The Royal Ponyville Orchestra

by Distaff Pope

Day 1 - Exiled

Can things get any worse? Almost all my earthly possessions lost, exiled from my home city, existing in a town filled with mad mares an uncultured DJ for a roommate, one princess furious at me, and another one expecting me to do the impossible. No, if this journal is to have any cathartic value, I can not complain without giving proper setup, so I suppose I have to go back to my last proper day in Canterlot to explain how circumstances forced me to come to Ponyville.

I awoke that morning, had my morning cup of tea to properly reflect on the previous day’s events while planning the course of the new day, and then went on to spend the next three hours practicing my cello. After that, I was going to talk with the conductor for our a meeting he had scheduled a few days before. I had assumed it was to discuss my recent performances and to make sure I had been making an effort to go out and socialize more. He had recently gotten the idea that my dedication to my craft was somehow detrimental to my social development.

I received the first inkling that things weren't going to go as planned when I walked into his office to find the royal princesses flanking him. As I bowed before them, I desperately tried to think of what could possibly have prompted them to take an interest in me; I had caused a stir a few years ago when I had become the first earth pony cellist to ever join the Royal Canterlot Orchestra, and been invited to play for the Grand Galloping Gala and the Equestrian Garden Party, but after that I faded from the public eye as I worked to further perfect my craft, and neither princess had bothered to say a word to me. There was my brief meeting with Princess Luna, but that had happened years ago and we hadn't spoken with each other since.

“Please sit down Octavia,” Princess Celestia said, and I quickly complied with her request.

“WE KNOW OUR PRESENCE HERE IS UNEXPECTED, BUT FEAR NOT, FOR WE BRING ONLY GOOD TIDINGS,” Princess Luna said, when I had met with her a few years previously she had refrained from using the Royal Canterlot Voice that most ponies living in a several mile radius around the castle had gotten quite familiar with in the aftermath of her return. Apparently, she had either relapsed or was trying to spite somepony (Quite possibly me due to... well, I shall not rehash our last meeting here).

“Yes, thank you sister,” Celestia said, wincing as her sister spoke, “what we mean to say is that we joined Mister Pianissimo to tell you that you are being promoted from third chair to first chair,”

“I am sorry Princess,” I said, struggling to keep my composure as blood rushed to my head, “Did you say you want me to take first chair?”

“That is right, my little pony, I know it is sudden, but Mister Pianissimo promises me you are one of the hardest working ponies he has ever met.”

“IT IS FOR THAT REASON, YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO HELP FORM THE NEW ROYAL PONYVILLE ORCHESTRA.”

She was trying to spite me then, I thought. My mood went from shocked elation to just shock. I was being sent to Ponyville, a town that was completely unheard of until Equestria's newest princess took up residence in the town.

“While I am very flattered Princess,” I said, “I do think someone a little more experienced would do a much better job of forming your Ponyville Orchestra.”

“WE SAID THE SAME THING, BUT MISTER PIANISSIMO ASSURED US THAT YOU WERE THE PERFECT PONY FOR THE JOB. HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS ONLY FITTING THAT AN EARTH PONY GO FORM THE ORCHESTRA, AS PONYVILLE WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED BY EARTH PONIES.”

So, Luna wasn't trying to spite me (necessarily), Mister Pianissimo was trying to get rid of me an earth pony who shouldn't even be able to draw a bow properly was making the rest of his unicorns look bad.

“Yes, Mister Pianissimo was very insistent, and after several hours of discussion, we finally agreed that you were the ideal candidate for the job,” Celestia said, smiling benevolently while Mister Pianissimo tried to hide his smirk, “This is a great honor, and I know you can form an orchestra worthy of my sister.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, trying to understand how Luna had gotten involved in this. Why in Equestria would she form her orchestra in Ponyville? Canterlot was more than big enough to support two orchestras, and even if she wanted to distance herself from her sister, there was no need to go to Ponyville. There would never be a situation so dire that it would require a pony to go to Ponyville.

“It is quite simple really,” Pianissimo said, finally entering into the conversation, “You have been,” I could see him struggle to suppress his laughter, “Chosen to make an orchestra second only to the Royal Canterlot Orchestra in the… charmingly rustic town of Ponyville.” Maybe he could go form a new orchestra on the moon, or better yet, the sun.

“Very well,” I said, “if you are sure you won’t reconsider, I will gladly take this generous promotion, just give me a few weeks to get my things together and find a house in Ponyville.”

“NONSENSE. THE ORCHESTRA NEEDS TO BE READY FOR THEIR FIRST PERFORMANCE BEFORE THE WINTER MOON CELEBRATION. YOUR LODGINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PURCHASED, AND YOUR POSSESSIONS ARE BEING PACKED AS WE SPEAK. YOU SHALL DEPART AT FIRST LIGHT TOMORROW MORNING.”

That was it then, my life in Canterlot was over, the princesses and I spoke a little more, but in truth, I wasn’t paying attention. I was far too busy trying to think of just how I would spend my last few hours in Canterlot before deciding upon the appropriate course of action. Hopefully the princesses didn't say anything too important during that time. An hour later, I left the office, strapped my cello case to my back, and went to look at my adopted home city one last time.

Although I am a Manehattanite by birth, I always found the city to be too gaudy and flashy, as if desperately trying to impress everypony with it's opulence. For most of my youth, I found myself longing to be in a city that possessed true sophistication and majesty, the absolute confidence in oneself that the nouveau riche of Manehattan lacked. I found that grace when I took my first train ride to Canterlot. Even from a distance, my eyes were drawn to the majestic spires and gently swooping arcs. Later, while touring the city streets, I saw a four string ensemble playing at Parisian styled café, and there I saw my first cello.

I couldn’t believe I had gone for ten years without seeing such a magnificent instrument. It was elegant without being ostentatious, and perfectly embodied my pre-adolescent theories on refinement. Before I knew it, I was walking towards the stallion playing her; I had to play it, to hold it in my hooves just once. The band finished their song, “La belle fille de lune” as I approached the cellist, and before he could move on to his next song I asked if I could hold it for a second. He smiled and obliged me, and to this day, I'm still not sure why, but I thank him for his generosity. I was too small to look over the cello, but the bow fit my hooves perfectly, and at that moment I felt as if I had discovered my calling (I was born with extremely malleable hooves, a rare condition that has been beneficial in my work, and also allowed me to be one of the few mares in Equestria capable of writing with their hooves).

It would be nice to say that my first performance with the cello was a flawless masterpiece that made grown stallions weep, but that would be rather unrealistic. In reality, it was a screeching terrible mess that at it's best managed to reach the rank of barely adequate, but it was enough. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to do with my life; I was going to spend every day learning to play the cello like it deserved to be played. When I finished my performance, I took a bow because that is what one does when they finish a song, and the onlookers politely applauded. My parents rushed over to tell me that I had earned my cutie mark, a pink treble cleft to match the color of my eyes. I didn’t care. I had discovered the cello, the rest was immaterial.

And now, I was being forced to leave. Leave the city that taught me what it meant to be refined. Leave the city that had given me my cutie mark. Leave the city that had given me my cello. Leave the city that had shaped me into the mare I was now. Still, if I was going to leave, then I could at least give the city one last gift before I left. I walked to the Equestria Gardens, unstrapped the cello from my back and began to play. I started with “The War of the Moon,” and moved on to “Celestia’s Lament.” Both songs about Luna’s fall and banishment, I later realized. As concerts go, it wasn't much, but ponies stopped to listen, some applauded, some even tried to tip me, and I like to think my performance made their days just a little bit better. Two hours later, I finished my impromptu concert and headed back to my apartment.

I entered the house to find Princess Luna inside, waiting for me, “I am glad you finally arrived, I feared that you had departed for Ponyville early,” she was back to speaking like a normal pony then.

As if reading my mind, she responded, “Ah, I should apologize, I was using the Royal Canterlot voice earlier today because I knew it would annoy my sister. She does hate being reminded of how she failed to prepare me for modern Equestrian society. And since she is forcing me to base my orchestra out of Ponyville, I thought she could use some reminding,” the princess smirked, it was… odd seeing her jest and act like a normal pony after her little performance today, and even odder to see that she wasn't upset with me. Not that I was complaining about that.

“Wait, you mean you don’t want to go to Ponyville either?” I asked, finally catching up with what she was saying.

“Of course not, while I have several good friends in the town, it is far too small to support a full size orchestra. You would be lucky to assemble a string quartet.”

“So then, why did you choose Ponyville if you know it can’t host an actual orchestra?”

“Because, Celestia is my sister and once she sets her mind to something there is no stopping her. She wants Ponyville to develop into a proper city, and to do that, it needs a proper orchestra. I expressed a desire to reform the Royal Orchestra of the Moon, and she decided to take care of two problems at once,” Luna shrugged, it seemed she had gotten used to her sister’s meddling.

“Ah, I see, so was there anything in particular you wanted to speak to me about or…” Or did you just decide to break into my apartment for no reason, I thought.

“Yes, of course. While I understand you will be busy trying to form a full orchestra in Ponyville,” the princess laughed, “I want you to take some time to enjoy the local flavor. There aren’t many towns like Ponyville, and it would be a shame if you didn’t get to experience it for yourself.”

“So, just to clarify, you came into my apartment to tell me to… have fun?”

The princess nodded, “That and to make friends. Speaking of which, be sure to say hello to Twilight Sparkle for me. Goodnight Octavia.”

I bowed before the princess as she walked out of my apartment. After that, I walked around my former apartment. They had managed to fit everything I owned into three boxes, well, everything but my cello. I would never entrust it to some moving ponies. The bed that came with the apartment was untouched, and after ordering a pizza, I played my cello for an hour, took off my bowtie, and went to bed. Tomorrow I was going to Ponyville.

Author's Note:

Chapter One is edited! I might go back to it to make it even better, but I wanted to at least punch it up a bit to bring it more in line with later chapters. If I wanted to do a more thorough editing I would be forced to rewrite the entire chapter.

Comments

[Delicious]

I've never seen a story like this and it's a shame that it's been overlooked already. You're off to a good start story wise though.

[Distaff Pope]

Thanks, I have a few big papers due during the next week or two, so updating might be a little slow, but after that it should speed up a bit.

[reader238]

i am rereading this and if octavia ever lets Lyra read her journals then this part will definitely cause her to go into a tizzy

Before I knew it, I was walking towards the stallion playing her; I had to play it, to hold it in my hands just once.

[Distaff Pope]

3766986 Why I have no idea what you are talking about. The page seems absolutely normal to me.

[Banshee]

Shouldn't it be Canterlot instead of ponyville?

And since she is forcing me to base my orchestra out of Ponyville

[Asashi - Dark Fist Inari]

Frigging composer should have gotten a hoof up his a*Air-Horn*.

[Luminous Grace]

Pianissimo deserves to be fired for being such a damn racist.

[Distaff Pope]

5004449 Tell me that after you read the finale.

[CodeBroviet743]

5005827
Bad Author! Bad!
...No spoilers!!

[JustAnotherTimeLord]

Well, well, this is an interesting little story here. I like it. Now it's time to get reading.

[katarjin]

So far I like this Luna acting like a normal sister is always fun to read.

[Raul]

I cant help but keep thinking of that spongebob episode, the one where squidward fills for squilium, ahhh, that was a good ending... Can't wait to see where this goes.

[Fighter Phoenix]

Was it your intention to make me want to stab this Pianissimo? When so , congrats it works