Rhythm and Harmony: The Octascratch Prompt Collab

by lyra_lover777

36 Staccato by Cobalt Ravenscroft

Staccato by Cobalt Ravenscroft

Today had been a perfect day for Octavia; the house was silent leaving just her and her cello to make sweet music together. Vinyl, for the first time in weeks, was up before noon and off running errands, this time without leaving her music playing and locked on full volume. Arpeggio was at school, hard to believe she’s already 6 years old, Octavia thought as she hit a long note in the piece she was practicing. She would be back soon, but that filly was always happy after seeing her friends and the ‘best teacher in all of Equestria’.

Except today. As usual, the sound of the school carriage outside the house caught Octavia’s attention, but instead of a quiet opening of the front door, it slammed open and shut again with just as much force. Before she could reprimand her daughter, the sound of sobbing slowly made its way towards the classical music room of the house.
Arpeggio walked through the door into her mother’s practice room, tears staining her grey muzzle and her magenta eyes tinged red by her crying. Octavia had never moved quicker in all her life, but she managed to place her cello on its stand and sweep her daughter into her hooves quicker than Vinyl could drop bass in a club.
`“Sweetie,” Octi began as she stroked Arpeggio’s powder blue mane, “whatever is the matter?”

It took a few moments of sobbing before the young filly could respond, but she eventually composed herself, “T-the… other girls…” she attempted to speak between her sobs, “they said… they said… they-“

“Hush, dear,” her mother tried to calm her down by holding her tighter to her chest, “take a deep breath and we can try again in a minute.”

The two mares sat together while Arpeggio composed herself again, though this time she stopped her crying almost completely, “They said you and mum weren’t proud of me,” she forced out before bursting into tears again.

“Now why would anypony say that kind of thing to you?” Octavia held in her anger enough for Arpeggio not to notice.

“Because I don’t have a cutie mark!” the young mare screamed through her tears, “And none of us have the same name, why do I have to be different!?”

“Who said all this to you!?” Octavia couldn’t hide her frustration anymore.

“…Amethyst Sparkle,” Arpeggio hissed.

“Twilight’s… your teacher’s own daughter!?” I am going to have serious words with that mare, “Does Miss Sparkle know this?”

“N-no, no one else knows,” the filly’s voice was getting weaker now.

“Well then I’ll speak to her tomorrow,” the cellist responded very matter-of-factly.

“No!” Arpeggio shot up, looking her mother straight in the eyes.

“I must, this is how grown mares deal with their problems,” Octavia almost stopped there, but an idea came into her head, “Let me tell you a story, so you know how special you really are.”

Arpeggio climbed back into her mother’s hooves, snuggling against her chest, “O-ok mother.”

Clearing her throat before she began, Octavia put on her most motherly tone, “Once upon a time, there was a mare who lived in Canterlot. Her name, my dear, was Staccato Melody.”

This caught Arpeggio’s attention.

“This mare had the most beautiful voice anypony had ever heard, and she was known all across Equestria, even performing for Princess Celestia at the Grand Galloping Gala several times in her life. Now, for the first 13 years of her life, she didn’t have a cutie mark, or even a home to call her own, but never did she stop singing and bringing joy to all who heard her, until one day, outside Canterlot palace, a certain Princess heard her sing, and she asked her to sing again for her.

“Staccato was thrilled, never had somepony taken this much notice of her, let alone royalty. So she did. She sang her own song, one she called New World, in hopes that this meeting would be the start of her own new world.

“Before long into the song, more ponies were listening, a crowd was forming. When she stopped, the first to applaud was none other than Princess Celestia, quickly followed by every other pony who had gathered. Never before had Staccato been so happy, she cried tears of unbridled joy as a cutie mark of three eighth notes appeared on her flank.

“Being the kind and compassionate mare that she is, Celestia took Staccato into the castle and allowed her to live there until she was old enough to go out into Equestria and find a house and job for herself. On one condition: that she sing for the Princess at her evening meal that night after she had eaten.

“Staccato accepted. Never had anypony been so kind to her, most nobles of Canterlot just walking past the brown earth pony, not thinking anything of her life. She eventually left the castle at 16, easily finding a singing job with the recently reformed Canterlot Orchestra upon recommendation from Celestia herself, and a house too.”

“That’s a really nice story, mother,” Arpeggio yawned into her mother’s coat, “but why did you tell me? Was it a real story?”

“Very real, sweetie,” Octavia smiled, “that mare was my grandmother, and your great-grandmother.”

The realisation snuck up on Arpeggio, but it hit her like a freight train, but Octavia cut her off before she could say anything, “And that, Arpeggio Melody, is why you’re called what you are, because I could never love anypony more than the mare who taught me that no matter who you are, or when you get your cutie mark, that everypony is special.
“With that name, you have the greatest gift I could give anypony,” Octavia hugged her daughter even tighter, “and that is why I will always be proud of you, and your mummy too.”

As if on cue, Vinyl walked through the door and noticed the two of them sat together, “Hey, let me join in!”

Comments

[FoolRegnant]

Nice sentiment. I found the story rather dense, which made it feel like a bit of a rushed read. Like many other chapters in this collab, it might fit better if expanded to a few thousand words so that the pace feels more tranquil.

[Azure Ravenscroft]

5208148 First, cheers for reading. Second, when this is all over (or I feel I've done all I can) I was thinking of collecting all my entries that fit in my continuity and making a proper story, but I'll need to see how it all goes first and how many people would be willing to read it (not expecting much)

[Divine Path]

The resolution was swift, but the sentiment was believable. It's rather heartwarming to see the wonder in everypony understood, even those still searching.

Laying in rest within this wavering nightmare,
seeking acceptance
within such a wonderful world so pained.
Understand,
that within that light,
among the friendships,
there is love and there is wonder,
for the empty and lost
to even those still searching.

Excellent work, dear Author!
We will be looking forward to continuity.