite of mine.”
Octavia nodded as she delicately picked up her cup and politely sipped the beverage. While Rarity did not have the same mentality as many of the self-centered nobles, she seemed to have at least adopted the mannerisms of the highly cultured society. That was something Octavia could appreciate.
“Now, what is the matter, darling? Does it have to do with those horrid bags under your eyes? I could help you get rid of those with a bit of makeup,” offered Rarity.
Octavia shook her head. “No, no, I would like to just stick with the main issue.” She sighed and took a sip of the tea. “You remember yesterday how we discussed my music related problems right?” Seeing Rarity nod, she continued, “Well, I thought coming here to spend a bit of time away from practicing music would ease my nerves. Instead, my anxiety has only increased because of last night.”
“And what happened last night?” Rarity asked, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
Octavia took another sip of her tea before launching into her explanation. “I had trouble sleeping last night, so I decided to take a late-night walk. I ended up reaching the farms when I heard somepony playing the violin.” Out of respect for the mysterious mare’s supposed need for privacy, Octavia decided to not talk about the mare’s appearance. “I couldn’t find out who the pony was, but I was able to listen to the music. While it was not perfect, there was something about it that was different and captivating. I could feel her emotions. It was almost magical.
“Now, I can’t stop thinking about that music. Not only that, but it has got me worrying even more about my own. Despite having some flaws, that other pony’s music feels more complete. When I think about that pony, I just can’t help but feel…” Octavia’s gaze dropped. “inadequate…”
“Oh, you poor dear,” Rarity said as she walked over to hug the upset mare.
The hug was nice. In Canterlot, such an action was beneath many of the proud nobles, and even her outgoing, good friend Fancy Pants did not engage in it often. But here in Ponyville, they did not care about appearances. They cared about each other. Both Pinkie and Rarity showed that by giving their support and friendship. It was nice to have friends. A small smile appeared on Octavia’s face.
“Feeling better?” Rarity asked when she noticed Octavia’s smile.
“Yes, thank you. I needed that,” Octavia replied.
Rarity smiled as she walked back to her seat. “That’s good to hear. Don’t forget there are ponies who will always be there for you, including me. We might have only met yesterday, but I already consider you a good friend.”
Octavia smile grew as she nodded. “As do I. You and Pinkie have made my stay here so much more enjoyable.”
“Now, let’s see if I have everything right, so we can come up with a good solution to your debacle. You came to Ponyville, thinking that it would help you forget your musical troubles. Instead, you heard this mysterious pony’s music which just made matters worse. With only a few days left until the concert, I bet this has put you under a lot of stress. Is that everything?”
“Yes, I never have felt this nervous before a concert, and I am starting to dread what would happen if things continue as is. A finale concert is very important, and I cannot risk any mistakes.”
“Well, I do think there might be a temporary solution to your problem although I’m not sure how sound it is,” Rarity said with a bit of reluctance.
Octavia’s ears perked up, eager for anything that might help. “And what is that? I’m willing to try anything.”
Rarity sighed. “It feels like you would be running away from your problems, but with your concert coming up, I suggest maybe heading back to Canterlot tomorrow. Clearly, this mysterious musician has caused you much distress, so maybe if you get away from here, you might at least busy yourself with preparations for the concert and possibly forget about that pony. Since you don’t know who this pony is, I think it’s a more productive use of your time rather than futilely trying to find out who they are.” Rarity sighed again as she took a slow sip of her tea. Staring at her cup, she softly uttered, “I’m just not sure if this plan is good for your health.”
Octavia thought over Rarity’s idea. It certainly would not solve her problems, but it was simply a matter of reevaluating her priorities. With the concert coming up, Octavia could not afford any distractions disrupting her performance.
“I do think your plan sounds like the best way to go,” Octavia said. “By burying myself in preparations and practice, it should help me refocus on my music and reduce my stress to more manageable levels. Do not worry about me, I am no stranger to stress. Luckily, I have not accepted anymore gigs, so after the concert, I will hopefully be able to concentrate all my time and efforts in fixing my problems. It might not be the best plan, but with time running out, I think it is my best option.”
“Well, I hope everything works out fine. It’s a bit sad that you have to leave Ponyville so soon, but it’s probably for the best. Just remember, you’ll always be welcome here,” Rarity stated, a soft smile on her face.
This time, Octavia walked over to Rarity and gave her a hug. “Thank you so much for everything. You have done so much for me. I don’t know how to repay you.”
“Just come back and visit when you’re good and ready.”
Octavia smiled. “I will. I have friends waiting for me here.”
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What is she even worried about Applejack's music for? Rarity said she wants to know who it is, so why doesn't Octavia describe the "mysterious pony"'s appearance to Rarity and solve the problem. Ta-da! Not that difficult.
4088203
Octavia is trying to respect Applejack's privacy. She's not sure who Applejack is and if Applejack would appreciate having her secret be spread. It was indeed a private moment. Not only that, but Octavia does not know that Rarity and Applejack are friends, so the thought did not occur to her.
If it's too much of a problem, I'll try to tweak that part.
4088241 I would have Octavia ask Rarity if she should describe the mysterious mare's appearance and Rarity decline and say that Octavia should respect the mare's privacy.
4088250
Rarity is a bit of a gossip, so I would think she would actually encourage revealing Applejack's appearance if Octavia went in that direction.
4088267 I never thought about that. I just didn't really like the way their meeting went.
4088275
If other people end up having problems with it, I'll try to revamp it.
4088285 Kk thanks.
I like the way you did things here. Octavias respect for AJ's need for privacy, by her not saying anything to Rarity about her, was the right move!
Im not to big of a fan of sending Octavia back to Canterlot but I do believe it was the right thing to do at this point!
Man i'm excited for more of this story!
Dialogue is choppy and blocky. Octavia is has also become extremely dependent on the advice of strangers lately and that rubs me the wrong way. I would also be under the impression that most city folk are under the impression that small town folk all know each other. Your reasoning as to why Octavia doesn't describe her doesn't hold weight with me. What would hold weight is if she didn't describe her for fear of breaching a private moment. Rarity not wondering who this mysterious pony feels OoC.
Though the apparent ship that might come(I'm sure it's already happened, however, I'm only on chapter 5) of this intrigues me.
Okay, hold up. How can she say Pinkie and Rarity have done a lot for her after barely any contact? And Rarity considering her a good friend after one meeting? It feels like I missed a party or something.
I know ponies are friendly in Ponyville, but the dialogue choices and actions have rather broken my suspension of disbelief.
7375708
Moreso for Rarity. This is Octavia's second meeting with Rarity, and Rarity did agree to make a dress for a good price, listened to Octavia's troubles, and gave some advice. This matter could also be differing opinions on how we see good friends.
If it still rubs you the wrong way, then I'm sorry for that. This fic was my first serious story, so I was still working out kinks at this early part of the story.
7375708
Well a part of that is true, ponies are really good at making fast friends.