Rarity prides herself on her work, and when letters start pouring in from Canterlot after the Royal Wedding she is overjoyed by the enthusiasm for her dresses. Drawing on her friend Fancy Pants, she is able to set up a temporary shop in Canterlot for one month, where she will do her best to turn out as many dresses and outfits as she possibly can.
She swears to Twilight and her friends that she won't fall for the allure of the big city again, and that Ponyville won't have to go long without her... but once there, she is quickly swept up in the grandeur and glamour of post-Wedding Canterlot. Her clients are rich, prestigious and famous, with clout and influence to burn...
...but it is one mare, a simple gray earth pony, who catches her attention. She doesn't behave like the rest- she is quiet, yet when she speaks she is witty and clever, not dull and droll like the others. She dodges Rarity's questions about her artfully, which only piques the white unicorn's interest and nigh-on forces her to dig deeper into the community to find out about this mysterious mare named Octavia.
But what does she hope to find? Why is she so driven to find out more about the gray earth pony musician... and what will she do with the information she gleans?
Sounds interesting.
And it has begun! AAAAAAAA You write Rarity so well! And Octy, she'll be an interesting character, to be sure! I can't wait to read more :3
You captured all their personality's perfectly.
I can't wait for another update.
Also,
This had me laughing for a good 2 minutes.
cdn.derpiboo.ru/thumbs/1200/500/2012/11/27/23_19_16_24_165558__UNOPT__safe_princess_celestia_vector_awesome_face
This is a very interesting idea and to be honest it feel like a morsel of fresh air to see a romantic fic were octavia is not pared with vinyl
so keep it up
1686858
I'm very glad you think so! ^-^ I hope you enjoy the story as it unfolds.
1687932
Oh, stoppit you. 
1699697
Well thank you very much! I try to stay true to each and every one of them as my stories progress, but it's nice to get some confirmation every now and again. And I really liked that line too! X333
1729614
Whew, I'm glad you think so. I don't have anything against VinylTavia, but for me, RarTavia just feels more natural, I guess. XD I really hope you enjoy everything that follows; it's going to be fun!
1900300
It's coming, though, so don't give up hope! XD And YES, the subtle banter; I imagine the two of them doing a LOT of that, so if you like it, be prepared for lots more! 
Oh yes, I am VERY MUCH planning on continuing- the next chapter is in the works, as it were, but unfortunately my muse is being fickle.
So... 'bout those updates?
I't seem that this fic is going to have a developing romance between the characters, for which I'm thankful because it would have been really disappointing that this interesting idea ended with the predictable love/obsession at first sight a la stefani meyer Twilight
On another note it also was refreshing that you didn't go with the fandom of Fleur being Fancy Pants wife :D
Keep up the good work and I'll read ya in the next chapter
I'm so pleased to see this story finally updated. I eagerly await the next chapter.
How did I miss this on my favorites list a week ago!!?!?!?!?
Moar plz?
A great chapter! I'm really enjoying this story and your take on the characters. Rarity is in character, far as I can see and the good thing about Octy and Fleur is you can make them however you want them to be, in this case awesome! Well done, I look forward to seeing what questions Rarity comes up with for Octavia. Have a thumbs up and favorite!
I like your spin on Octavia and Fleur. While we don't really have any concrete personality for either of them based on show canon, your take on them still seems believable and "true" to their character, so to speak. At least to the way I imagine they might be. I look forward to seeing where you take this.
Bonus points for an unusual pairing.
Absolutely fantastic! I loved the prim and proper banter in the first chapter, and your sense of description is thoroughly enthralling. The scene describing Octy's eyes really stood out to me; you create a very clear image and emotion. I'm looking forward to reading your other stories, too! Can't wait for this one to continue!
Really excellent so far, can't wait to see more! 31 likes is not nearly enough for how good this is...
Excellent chapter, I enjoy the rhythm your writing has and how well you write Rarity. It makes her moments where she's transfixed by Octavia seem perfectly in her character. I can't wait to see where you take this story
I hope it turns out happily, although you seem to have a penchant for writing beautiful tragedy.
I know this story is really old and probably abandoned, but I don't believe in reading without reviewing, so I have to say: I love this story. I love the premise, as a lover of unconventional shipping. I love the turns of phrase and entertaining little character moments of this story, particularly Rarity's indecipherable codes of shapes and checks on her list. I love the dialogue, and the subtle interactions between the two romantic leads. You are a really, really damn good writer.
That said, some fat could afford to be trimmed. There are details and segments that go for so long that my eyes sort of glazed over and skipped a sentence or two to get to the next dialogue bit. Still, it's not so bad that it ruined my enjoyment of the story.
Fave and an upvote from me. I really hope to see more of this someday.
4006766
Thank you very much for your comment, and I'm happy to tell you that this story is actually NOT abandoned! The last year and a half have been a bit of a wild ride for me IRL, but I'm doing my best to tuck in and actually start working on not only this story but my others as well; so I hope you'll keep an eye on this story because I'm hoping to update it soon-ish.
I'm very glad you like the ship, and I'm flattered that you think I'm a good writer- I try very, very hard to be one. XD I do have a tendency to be a bit long-winded when it comes to "OMG FILL THE WORLD WITH DETAIL", but hey, it's better to have too much and be able to trim it than to have too little and be forced to try and fill it out, know what I mean? XD
Again, I thank you very much for your comment, and hope that you'll consider reading my other material while waiting for this story to continue. :3
This is a really good story! How am I only the 47th thumbs up?
Really like how you portray Octavia and Rarity is spot-on. Eager to see what journey you take them on!
"Nothing can ruin this!" Rarity says. Oh darling, you're friends with Pinkie Pie, you should know better than that!
Famous last words if ever there were... :)
Really enjoying this, looking forward to seeing more!
Well, I'm interested. Though I hesitate because of the time between updates.
I'd been hoping you'd continue this and am very glad to see more! You have a real talent for keeping the writing detailed and the pace leisurely without making it dull or overwrought. I'm sorry to see that Where My Heart Lives is still criminally under-appreciated but please please don't give up!
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Thank you very much, I'm really having fun filling out Octavia's character and Rarity is just so much fun to write. X3 And you'd think that Rarity would have learned by now that saying "nothing can go wrong" is a sure-fire way to make something go wrong. XD
2071489
Sorry for the late reply to this! Yes, I very much want this romance to feel more like it builds up, instead of "OMG THEY LOVE EACH OTHER" and then the rest of the story goes from there. XD I'm trying very much to walk with Rarity as she either does or does not fall in love with Octavia, so here's hoping it works! :3
2579206
Well thank you very much- I'll admit that I'm kind of a sucker for Octavia's eyes, myself. >_> And I'm glad you like the banter, it's undoubtedly my absolute favorite thing about this story so far. X3 That's part of the reason I think this pair would work well: the conversations full of barely-veiled banter and innuendo. ^_^
2144750
Thanks very much! I really like working with non-developed characters like Octavia and Fleur simply because it gives me a blank canvas onto which I can paint my own designs for them. I like keeping characters IN CHARACTER, so with Rarity I really have to follow an algorithm to see what she'll say and do, but with Octavia it's much more interesting because I can mold her however I want. It can be very challenging at times, but that makes it fun! :3
4244039
Thank you very much for reading! Yeah, it's been quite a while since I updated, but the past year has been kind of a roller coaster for me IRL and my writing in general had to take a bit of a backseat. I'm hoping that's all behind me, though, and I'm going to do my best to get back into writing! No guarantees, but it won't be a year before another update, I can promise that much. XD
4245754
I'm very glad you're still around to keep reading it! I was gone for quite a while and I was sure that nobody who originally started reading it would still be here to see it through to the end! XD And thank you, I've been really trying to work on my pacing so that things flow smoothly but don't draw out too long. It's been kind of a challenge because I LOVE to be long-winded about stuff... >_> But I hope that I'll do nothing but improve! :3 Again, thank you for reading, and thank you for the comment! ^_^
4251804
Isn't the whole blank slate thing why Trixie and Luna got so popular? It's easy to understand why background/underdeveloped characters are fun to work with.
4251814
Yeah I get how irl stuff likes to crap on writing. My Masters program put a halt to mine too. One story got completely scrapped because I couldn't remember where I was going with it and the other one is severely delayed. While I haven't favorited it yet, I'll still follow it. Like I said, I'm intrigued.
4251850
I can believe the "blank slate" thing is why Luna and Trixie gained so much popularity. In fact, it's a big part of the reason I wrote my first story- there was so much blank about Luna at the time that I got to let my imagination run wild and make a TON of stuff up. It's a really great way to start working on character development. The basics of the character are already there, and you get to add all sorts of interesting stuff that change them from just a side character to someone you'd actually like to read about. It's been a huge assistance in my development as a writer, and it's helped me design well-rounded and interesting characters outside of fan fiction. Plus it's just really, really fun. X3
So far this is amazing. You have captured Rarity perfectly and made Octavia so new and refreshing! I am left wondering what her ethnicity is, where shes lives, whether or not she has some sort of relation with Silver Blossom, etc. You have a well earned favorite, like, and follow. I am sorry I let this story sit in my read later for so long. Seriously though what you are doing with Octavia is damn refreshing. I can't really tell if she has had her "famous fall from grace" or whatever. I can already tell her story is more than just an eventual ship with rares. I even wonder about other Characters. The way you had Rarity describe Fancy as always helping mares in need... Maybe you intended it or maybe you didn't but I got a sense of foreshadow that there may be more to Fancy than just playing the good Gentlecolt. Maybe I am over analyzing...lol
Either way...Please keep this story coming...with 4 chapters you have already passed many Octavia fics I have read.
4251780 completely agree with this.
4282373
Thank you very much for reading, and also for letting me know what you think! I love getting feedback :3
I absolutely love writing Rarity- she's just so much fun!- and Octavia has proven to be a wonderful character as she's revealed herself to me. I'm glad that you like how she's turning out so far, I wasn't sure if anyone would enjoy her outside of being the Octavia that is constantly shipped with Vinyl Scratch. While I don't mind that ship or the version of Octavia that most people have, I have to admit (rather selfishly) that I enjoy mine better, and I'm glad that you enjoy her as much as I do!
Don't worry, more information about Octavia is going to be coming soon! :3
4305783 Glad to hear it. I can't wait for more of this fic!!!!!
Another fantastic chapter! Octavia is becoming very endearing now that she's toning down the kabuki deflection dance. You're hinting at troubles in her past or with her father, please do give us all a little warning if you plan on taking this in a darker direction.
By the way, you may already know of it but for getting at kanji and the meanings therein, jisho.org is a really great resource.
4343738
If this was going to go in a darker direction, it would have been tagged "Dark" from the very beginning. Just because she has problems in her past and problems with her father doesn't mean that it's going to go in a darker direction, so rest assured- my tags are accurate.
I'm glad you like Octavia as she's being revealed; she's really becoming an interesting character as she walks me through her story, and I hope everyone loves her as much as I do. :3
And thank you for the site! I'll save it away into my resources. ^_^
Ok. So, I'll just say this first. Octavia is my favorite character in the entire show/fandom. I have no idea why, but there we go. It goes without saying that, as a fan of the character, and of fanfiction, I've read a LOT of fics starring our dear cellist.
That being said... I absolultely ADORE the way you write for her. (I enjoy the way you write Rarity as well, but, for brevity's sake....) Where most people stick to the "prim, proper, uptight classy Canterlot mare," that I think we've ALL seen done numerous times, you've taken her in a COMPLETELY different direction, without falling back on the "abusive parents" thing, where her ENTIRE personality is based on being abused as a child. You also somehow managed to slip in the whole Japan thing without it turning into a... for lack of a better word... weeaboo jubilee. It feels right being there. The cultural impact on her personality feels organic, instead of forced. I personally have a large number of family members who are from out of the country i live in (myself America, to their Slovakia). From what I've seen so far, I can actually relate to the side of your Octy who has family being from another country, both from a geographical, and cultural standpoint. It feels... well... real.
I could gush for hours about this fic, but I'm no critic. I just wanted to give my opinion (gushy as it may have been) on your wonderful take on my favorite character. XP. I can't wait to see more of this.
4346034
Thank you very, very much for your gushy comment- I'll be the first to admit that I absolutely love it when someone else loves my work enough to leave a gushy comment. X3 And I'm thrilled to know that someone like yourself who has read a lot of Octavia fiction loves how I portray her. :D
At first I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with Octavia in this fic, but as I was writing the chapter "With An Open Heart and Empty Stomach" I started thinking about her as half Japanese... and it really stuck. I mean, I couldn't STOP thinking about her that way, and I thought it was amazing. I went out of my way to research things that she could do or say and spent hours reading about Japanese etiquette so I could make her feel REAL, because as you said I didn't want it to come off as a "weeaboo jubilee".
I haven't read too many fics with Octavia in them, but the ones I have read have all been VinylTavia and used the same Octavia in each of them, so it seemed. I really really wanted an Octy that was different in a good way. Is there really a trope that has her being abused as a filly? Is that why I got someone in the comments telling me that if this was going to take a darker turn I should tag it? XD
4358337
Trust me, you definitely succeeded in making her half Japanese. Biggest part of that is that it's focused more on the etiquette than, say, the stuff we see in every anime (I'm actually a fan of anime, so I don't want it to seem like I'm ripping on it as a concept...). It felt like something somepony like her would actually feel to be important.
As for the abuse thing, I wouldn't really call it a "trope" at this point... but, generally, the portrayals usually boil down to one of 3 things. 1. She's prim and proper because that's how classical musicians are. 2. She grew up in Canterlot/Manehatten, so she was brought up that way, or 3. She had abusive (physically, emotionally, or both) parents, and they either have her brainwashed/scared into that personality, or have left her emotionally empty. Nothing against these takes (well, maybe the first one... if there's no real reason for her to be like that).
I'm sure if you had gone down one of those routes, it would have been awesome ( I mean, your Rarity is just as compelling and personalized for your style, even though you had to work with the restraints of her canonical personality), but It's really cool to see not only your writing style and level of research and care, but also to see it used to craft an Octy that really steps away from the usual mold of her.
Edit: If I read your description correctly, the name of the restaurant was written with two kanji. However, because "lily" is actually a compound word of two kanji, Shirayuri (white lily) is three kanji, all written in one row (Japanese doesn't really use spaces anyway).
4364867
Aaaah, I see! Thank you for the information, I'll edit that immediately! ^_^ Thank you very much- I unfortunately don't have a solid translator. XDDD
Another Brilliant chapter. Damn you this ship is too good!
Llyander, who pointed me at this story, emphasized how well you use body-language to convey emotions and thoughts and I have to agree emphatically. Keep up the good work! Have you looked into equine behavior at all to learn how they would telegraph emotions via their ears/tails or are you going with your instincts?
4380368
Thank you very much! It's amazing to hear that my use of body language has stood out to people, because it's one of the biggest things I've been working on with my writing! That makes me very happy indeed. ^w^
I haven't directly studied equine behavior, but I grew up around horses and other kinds of animals so I have that experience to fall back on. In truth, I use just as much cat behavior as I do equine behavior when writing my ponies; certain aspects of their body language just screams cat to me, so I do use a fair bit of that. XD
For the most part, though, I do rely heavily on instinct rather than research when it comes to conveying emotion. It's very edifying to know that it's working so far! :3
4360584
I really did want an Octavia that stood out from the rest, one that wasn't snooty just "because that's how she is" or one that was emotionally closed up because of abuse or anything like that. I was, I guess, just tired of seeing the same old Octavia used in everything, and while I love Octavia... I guess I just needed to make her my own, you know? I needed to see her motivations and understand her as much as I understand my Rarity, and as I got to know her she evolved and changed in ways that I never could have imagined she would. I'm just so incredibly pleased with how she's developed!
Interestingly, the actual conflict of the story and the ending have changed rather dramatically from my original idea solely on how Octavia's character has developed in the writing. The original conflict just felt stupid and hollow with her at it's core, so I had to adapt and change it to something that actually works better for her. It's just been such an amazing ride, and I can't wait to continue it. :D And I'm thankful that people like you appreciate seeing a new, different version of our beloved Octavia. ^-^
oh that last pun was awesome
Oh my what a Great chapter. Damn it you write these characters so spot on! I really enjoyed how it was just a simple breakfast. You put so much much into a single event and it is very different from other authors.
Keep up this ship it is awesome.
I am really enjoying this story. Definitely one of the most interesting Octavia's I've seen.
Holy crap this SHIP! I found my mental self in the corner of where they are eating with my hands gesturing wildly anytime tension rises.
"Stop Rares.... NO DONT ASK IT!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!! DONT FUCK IT UP!!!!!!"
The angry and serious expressions cause me to shake like a madman on crack.
"NO DONT DO OCTAVIA!!! DONT BE MAD!!! RARITY MEANT WELL CANT YOU SEE?"
And then she does see.... and all the tension leaves. Then you... you bastard... you do it again and again and make me flip out each time.
It's about damn time a ship isn't rushed on this site. 90% of the ships I read are "rarity's hoof touch octavia's hoof. They blushed. They kissed. They expressed their love. Done.
You are one of the few breaking the mold and frankly it is very annoying that this ship is not more popular. So much shit is on the front page that my eyes have fucking diaper rash. Your writing style is constant and while you present many details you don't bullshit. You dont spend 7 damn paragraphs describing what the fuck the room looks like. You give us a decent idea and allow us to leave the rest up to our minds. So many others think that just because they used big ass vocabulary to describe a table they are now fucking Tolkien.
It is clear that Octavia and Rarity are interested and if this was any average story they would have fucking had kids by now. You know better though. You know that Rarity and your Octavia carry themselves a little differently. I get the feeling that your characters have their guards up and while they are getting closer they still have yet to really trust one another.
I swear sometime I really feel like Rarity when reading this fic. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FAMILY OCTAVIA!!!!! I NEED TO KNOW DAMNIT!!!!!! Oh shit Im sorry i didnt mean to press but.... FUCKING TELL ME PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Damn it I could go on... but I wont. I feel like its time to go have some good ass sushi.
Stay Shiny
4857729
I'm glad someone liked it! XD You wouldn't believe how long I sat in front of my computer, AGONIZING over the punch line for that stupid thing. XDD But as long as it paid off at least once, I'm happy!
4865509
Thank you very much! I've been putting a lot of effort into my Octavia and I'm beyond pleased with how she's turned out. I hope that you'll continue to enjoy the story as it continues and wraps up!
4905700
First of all, I'm really glad that the emotions I'm trying to convey through Rarity and Octavia are actually getting through- to me, the idea of writing something and having the feelings not go through accurately is a writer's worst nightmare.
Second, I'm really happy that you're enjoying this fic as much as you are! It's a ship that I've really grown to love and one that I hope to put forward the best that I can. It would just be amazing if the love for this ship went up because it's so wonderful and squishy and... YES.
And third, I have to say that I'm glad you like the slow and steady approach to shipping that I'm using. I definitely agree that a lot of the shipfics I've read have been very slapdash in their approach to love (i.e. "Their eyes met, their hearts melted, and they knew right then and there that they were in LUVVV" kind of thing... bleh), and I really wanted to put forward a slightly more accurate (if still highly romanticized) depiction of what falling in love is like. I hope that I'll keep the pacing and simple beauty of this ship as I write the next couple of chapters and wind my way towards the end!
I hope you enjoy the next chapters!