Octaves Beyond

by GuitarKirby

Chapter 6: A Reference Guide to Equestrian Music

Octavia awoke Friday morning, and turned to her musical notebook. She wrote down a piece that she wasn't sure was entirely hers. For the first time in many years, she added text to the book.
Shade inspired this piece with his view of the world. Nobody else can see it like him, until they are shown, just as I was. She lifted the pen from the page, and closed the book.
Oh, Celestia, she thought to herself. I'm crushing on Shade! She had not allowed him to kiss her because she didn't want to become involved. Or so she thought, at the time; now she realized how much she DID want to become involved. Her thoughts strayed to him as she went about her morning business; the black coat, the strong shoulders and wings, how the violet streaks in his mane seemed to glow under the moonlight...
No no no! She returned herself to the present. She didn't have time for romance, not now. She had heard the rumors around Ponyville; Celestia was supposedly coming to visit on Friday to see them perform, and the whole town was buzzing about it. She was ready, however; the song she and Shade had written together had set itself in her mind, making it virtually impossible to make a mistake while playing it. She looked at her cello, directly across from her bed.
Perhaps an easy practice is in order. She stepped to in, and opened the case.

After coating her bow in resin and making sure the instrument was in tune, she began playing "Ode to Joy," a piece by a classical master. It felt more powerful on the deep-voiced instrument. She then switched gears, playing the opening part of the 5th Symphony by the same writer. She managed to push out fifths on the cello with a clever tuning trick and some impressive hoofwork. She then moved on to more modern styles, playing everything from "Manehattan 2017," to "Enter Sandpony." Although few of the songs fit her usual style, she felt it important to have at least some part of many songs memorized. Half of the enjoyment she got from playing the cello was to see ponies' faces light up at a tune they recognized. It was enthralling to have someone cheer for a song they knew, and it sent a powerful jolt through her to hear ponies applauding and singing, tapping along to a song that they could remember for whatever reason. She smiled at the thought of the princess' smile when she heard her and Shade play together.
It will be incredible, she thought to herself.

---

Shade sat at the piano, unsure of what to do with it. He had brought it a small training keyboard so that he didn't have to go without practice, but now he wasn't sure what to play. Finally, he sighed, and reached into a saddlebag next to his chair.
I'll just play some simple parts, I suppose. He took the sheet music out and placed it on the piano. There was a lot of it, so he flipped to a random song and played it. It was "Piano Colt," a favorite of his. He sang along, enjoying the feeling of the keys beneath his hooves. He also sang more of "Let it Be," and one called "Magic Colt." He played many more. He felt that the piano was one of the most versatile instruments a pony could play, and was more naturally played that stringed instruments such as the violin, guitar, or cello.
Not that I'll ever tell Octavia that, he thought to himself, smiling slightly. When he finished, he turned away from the piano. He felt tired after last night. Explaining his way of viewing the world to Octavia was mind-numbing. He was sure that his message had gotten through to her, because she had seemed so affected by it. She kept looking at everything with wide eyes afterwards. Despite his success, though, he felt that he had bared his soul, even rubbed a corner of it against hers. Whatever emotional boundaries and privacy he had enjoyed before with Octavia were now gone; she had seen his deepest thoughts and feelings.
It's like just by telling her what I did, I revealed everything about myself, he thought. The scope of it scared him, but it also made him happier. He felt that he now had gained a friend that understood every thought and feeling he had. He hoped to gain more from it than that, however.
She's everything I've ever wanted... Everything I need. She's certainly the most gifted musician I've ever met. He felt that if anyone could really, truly understand the way his mind worked, it would be someone like Octavia. He had seen other ponies that were skilled with music, but she had a spark, a fire for it that he had never seen matched by any but himself. It put all other musicians to shame when her passion was considered, much like himself. Still, he felt conflict in himself.
Just because she understands my mind doesn't mean that she has the same thoughts and feelings that I do... And she still rejected me. It wasn't a complete rejection, so he wasn't willing to give up. He decided then that he would do what it took to win Octavia's affection, and hang the consequences of any mistakes he made.

Confidence flowing from him, he headed for the door, ready to attack his day, and allow the new spark he felt for a certain somepony to control his actions.

(Author's Note: Thanks for reading, everyone! I can't believe the accidental popularity of this one; I wasn't even trying. Funny how that works out sometimes, isn't it? Anyway, I felt like putting some songs that we all know and love into this chapter, and altering their titles for Equestrian citizens. When this fanfic is finished, I'll add an extra chapter at the end with lyrics to some of these songs, if the idea is popular enough. Keep reading, and please accept my apology for the short chapters! I love criticism, so point out flaws that you find!)

Comments

[Evil-Lovieness]

Isn't it just a bitch to control your emotions when you have no idea what they are?