Shipfic Folder Series

by SS Nomad

In Which Octavia Skips a Reunion

With a deep breath and her eyes closed, she drew her bow across the strings. A deep, resounding tone, vibrating spruce and maple panels, filled the air of a small bipartite Ponyville home. She lost herself in the sound of it, the music filling her soul and serving its purpose, to distract her from the thing she was trying to avoid dwelling on.

The sound of a door slamming in the other half of the house snapped Octavia back to reality, grumbling to herself about her dear roommate’s severe lack of grace. She sighed, looking out her window into the distance, her mind instantly drawn back to the family reunion she was trying to pretend wasn’t happening just a few short miles away. She groaned and stood, setting her cello aside and resting the bow on her bed. She needed to find something better to distract herself with.

Octavia wandered into the kitchen to find Vinyl silently eating a sandwich. Still more than a little frustrated at her attention having been broken, she complained, “You know, you’re going to break the hinges on that door some day, don’t you?”

Vinyl casually signed back that she didn’t care.

Chuckling derisively and shaking her head, Octavia opened the fridge, looking for some leftover food to reheat, but found a whole apple pie sitting there instead. More than a little confused, she turned to Vinyl, “Did you buy this?”

Vinyl shook her head and gestured into the distance, adding quickly that Applejack came by with it.

“She… came to see if I was attending, I assume?” Octavia tried to confirm.

Vinyl just nodded and went back to her sandwich.

Despite her mild frustration at the fact, Octavia couldn’t deny it looked like a nice pie. She grudgingly cut herself a slice and sat down across from Vinyl, taking a small bite, the sweet tartness of the pie pulling her mind back to a different time. She sighed nostalgically before melting back to her pit of sadness.

Noting the obvious sadness across the table from her, Vinyl sat down her sandwich and reached forward to plop a hoof on Octavia’s shoulder, looking at her with deep concern.

“I… do miss them,” Octavia admitted sadly, “I just…”

The doorbell rang. Both mares sat upright, shaken out of their conversation instantly. Octavia leaned to look out into the living room, spotting a blonde mane and brown cowboy hat just barely visible through the window inset in the front door. With a defeated sigh, she stood, taking a few more bites of pie before she left.

Octavia opened the door to see Applejack standing there, but said nothing, just looking at her like she knew why she was here.

“Howdy, cuz,” Applejack said somberly, “we… kinda missed you today.”

Octavia laughed dismissively, “Perhaps you did, but I doubt the rest of the family cared much.”

AJ took off her hat and held it to her chest, “Tavi, it’s been years. You know ponies will be willing to move on by now. Ah-”

“But I’m not,” Octavia refused, “I can’t just… pretend that part of my life never happened. The way they all acted…”

“You ain’t gotta forgive ‘em all,” Applejack replied with her eyes closed, “but… she misses you.”

Octavia winced in shame, her voice lowering to a whisper, “I- I can’t. I couldn’t face her.”

“She’s your sister,” Applejack stated firmly, “and she don’t care none about any of that nonsense from back when you left for Canterlot.”

Octavia hanged her head, “You can say that, but I still- I just can’t.”

Applejack sadly put her hat back on, “Well… Ah’ll tell Fiddle you said ‘hi.’ One day- one day we’ll all play together again. Ah miss our dumb little string trio.”

Chuckling sadly, Octavia nodded, “I miss it, too.”

“Well,” Applejack smiled as she turned to leave, “Ah hope you enjoy that pie she made for ya.”

Octavia stood just a little bit more upright, “Y-yeah. I’ll see you around, Applejack.”

Applejack waved over her shoulder as she left.

As she stepped back into her house, Octavia drifted back to the kitchen table. She looked down at the half eaten slice of pie, still waiting for her quietly. She sighed and closed her eyes, suddenly realizing exactly why it had brought back so many memories. She sat down in front of it, sniffling back a tear, and took another bite.

Comments

[River Road]

Not bad, but I think I still slightly prefer the one where Octavia is Fiddlesticks.