A new life paves way for others, and will even influence and impact others as time goes on. Vinyl reveals things she had for somepony, and Maestro encounters ponies he hadn't met in years. Tragedy stikes a certain family member and other occure
(This story takes place immediately after the events of The Strings Of Life. Though preferred you read that one first, this one can be read separate if you don't care much about spoilers. This story as well has ties to the story Reaper With An Angel.)
As Octave nervously turns back to face the school building, she notices the double doors swing open. “Well hello there little one, what’s your…oh…well where could your mother be? Do you have a daddy?” The sight of a pretty lavender colored Earth Pony made her way out to greet her. Her mane similar in color was well groomed and kept up as it shined a bit from the sunlight splitting at the school’s flag post. “Daddy is at work, and mommy just left around um…” Octave then turned around pointing to an intersection of the street where she vanished around the corner of a café. “Over there…mommy said she would pick me up after school.” She added.
“But of course little one…what is your name by the way?” the pony asked. “Um…my name is Octave.” She replied in a fairly shy tone. Looking down towards the stairs leading up to the entrance. “Well what a splendid name you have! I’m sure we will get along fantastic today! We have all kinds of fun things to do. Is this your first day of school ever, Octave? You’re new here aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am.” Octave smiled. “Oh my, what good manners you have! Well then your mother or whoever has raised you has raised you well indeed within a refined household.” “What’s refined mean?” Octave titled her head slightly.
As Octave nervously turns back to face the school building, she notices the double doors swing open.
“Well hello there little one, what’s your…oh…well where could your mother be? Do you have a daddy?” The sight of a pretty lavender colored Earth Pony made her way out to greet her. Her mane similar in color was well groomed and kept up as it shined a bit from the sunlight splitting at the school’s flag post.
“Daddy is at work, and mommy just left around um…” Octave then turned around pointing to an intersection of the street where she vanished around the corner of a café.
“Over there…mommy said she would pick me up after school.” She added.
“But of course little one…what is your name by the way?” the pony asked.
“Um…my name is Octave.” She replied in a fairly shy tone. Looking down towards the stairs leading up to the entrance.
“Well what a splendid name you have! I’m sure we will get along fantastic today! We have all kinds of fun things to do. Is this your first day of school ever, Octave? You’re new here aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am.” Octave smiled.
“Oh my, what good manners you have! Well then your mother or whoever has raised you has raised you well indeed within a refined household.”
“What’s refined mean?” Octave titled her head slightly.
“Oh never mind that dear.” The pony giggled with delight. Octave at her young age using her manners is certainly uncommon in Canterlot. Most fillies her age would not really mind on that kind of stuff. Octave however was raised to use her manners in front of other ponies she met. Of course Octavia wanted her to just be the fun-loving filly her age was mostly known for as well.
“Well my name is Mrs. Jewel, or my full name is Pristine Jewel.” The pony added.
“Um…it’s uh, nice to meet you Mrs. um…”
“Jewel dear, you can just call me that if that makes it easier on you.”
“Oh…okay then.” Octave nodded a bit before following behind her teacher.
The double doors then closed behind Octave as her and her very first teacher made their way down a hallway. Octave was amazed at the sheer size of how it looked inside. Everything was shined and the floors were waxed t perfection.
“Ah, here we are.” Said the teacher, as they finally arrived to the classroom shortly thereafter walking a short distance in the hallway. Mrs. Jewel then opened the door leading into the classroom, as they made their way down as aisle of desks.
The school building Octave was in was much, much bigger than the one in Ponyville, and actually had about two dozen other classrooms throughout the building, as it was a public school of course. It was recently built, and plans for its construction were brought up after the war and reconstruction began. There were several old buildings damaged beyond repair, so they tore them down and flattened the land in that area to make way for a much-needed school in Canterlot. It was the only fully public school in Canterlot, unlike the School for Gifted Unicorns, founded by Princess Celestia herself.
Many colts and fillies sitting at their desks patiently all turned and faced themselves to Octave. It made her feel awfully nervous, and she was feeling too weird to speak a word for the time being.
“Welcome class! It looks like we have a new student to the school body, and our class! Go on Octave…say hello to the classroom dear.” Stated Jewel, as her and Octave stood facing the entire classroom. The slate blackboard behind them clean entirely, and not a mark of chalk on it.
“Um…hel-lo everyp-pony.” Octave spoke up to the classroom, the shakiness in her voice was distinct to everyone, and could easily be made out by Mrs. Jewel.
“Hi Octave!” the class replied in off-track unison, several of them saying her name a second or so shortly after some others pronounced her name first.
“You can sit wherever you want okay?”
“Okay…” Octave replied, slowly making her way down an aisle with her backpack on still. Her backpack had music notes all around it, and with single full notes for the zipper tabs.
“Sit with me!”
“No, she wants to sit with me…over here Octave!”
A few ponies from every direction she heard were calling out her name. This sort of began to make her feel a tiny bit frightened, and more shy than she normally was.
“Um…uhh…I…um…” Octave felt so confused as for where to sit, so she simply found a seat in the back nopony was using, and nopony was behind or beside her.
She made her way to the empty, and set her backpack down next to it, and got into the seat. Some of the classmates who asked her to sit next to them looked back at her with an almost like “why would she sit back there” sort of expression.
“Are you sure you’re okay back there Octave?” Mrs. Jewel called out to her suddenly, as it startled Octave for a brief moment.
“Oh, um…I don’t know.” She shrugged.
“Well, would you like to sit close to me then? There’s an empty desk up here close to mine if you’d like to?”
“Uh…okay Mrs. Um…Mrs. Jewel.” Octave replied, as she grabbed her backpack once again, and made her way up to the front row of the classroom.
“Good job Octave, you remembered my name!” Mrs. Jewel smiled delightfully.
As Octave takes her seat in the front row, she hears what sounded like a voice of a filly right next to her.
“Hi, my name’s Stardust!”
Octave then turned her head to the sight of a filly Pegasus smiling big back at her. The Pegasus’s tiny wings flapped rapidly as she remained in her seat, from the excitement of hopefully making a friend. She seemed like an awfully nice pony, but Octave had never had any friends in her life before, since she liked to just stick around her mommy and daddy all the time.
“I’m-” Octave then suddenly interrupted by Stardust’s quick mind.
“You’re Octave, I know that silly!” Stardust smiled at her.
Stardust immediately then turned her head forward, seeing as Mrs. Jewel got up from her desk after sitting down for just a few moments.
“Okay class, I think it’s time for a little something fun to do for all of you.”
“Yaaaay!” the class in partial unison for the second time today.
“We are all going to be doing a drawing of family or a family member who you like to be with or help.” Said Mrs. Jewel.
A few hours passed, as Stardust and Octave ended up being partners while they were doing their little projects. Their little hooves moving in all directions on their paper, seeing who could finish there picture the quickest. Stardust took some of Octave’s crayons to joke around, but Octave took it seriously.
“Give my crayons back!” Octave whined to her, as she stretched out her hooves across Stardust’s desk in efforts to reclaim them. Stardust however quickly reacted, and put them to where Octave couldn’t get them from where she was.
Octave’s face started to tear up, and she began to nearly cry now.
“Give them back now! Or I’m telling mommy!”
“What?” Stardust turned to face Octave feeling confused by her remark. She didn’t quite understand why she said that, perhaps she still didn’t know yet to call on the teacher, and not her own mother.
“Y-your mommy is Mrs. Jewel?!” Stardust asked surprised.
“No! My mommy is the best, and she’ll get you in trouble!” Octave stated firmly.
“Your mommy’s gone though?”
“B-but…mommy said she will pick me up after school is over?”
“But um…that doesn’t mean she can get me in trouble.” Said Stardust.
“Yes it does!” Octave replied.
“Nuh-uh!” Stardust shook her head no.
“Yeah-huh!”
“Nuh-uh!”
Back and forth they went for about a minute or so, until they both just gave up after that, and they both didn’t even care anymore.
“Okay class, it looks like all of you are just about done!” Jewel walked along the desks and tables some of the students sat at, as they worked on their works of art.
“Wow, good drawing, Sketch!”
“Thanks Mrs. Jewel!”
“And ooh, so much color, Starburst!”
“Thank you Mrs. Jewel! I made it all by myself too!”
Jewel then walked over to the two little fillies that were working on their pictures…or well…one of them was anyways. She looked over the two of them, and saw that Stardust had nearly finished, and it looked great! But Octave however, she hadn’t put a single streak of color on that plain white sheet of paper in front of her.
“Octave sweetie?”
“Um…yeah?” Octave looked back above her.
“Where’s your drawing, or picture that you’ve been working on, hm?”
“Uhh…” Octave had the look of guilt written all over her face, and she felt too afraid to tell her the truth.
“You haven’t started on it, have you?” Jewel summed up.
Octave said nothing, and merely gave a light shake of her head, concluding her teacher was right.
“Well would you like me to help you with an idea?”
“But I have an idea though.”
“Well then why didn’t you put that idea of yours down on this piece of paper then?” Mrs. Jewel wondered.
“Um…because I like watching Stardust draw and color her picture.” Octave confessed.
There was one thing Octave didn’t do much at all, and that was lie. She was a bad liar anyways, and she knew that her mother couldn’t stand liars.
A loud noise of a bell then gave off a ringing sound to Octave that made her cover her ears completely. Even though she didn’t have to worry about the bell hurting her ears, she did it instinctively at first.
“Okay everypony, time for lunch! Get in a single file line, and follow whoever the leader is okay?”
In just a matter of moments, the class quickly formed a line, and they were all anxious to go on to enjoy a nutritious lunch.
“Do you wanna sit with me?” Stardust poked Octave.
“Yeah.” Octave replied with a smile.
“Wait…what are we eating?” she added.
“Pizza!” Stardust smiled with delight, knowing Wednesday was everypony’s favorite day of the week for that reason.
The school bell let out a loud ring from the outside of the building, as what appeared to be dozens of little colts and fillies of all sizes gallop off towards their parents from the double door exit from the facility. But however, when Octave was walking out with her new friend Stardust, she could not seem to find her mother’s gray fur that would seem to stand out in a crowd of pastel colored ponies everywhere.
“I…I can’t find mommy.” Octave continued to scan the crowd, and no results came up.
“Really? Well my mommy’s over here, follow me!” Stardust said, as she took off towards her mother.
“Hey, wait up!”
Octave had to weave in an out of young traffic to get to her friend, and she stopped to the sight of Stardust’s mother.
“Hey Octave, come over to see my mommy!” Stardust raised her voice to her, with eagerness in her voice.
“Is, is this her?”
“Yep!”
Octave looked up at her mother curiously, as to why her mother was a Unicorn.
“Um…but your mother is a Unicorn?” Octave wondered a bit confused for a moment.
“Uh-huh, my daddy is a Pegasus, just like me!” Stardust smiled.
Octave faced back up to Stardust’s mother once again, still trying to gather in that kind of information.
“So…how does that happen?” she asked.
“Okay you two, I think that’s enough now, we need to be going remember Stardust sweetie? Where is your mother by the way Octave? Your mother should be with you by now.”
“She’s not here yet, I don’t see her?”
“Well you poor girl, I’ll help you find your mother okay?”
“But mooom?! We’re supposed to be at big brother’s birthday party?!”
“Stardust? What did I say?”
With a sigh, Stardust gave a nod after looking off somewhere else while following her mother help her new friend. They searched here and there, and pretty much everywhere around the school entrance, and her mother could not be found.
“But…but my mommy promised…” Octave sniffled and started to miss her mommy, as her eyes began to tear up.
“Now-now dear, everything will be okay. We’re not done here, we’ll keep looking alright sweetie?” the Unicorn assured her that everything would be just fine.
“Um…okay.” Octave replied.
“Mooom?!”
“That’s enough from you Stardust, we’re helping your friend here find her parents.” She stated with a bit of sternness coming from her voice.
Octave’s ear twitched as she heard a familiar voice seem to get louder and louder amidst the crowd.
“Octave? Octave dear is that you over there?” the voice called out to her in the crowd.
“Look, it’s my mommy!” Octave then galloped off into the direction of her mother being noticed.
“Hello my dear, I told you I would be here for you when school let out.” She replied with a smile, followed by a great big hug and a kiss.
Octavia then looked back up at a Unicorn and what appeared to be her daughter.
“I assume you’re her mother, correct?” Stardust’s mother spoke up, almost in a tone of disapproval.
“I am in fact, and you are this young Pegasus’ mother I take it?”
“I am in fact, yes. Look, your daughter was worried sick about you, and you arrived here awfully late for a mother who promised her daughter that she would be picked up just as school let out.” The tone of the Unicorn’s voice then started to sound like she was being a smart butt to Octavia.
“I do apologize that I may have perhaps arrived a bit late, but you can’t expect me to arrive literally just as the bell tone rings. Who are you to judge my parenting anyways ma’am?” Octavia raised her eyebrow.
“I’m saying you could have done a better job, such mother’s in Canterlot for arriving in such a fashion should not be having issues with punctuality.”
“I don’t have issues miss, and you need to back off of me and my daughter.” Octavia then brought Octave in closer to her to protect her from anything that might get out of hoof.
“Well hmph…then you need to read up on some things madam…come along now Stardust…we are leaving for home.” The Unicorn turned out to be nothing but a snooty Canterlot citizen. Yet her daughter seemed like a free spirit, so happy and sociable it seemed.
“Ugh, that mare has some real issues.” Octavia looked away from the unicorn in disdain, as Octave waved back to what now appeared to be an unhappy Stardust riding on her mother’s back as she looked back at her new friend.
“Yeah…mommy’s aren’t supposed to be mean like that.” Octave replied.
“Where did you learn that young lady?”
“Uh…right now?” Octave shrugged with an awkward smile.
“You’re bright for your age aren’t you? Certainly smarter than me at your age, come on let’s head over to the music store okay?
With the help of her mother, Octave got onto her mother’s back, as they traveled down a busy street of Canterlot. It was the same time some of the ponies got off of work for the day, and new workers were checking in for their different shifts. They passed numerous stores, but Octave always liked to look at the jewelry stores.
“I wanna be pretty like you mommy, and have all the princess jewelry in the store!” the little filly shouted, raising both of her hooves in the air dramatically. She dreamed of a day she would have all of that jewelry around her neck and hooves, just dragging it all along with her across the floor.
“You silly filly you, of course dear.” Octavia nuzzled her daughter’s cheek as she continued walking forward, until she ended up running into a certain somepony.
“Oof! Hey watch where you’re-…well hey there ha-ha! What a surprise!”
“Daddy!” Octave immediately jumped off, and jumped into her father’s embrace.
“Hey you little gray ball of love!” Maestro replied, followed by tight hug.
“Well I didn’t expect to see you here around this time exactly, where are you heading might I ask?” Octavia grinned a bit from curiosity.
“Oh just heading out after work to visit my mother…but I don’t think Octave wants to see her granny today does she?” he chuckled.
“Oh please- oh please- oh please! Can I- can I- can I?” Octave jumped in place after every word she quickly said, followed by that adorable little bounce in her well-groomed and lively mane.
“Is it okay with mommy? Don’t you both have to do something?”
“We do actually…we were on our way to the music store.”
“Well look no further! Our stores prices will beat any-…oh screw it, I hate the assistant manager there.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Octavia giggled at Maestro’s well-acted sarcasm at the beginning of his sentence.
“But…didn’t you say we were going to the music store mommy?”
Octavia looked down at her, then back up to Maestro, signaling with her eyes they hide the plan they had.
“Well uh, um…uh yeah, mommy said that she needed to go to the music store just before daddy left off for work this morning sweetie.” He spoke up, hopefully covering their tracks before Octave caught onto what they might have planned.
“Ooooh, okay.”
“Yeah, and how about you and mommy just go on ahead, and I’ll meet you two there after I check in on a little something at granny’s okay?”
“Okay!” Octave smiled happily.
“Yeah, exactly.” Maestro then whispered into Octavia’s ear.
“I’ll check on the present at mother’s and meet you at the store.” He whispered once more.
“Sounds good…good luck dear.”
Maestro then drew back from her ear and spoke up in a regular tone.
“You know, you don’t have to act like this is an undercover operation you know?”
“Well…it kind of is, since Octave’s birthday isn’t too far off.” She replied.
“Well I…okay true…sort of…but that doesn’t mean-”
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Oh right, nearly forgot…well see you two later!” Maestro then took off into the street, and out of sight just around a crowd of ponies.
“What were you and daddy talking about?”
“Oh nothing really, just a little something for a little somepony’s birthday that’s coming up soon.” She giggled, as they kept making their way to the music store.
A distinct noise of a bird could be heard chirping softly just outside of Maestro and Octavia’s bedroom.
The bird continued chirping, but it seemed to get louder, and started to bother Maestro since he was not a morning pony.
“Cheep-cheep-cheep!”
“Shut up please.” he mumbled.
“Cheep-tweet-cheep!”
“Please be quiet.” He mumbled a second time. The conversation continued back and forth, with the bird obviously not caring in the slightest either.
Maestro then immediately got up out of bed. Octavia was still asleep, as the sounds of nature didn’t bother her as bad as it did Maestro. He then opened up the window, and yelled at it.
“Shut uuuuup!”
The bird then stopped and stared at him and his remark.
“Wanna do it again? Go ahead…I dare you!”
The bird then started up again.
“Okay fine, fine! You win…for the twelfth bucking time!” he yelled out to it again.
The sudden loud noise caused Octavia to rise up out of bed and look over at him.
“Sweetie…is…oh…that bird disturbing you again is it?” she mustered up out of a tired tone of her voice.
“Uh you think? This bird has been driving me crazy for the past week and a half! I swear it’s been stalking me on my way to work.” He replied, as he continued to glare back at the bird with it not caring in the slightest.
“If you think it’s stalking you, then why don’t you file a restraining order against it? Maybe the local guards won’t think you’re crazy at all complaining about a petty little bird outside your window. Come to think of it, you might even be recognized as a city hero for stopping such an enormous disturbance.” She spoke up and stated with sarcasm plain as day in her voice now, but Maestro too tired still to catch onto her tone.
“You know, that’s exactly what I’ll-- hold on a minute?!” he then turned around to see her giggling right at him and his early morning intellect.
“Okay, well hey I might not be the brightest pony in Canterlot in the mornings, but I know sarcasm when I hear it.”
“Apparently you didn’t this time.” She continued on.
A silence fell in the bedroom, as he felt too lazy to even think until he had his breakfast.
“…I’m taking a shower.” He walked off, deciding to just let her win this one for the time being.
After coming downstairs feeling freshened up from a shower, he saw Octave had been woke up too. She quickly looked back at her daddy with her favorite cereal stuffed in her face.
“Mowing wawwy!”
“Mouth young lady.” He replied smiling, almost laughing at the site.
Octave then quickly chewed up the food in her mouth and swallowed to repeat what she said to him.
“Morning daddy!”
“Morning birthday girl!” he nuzzled her, followed by a kiss on her forehead.
“Well, thank Celestia I always have the weekends off to myself.” He said, as he hovered over the incredible aroma of Octavia making breakfast for the both of them.
“Yourself you say? Just what might you have planned out for yourself today?”
“I have a little plan to check in on a little something I’ve been working on back at the music store.” He winked back at her.
“Oh of course, you need to deal with that right away in fact…is it finished though?”
“Oh it certainly is, and it looks amazing! It puts my…I mean it would make anypony jealous if they had one.” He corrected himself, almost slipping up about his gift he had made for Octave.
“Sounds splendid Maestro, what do you think angel?” Octavia then looked back over to Octave.
“Can I come with you to the music store please? I wanna see what you made!” Octave smiled, before stuffing her face with another bite of cereal.
“Well…I don’t know about that, but…okay I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. It is your birthday today after all.” He winked back at Octavia.”
“Yes please!” she replied, knowing she knew her mother appreciated it whenever she used her manners.
“Good girl, I am pleased to know you are using your manners, even for daddy.” Said Octavia.
“I only do it cause it makes you and daddy happy when I’m like a big girl!”
“Oh but it won’t be long before that either, now finish your breakfast and we’ll head over there.” Maestro added, as he grabbed his coat and settled down at the table with a plate of delicious food prepared that morning.
The minutes passed on by just like that, and Octave was ready to go.
“Well me and Octave will be back in a little while okay?”
“Okay, you two be careful, dress warmly Octave dear!” Octavia raised her voice from upstairs just before she was about to get her shower in for the day.
“Is this warm enough?”
“Uh…I think a little too warm.” Maestro couldn’t help but laugh at the site of Octave having to poke her head up from the marshmallowy looking coat that covered her body. She got it last year from her granny for her fourth birthday, but she forgot what size her granddaughter was, and got something two sizes too big for her.
“Well, I think that will be just fine.” He said jokingly.
“But I can’t see daddy?!” she replied a bit muffled in the coat.
“Okay let’s take this off quickly, before mommy catches us.” He lowers his voice to her.
“Okay.” She whispered back adorably.
In a fury, Maestro unzipped it and he quickly out on her bowtie set down on the coffee table from yesterday.
“Okay, aaaand…yeah we’re good, let’s go.”
The two of them then swiftly made it off the porch, and Octave ran off ahead of her father.
“Wait up okay?! Don’t go too far got it?!” he yelled out to her.
“Okay daddy, I wo- Oof!” she ended up running into a royal guard patrolling the current street they were on.
“Hello mister!” she said happily looking up at the straight-faced guard.
He said nothing, and continued on his patrol route.
Maestro came around the corner, and noticed she was trying to get the guards attention, causing him to slow down.
“Please move, little one.” The guard blatantly stated.
“Octave, get away from him!” he said, catching up to her finally.
“But why is he just walking? Why does he look like that?”
“He is a royal guard of the castle. Sometimes they patrol the city streets to occasionally make sure there is still order in the city from time to time.”
“What’s order daddy?”
“Well…order is something that places where ponies live, need sometimes.”
“Can I be a guard when I get big?”
“Well uh…I never heard of any rules against it? Sure you can, go for it when you’re old enough!”
“Okay! I’ll be the best guard ever! I’ll get to meet the princess, and I’ll get ponies who are mean to other ponies!” she replied happily.
“That’s my girl, show them your stuff.” He ruffled her mane up a bit, after passing her up, but then dropping back to lift her up onto his back.
About ten minutes or so later, his workplace is just around the corner. Though it was closed on the weekends, he was given the key to it so he could open it up before they were ready for customers to walk through the form doors. He usually flipped on the lights, did some last minute pre-tuning for the rental instruments, and so forth.
“Okay, let me just get my key here and we should be inside in no time.”
“Daddy look! It’s Stardust!”
“Stardust? Who in Equestria is that?”
“She is my friend at school.” She replied before she called out to her friend who hadn’t noticed her across the street.
“Stardust! Heeey!” Octave waved and jumped up and down in place to get her attention until her friend replied back.
“Hi Octave!”
They both took off running to each other in the middle of the street to greet each other just as Stardust caught site of her. Maestro also saw what appeared to be a Unicorn calling out to Stardust as well. Eventually he caught up to her, and the Unicorn catching up to Stardust too.
“What were you thinking going out in the middle of the street like that? You didn’t even look both ways!” the Unicorn stated firmly.
“Exactly Octave, did you hear what she said? You should’ve looked both ways before crossing. Who knows what could’ve happened just then? A runaway cart being pulled, who knows what?!”
“Sorry daddy…it won’t happen again.” Octave then looked down to the ground feeling disappointed.
“Ah, so you must be Octave’s father, hm?”
“Indeed I am…who and how do you know that exactly?” he raised his eyebrow curiously.
“Ah of course, my daughter Stardust here, and your daughter Octave here are both friends at the same school they go to together.”
“Really? Well now that’s interesting, why didn’t you tell me you made a friend at school a while back Octave?”
“Um…I forgot I guess.” She shrugged.
“It’s quite alright dear.” The Unicorn replied.
“Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Maestro, madam.”
“Charmed to meet you, my name is Pearly Sweet…Pearly for short.” She giggled in her thick Canterlot accent.
“So I take it the father is a Pegasus?”
“Quite so, he works on making the clouds, and I run an interior decorating business just down the street from here.” She replied proudly.
“Ah, well I work at the music store just across the street from here as you can plainly see.” He said.
“Of course, of course…well me and my daughter here are off to see her grandfather in Manehatten, may our paths cross again.”
“Of course, take care on your trip.” He added.
With that, Pearly gave a mere nod of approval before she and her daughter turned to head off into the direction of the train station once more.
“Well now…some friend you got, that Stardust looks nice. Maybe you and her can have a little slumber party one day.”
“A what?” Octave wondered, since she’d hardly ever heard that word spoken.
“I’ll tell you later, now then…how about we head inside the shop?”
“Okay!”
“Look both ways!”
“Oh…yeah…sorry.” She smiled awkwardly.
“That’s what I thought you little scoundrel.” He poked her side lightly, making her giggle.
Octave was now over eight years of age, and learning to play the violin quite well. She absorbed what she was taught like a sponge, and applied it to her performing surprisingly well. She certainly was no prodigy, but she could play better than most her age. One of Octavia’s distant relatives, and related to the apple family too, was Fiddly Faddle…or Fiddlesticks as most preferred calling her. Fiddlesticks had come over for the first time to see Octavia in over a decade. She was surprised to see she had a lovely daughter that played violin like she did, and wished to help teach her whenever she could. So therefore, Fiddlesticks stayed at Octavia and Maestro’s for about a week, and helped Octave play better with the violin. When it was time for her to head back home to Appleloosa, she gave Octave her own personal violin as a memento to hold onto to remember her favorite cousin by, which made Octave’s face light up like a Christmas tree. So since then, Octave had been working extra hard to be like her cousin Fiddly Faddle, or Fiddlesticks either way. Octave wanted to be the best violinist in all of Equestria one day after the inspiration she obtained from her.
As for Starlight, she had visited Octave occasionally, but was most of the time too busy to have the time to unfortunately. She had her own daughter of course she needed to take care of as well, which made the window to visit her friends and such, even thinner. Starlight had only seen Octave five times in the past eight years of her life, and she was kind of getting annoyed to see her time with friends being taken away from her due to her job becoming more and more of a hassle. Though she did what she knew she had to do to get by in life, and raise her daughter, and keep her happy. The reason Starlight had never brought over her own daughter, was cause since she was still too young to fly, she was always too afraid her daughter would lose grip on the trip over to Canterlot in the air, and well yeah…you get the picture. She was just one of those overly cautious mother’s for her little filly, Comet Trail.
For Vinyl Scratch, she moved to Manehatten when she was offered a huge music contract with a good friend of hers that is a DJ partner with her, Rising Star, or known by most as Neon Lights for his DJ name. Octave had only managed to see Vinyl a few times in her life, since they were just so far out from each other, and Vinyl was always so busy. Vinyl however knew her contract would soon come to an end she decided within the next year or so, and return back home to Ponyville where she felt she belonged.
For Starlight being adopted or taken under Maestro’s wing as his adopted sister so to speak from years ago…it obviously couldn’t work out, and she understood when he decided to just leave it as them being really good friends. She wasn’t complaining, and understood some reason for it perhaps, though there still wasn’t a day that went by when she would think about her big brother, along with the rest of her family that had been deceased for a number of years.
The sound of a broken string could be heard distinctly throughout the quiet household, as Maestro was doing his own thing, and Octavia was taking it easy on the couch reading a saucy novel in front of the fireplace, as it gave off a soft orange glow throughout the living room.
“Um…uh oh.” Octave slowly turned her head back to her mother looking over at her standing there with her violin next to the fireplace in the corner of the room. Octavia didn’t seem to really care one way or another whenever Octave would end up making her strings screech still every now and again. It was all apart of the learning process, and that’s all she knew counted for her daughter to learn it.
“Are you due a new set of strings angel? I think it’s about time we head over to get you some more. You have had that violin for a couple of years now, though you’re still too little to start playing on Fiddly Faddle’s violin.”
“But hers is probably sooo much better than this one.” Octave whined slightly in her voice.
“Oh I’m sure it is sweetheart, but you must know that you are still too little to take on a full sized violin. Until you reach the appropriate age, that violin will remain in its case within my bedroom until you are ready to move onto that level.”
“But what will it hurt to have just a level or t-”
“Octave?” Octavia stated assertively.
“Yes mother…I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted dear, now why don’t you go upstairs and continue practicing, mother enjoys her peace you know.”
“Okay mom…I’ll be the best violinist in Canterlot! But well…what about the broken string?”
“I have faith you will, and pursue that dream to your hearts content sweetie.” Octavia smiled back to her softly, as she watched her daughter make her way upstairs, and back into her own bedroom to resume practice.
“Oh right, as for the string that’s broken…hmm…why don’t you merely work on the rest of the strings, and don’t worry about the broken one, We’ll get new ones tomorrow first thing.” She added before focusing back on her book.
Maestro made his way through the door awfully quick and disruptive of Octavia’s moment of enjoying her own peace.”
“Finally! I’m…oh…sorry.” He brought his voice down to a whisper at the end.
“Exactly.” She whispered back to him playfully.
“So…how’s the book going? I still can’t believe you read those novels…you got the real thing.” Maestro winked above her, kissing her cheek as he kept looking at the book she read above her head.
“Well a mare can have her fantasies now can’t she?”
“Of course, I got no problem with that…wait…how good does he look in that book?” he asked curiously.
“I’ll honestly say…he would, shall we say…wipe the floor with you in your terms when it comes to dashing looks.” She replied.
“Darn…that’s like the fourth one right?”
“Correct dear.” She winked looking up at him, as he came into her sight lying down next to her on the couch.
“Drat, again?”
“Oh come now love, you and I both know they aren’t as good as you are in bed at least.” She added giggling.
“Weeeell…yeah, heh…I guess that’s true I suppose.”
“What? Do you not believe me?”
“What? Pfft, no don’t be silly…erm…” he then stopped, which caused Octavia to put down her book and look back at him once again.
“You’re kidding right? You’re unsure of your own level of romance?”
“Um…what if I said…no?”
“Well…then I think you’re due some exercise within that category then sir.” Octavia then placed her bookmark over her current page, and placed it aside on the coffee table.
“You’re kidding…right now? But…Octave’s right upstairs?”
“We’ve been quiet before.” She fluttered her eyes, as the tip of her snout met his.
“Oh…well…for some odd reason, why is it that I feel like somepony’s about to come through the front door?” Maestro then looked down at his gut, knowing a sometimes his gut was actually right.
“Sometimes it has been wrong too…” her purple eyes staring off into his, making him lose his focus and simply be mesmerized by the gorgeous color within her irises.
“Okay…just a quick one then.”
“Of course my Maestro…anything you want.” She then gave him a sultry look, as he could feel her breath go across the lower part of his body.
“Uh oh…” he told himself in his mind, as his senses told him somepony was up at the front porch.
“Octavia…somepony’s-” the door then flung open.
“Surpriiiise!”
“…here.” His eyes wide open, as him and Octavia were caught in an awkward situation with each other. He had a partial stiffy as Starlight merely stood there, stone faced and shocked to see the two of them in such a way.
“Well then…when I come over to see you for the first time in over a year, I catch you two about to get busy?! Ha ha ha!” Starlight was about to fall over of laughter of such a bad timing, yet so rich of a moment to relish with laughter.
“Shhh! Keep it down, Octave’s upstairs practi-” Maestro interrupted a second time
“Aunt Starlight!” Octave quickly ran down to greet her at the front door.
“cing…” Maestro trailed off.
Starlight looked up at her making her way downstairs, and saw that Octavia and Maestro were still getting themselves situated before Octave could see them just around the corner.
“Wait! Stop right there Octave!”
Octave froze in place and was confused as for why she went ahead and did this.
“Uh…what’s going on exactly?” Octave asked, as she froze halfway up the staircase.
“Uh…well um…it’s a game. It’s called…”
“Please be original Stardust, please be original…” Maestro whispered out to her.
“The stand still game?” she shrugged followed by an awkward chuckle.
“We’re doomed.” Octavia facehoofed herself.
Octave stood there and thought for a moment, and then said something none of the rest of them expected her to say.
“Hm…okay then…I’ll wait here I guess, but why?”
“Thank Celestia!” Maestro then immediately covered his mouth after he outburst just then.
“Huh? Dad? Is that you down there?”
He had no clue how to respond, so Octavia acted for him since she was a quicker thinker than he was.
“Yes dear, dad is back home, but mommy and daddy are doing something uh…very important right now. So go back upstairs for a few more minutes okay?” Octavia replied.
Starlight then got a great idea to stall her, and get her mind on something else instead. “You know what? How about you show me how far you’ve gotten with that…what is it you play again?”
“The violin, come on up Starlight I’ll show you!” before she got out of sight, starlight poked her head back at them just around the corner of the staircase where she could still see them.
“I got your back, don’t worry. But that does not mean you need to do that kind of stuff where she is literally right upstairs for Celestia’s sake. I mean really, the living room out of all places? The window for ponies to see you is right smack over there, goodness…talk about being desperate.” She rolled her eyes.
“Well we need a spark in our relationship somewhere? We haven’t had enough time to ourselves like we’ve wanted?” Maestro shrugged.
“Welcome to parenthood Maestro.” Starlight bluntly replied.
“Heh…yeah…the P word…dumb word.” He looked off.
“Maestro!” Octavia raised her voice.
“What?! That doesn’t mean I don’t like being a father, I love being a father! I just don’t like that word, what kind of pony doesn’t want to have a love life?”
“Point rather taken.” Octavia replied short and sweet.
“Well anyways…just be a bit more cautious and thoughtful of where you do your…uh…happy time I suppose you’d call it.”
“Eh he he, yeah…we will.”
“Good…now if you’ll excuse me, Aunt Starlight here’s gotta be the crowd for Octave’s performance.” Said Starlight. She then disappeared quick as a flash back upstairs, and into Octave’s bedroom.
Maestro and Octavia continued sitting next to each other, total silence filled the air around them. They then looked back at each other almost at the same time, and then looked away from each other once again.
“Um…sooo…” he rolled his eyes as he slowly was facing back towards her.
“Maybe some other time dear.” Octavia intervened, looking off into another direction. She then grabbed a hold of her novel once again, and got back to where she left off.
“Right…” Maestro trailed off whistling.
He then saw from the corner of his vision, that she had resumed her reading. So he decided to play along and joke on it.
“Ooh I love it when she does that.”
“Do you now? Then explain to me why she decided to take him back after he had cheated on her two times already? In addition to how she still managed to have a love for him still deep within her heart for him after a decade of not seeing him for even a second?” she asked him with a smile on the corner of her mouth, waiting for a good response, but she already knew that he hadn’t read even a single page of any of her novels she read.
“Um…I’ll have to get back to you on that.” He smiled back with a squee expression on his face, putting one of his hooves under his chin to look like he was thinking.
“You’re not really thinking are you?” she said raising and eyebrow, still able to see him from the corner of her eye as she was still focused on the page.
“You don’t know that.” Maestro looked off into another direction away from her.
“I do…and I win.” Octavia briefly stuck her tongue out at him, then immediately returning to her story thereafter.
It had reached that certain time in life that was only a matter of time for them. She was almost in her teenage years, and twelve years of age to be precise. Her and Stardust were still great friends, but Octave knew that Stardust hadn’t exactly seemed too happy with her mother for the past few years or so. Octave asked why she seemed so down about the subject regarding her mother, but Stardust never wanted the subject talked over. Stardust wasn’t going to show that to her best friend however whenever they hung out together.
Octave’s father, Maestro, now had his own music shop, and just opened not too long ago. Her loving mother, Octavia, had decided to become a music teacher as a hobby, and she gave private music lessons to young pupils in Canterlot at the comfort of their own home. At least it would give them some extra cash flow, considering she would get paid by the hour for giving them lessons.
Vinyl Scratch had been managing to find time to hang out with Octavia’s daughter more, and was actually pretty well tolerated around Octave and Stardust, despite her being a good bit older than the other two. Her touring days were over, and she didn’t find as much use in it as she used to when she toured with her partner Neon Lights, or Rising Star as his real name was. She still however continued to act the same way she had always been ever since her and Octavia first met that one night at a Canterlot nightclub, always young at heart. Starlight’s own daughter, Comet Trail, by now was still too young, but she had been placed into the hooves of a great foalsitter in Cloudsdale by the name of Flitter.
So as the chapter starts off, Vinyl Scratch had an interesting place to head off to, and she wanted everypony to come along this time. She wanted to have a vacation that none of them would ever forget.
It was most ponies’ favorite time of the year…summer time! Many ponies couldn’t wait to finally set off on vacations to make memories that would last a lifetime. For Octavia and Maestro, they were actually beginning to pack for a vacation that Vinyl had prepared for everypony, even extra friends if they wanted to bring them along. Despite ponies not wearing much clothes at all to begin with, there really wasn’t that much to pack. They wondered what it could be, but Vinyl unfortunately would not tell them, and only asked them to meet her in San Palomino at a five-star Hoofton (Hilton) hotel she marked for them on a map. She also managed to easily reserve rooms for everypony that was going on the trip with her, though Vinyl was unsure as to how many friends Octavia and Maestro had…probably not any if she knew them and their ‘romancing’.
It was three in the morning, and as stated before, Octavia and Maestro were packing up to head out. Unfortunately, Octave was still asleep, and Maestro was not in the mood to begin with, especially so early in the morning. They had to go to sleep as early as seven in the afternoon the night before the trip to be sure, but Octave was up late at her friend Stardust’s house until eleven that night.
“Did Vinyl have to plan this at a ridiculous time as this? Why couldn’t she just go ahead and head out with us at the train station?” Maestro asked with a bit of grumpiness in his voice.
“Reasons are I’d say she probably needed to get down there before all of us, and check the reservations to make sure everything is in order.” Octavia answered him.
Maestro’s tired eyes then looked over towards their bedroom door that was cracked, and led to the second bathroom in the hallway that was lit, which was pretty much Octave’s. The bathroom’s light had apparently been left on all night to his realization, since he didn’t recall it being cut on when he and Octavia went off to bed extra early.
“I’ll uh…I’ll wake Octave up.” He said, before making his way out into the hallway.
“Of course…and I will wait for you downstairs okay?”
“Yep…” he trailed off.
Maestro then arrived just outside of Octave’s bedroom door after he flipped off the light to the second bathroom, and boy would that run up the electric bill.
“Octave…sweetie?” his tired voice carried over to her bed as he stood at her bedroom entrance.
“Mmm…what is it?” she answered tired toned. Octave was no morning pony, just as her father was with mornings too. She was also a teeny bit of a tomboy on some things, but most her age would be more explorative on things to begin with than any other part of a pony’s life. Overall though, she had still been very well raised. She had a big heart and a kind personality, and still had the refinement in her that her mother had raised her within society.
“Oh…you’re awake?” Maestro was surprised.
“Yeah…I couldn’t really sleep.” She replied, turning the other way in her bed to prevent the light in the hallway from shining on her face.
“Well…today’s the day sweetie, and we will be heading out in a little while. So it would be best if you got up already, okay? He said.
“Okay, just…just ten more minutes or something.”
“Okay ten more minutes…and then I’m using the cold washrag.”
“No! Okay fine…I’m up, I’m up.” She quickly rose out of her bed; her mane was all a mess, and her bowtie still on her neck but backwards.
Maestro’s face then formed a slight smile, as he then closed her bedroom door for her to wake up.
Octave smacked her mouth, and realized her mouth still tasted like that sugary candy her and Stardust ate while sharing rumors and discussing what was in now and such. Not much important news really happened around such an amazing city as Canterlot was surprisingly enough. Mostly it was usually the same stuff with parties and all that.
“Octave dear, come on down now, we are leaving in one half hour!” Octavia yelled to her from downstairs in the kitchen with Maestro.
“Yeah, come on down and get you some breakfast before he head off to the train station!”
“I’m- oof! Okay…ouch that hurt…coming down mother!” she raised her voice, bumping her head by accident into one of the corners of the bathroom doorway.
“Sometimes I wonder if there’s a pony out there who’s more clumsy or something? Heh…I bet she’s a Pegasus.” Octave then thought of her friend Stardust, who unfortunately wasn’t going with her on the trip. However, the idea then sparked her mind, though still unsure on whether or not she would even be able to make it to the station by the time the train even left. Chances are even though she thought about it, Stardust wouldn’t probably be able to go either way.
“I’d probably be too late…darn it.” She said to herself.
“Octave! Your breakfast is getting…oh wait never mind, it’s cereal…” Maestro called out, lowering his voice enough for her to not hear him, as he would’ve ended up embarrassing himself there.
“I know dad, I’m coming!” she replied once more.
She arrived downstairs minutes later, and now with only ten minutes to spare for her to eat breakfast.
“Well then…so much for down in a minute.” Maestro said jokingly.
“Okay, maybe I needed a bit more time.” Octave replied.
“You were up there for twenty minutes.”
“Okay…I needed twenty minutes to get ready.” She said.
“To simply do the necessities of starting your day?”
Octave then looked away, then partially facing back towards Maestro from across the table.
“Um…yes…” she spoke up softly.
“Well then…you’re going to be a blast to care of when you’re older.”
“Maestro!” Octavia raised her voice.
“Okay, okay…she wins.” He rolled his eyes.
“Hah, I almost always win! Mom’s got my back, right mother?” Octave then looked over at her mother preparing a few things to take along in the cooler on the kitchen counter.
“Don’t push it young lady.” Octavia chuckled.
“Darn…”
“Hah, I win this time little lady.” Maestro added.
“You lose just like her too dear…I get my way with you.” Octavia winked back at him, subliminally implying to him of what she meant by that.
“You certainly do…and you’re awfully great at it too.” He replied smiling, followed by him raising an eyebrow back at her.
“Aged to perfection dear.” Octavia giggled.
“I have no idea what you two are even talking about?” Octave spoke up.
“Eh, it’s no big deal…maybe when you’re older you’ll understand.” Said Maestro.
“Yeahhh…riiiiight.” Octave rolled her eyes, still continuing to eat her breakfast with post haste.
The ten minutes had passed, as Maestro and his family were out of the house, and on their way to the train station for the early morning departure. Everything had been packed and loaded onto a cab they managed to call after walking a few blocks with all of the suitcases and such.
They then later arrived at Canterlot Station, as a good willed tourist who was luckily a unicorn heading out of Canterlot, helped them unpack and load their things onto a cart that one of them could either push or pull into the building. It was a ‘dreadful’ four suitcases total that they had.
“Thank you so much sir!” said Octavia happily, after their things were loaded and pulled into the building by Maestro.
“You’re welcome…say…I think I know you come to think of it?” the unicorn pony rose an eyebrow asking.
“Um…you do?” Octavia wondered curiously. She then quickly looked back at Octave standing and looking back up to her wondering what all of this was about.
“I sure do! You’re name’s Octavia! I have another friend that simply adores you and well…other things, heh.” The pony looked off scratching the back of his head, feeling awfully embarrassed
“Erm…okay? What is your name exactly?” she asked him.
“Oh, my name is John…John Hays, me and my other friend Nickel Less think you’re and incredible pony! I think he’s around here somewhere...He’ll probably be here later on I’d say, since he had to rent a hotel room for a few nights in Canterlot. But anyways, yeah! We love your music, and you have such great natural beauty for a pony such as yourself.” He smiled a bit, but still feeling a bit odd right then and there.
“Uh-huh…thanks then, I suppose?” she then felt awkward, as she looked back towards Maestro up at the front counter getting their tickets to set off for San Palomino in under an hour.
“Well uh, it was nice to meet you I suppose, but me, my daughter, and husband are heading off to San Palomino in a little while.”
“San Palomino…we’re heading there too!”
“You are?!” Octavia hoping he was joking.
“I’m kidding!” the pony laughed, after heading off into another direction to help break up the awkwardness considering she was married, and he was possibly flirting with her, but chances were though that wasn’t the case. He was just a good willed, good spirited pony, and a good sense of humor.
“Oh…right.” She then caught herself laughing along with him a tiny bit.
“I like him, he’s funny!” Octave giggled.
Before Octavia could head off anywhere else, Maestro was already caught up to her back down the stairs to the entrance.
“Okay, here’s your ticket…and your ticket too little missy.”
“Little missy? I’m not that young anymore dad.” Octave looked at the ticket then back up to him.
“I’m only teasing, and yes you’re definitely no little filly anymore. But you’ll always be my little girl to me in my eyes.” Maestro nuzzled her.
“I know.” She grinned.
Maestro however stopped then for a second time, as he seemed to possibly recall somepony he could’ve swore he’s known about in his life.
“Um…excuse me…sir?” he asked the pony, the pony then quickly turned around.
“Yes? What is it?” it was the same pony that had talked to Octavia just moments ago, and yet he felt like he knew him.
“Um…the name’s Maestro.” The two then shared a hoofshake with each other.
“John…John Hays sir, a pleasure to meet you.” He replied.
“Wait…John Hays?”
“Yes sir…why does that name seem to intrigue…you…by Luna’s moon…you’re…” the pony stopped himself, not saying anything else.
“We…we used to be friends in high school!” Maestro exclaimed.
“By Luna’s second moon! Wait, does that make sense? Oh what do I care…but my goodness it’s you, Maestro!”
“I can’t believe it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other! It feels like we’ve met each other in pony for the first time too!” Maestro replied.
“I know right?! This is incredible! How coincidental is this?!” Hays laughed.
“Point taken dude…well how’s it been all of these years? Wait a moment…don’t tell me…you and Nickel Less still like brothers?”
“The coolest and classiest bros in Equestria ever! I’m actually waiting for him to arrive in a little while here at the front entrance. He said he’d never been in Canterlot, so I figured why not? Let’s vacation over to there, know what I mean?” said Hays.
“I know what you mean dude, but it’s just too good to be true that you’re here right now in front of me.”
“I could be a ghost? Either that, or maybe you’re even high on drugs?” Hays laughed again.
“Hahahahaha- no…I don’t do drugs.”
“And you never will…that decision will get you far in life my good sir. Like how I say it, good choices get you a good mind, which gets you the good stuff…if you know what I mean?” Hays then elbowed Maestro into his side, and looked over at the beautiful example of a pony known as Octavia.
“You do know that’s my wife right?”
“Oh…wait a moment…you?” Hays then quickly panned back to Octavia, then back to Maestro.
“Uh-huh.” Maestro nodded.
“Her?”
“Oh yeah…”
“Got it done?!”
“You know it…”
“Had the most adorable filly I’ve ever seen?!”
“Pretty much…”
“Then stuck the marriage like a pro!?”
“Yes, yes, and did I mention yes? But definitely no pro.” Maestro smiled.
“Daaaaaang dude! You lucky son of a-” Before Hays could finish, Maestro swiftly covered his mouth followed by a gesture of him pointing back to his daughter behind him just meters away.
“Oh, right…filly in the radius, heh. Well, that’s awesome and all…at least you’re not a Mary Sue…riiiiight?” Hays chuckled.
“Dude…I nearly died twice…or was it three times? I can’t remember, but yeah I served in the Equestria military. Believe me, I have my flaws.” Maestro chuckled.
“So did I! I was a sniper for Manehatten’s forces. You could say it didn’t last very long where I was.”
“Because of you?” Maestro joked with him.
“Eh, not really… it’s just because our forces were just awesome like that.”
The more they talked, the more Octave just wanted to move around more, since she didn’t like to stand in one place for a long period of time. Maestro looked back at Octavia and Octave, and gestured to them that they could go on and head inside if they wanted, and that he would catch up to them when it was time for him to.
“Well Hays, how about we head inside? I’m sure we could still catch up on some things in there right? Plus, I think Nickel Less would obviously through common sense, check in here too.” Maestro stated, as they both made their way into the station lobby.
Octavia and her daughter, Octave, were patiently awaiting the train’s arrival that would be just minutes away by now. Hays and Maestro were over at the other side of the station talking away as Hays saw Nickel Less walk into the place.
“Nickel, you’re here! Come over here dude, I want you to meet somepony we haven’t met in years!” Hays called out to him.
“Now who might this be?” Nickel wondered.
“My name’s Maestro, me and Hays here went to high school together. If I’m not mistaken you were there with him at the time?”
Nickel Less pondered for a moment, continuing to look at Maestro’s face like he was perhaps telling the truth. A quick moment later, he couldn’t believe it was really him.
“By Celestia…it is you!” he greeted him happily.
“Nooow you’re caught up on memories.” Hays added in chuckling.
The three of them carried onto topic after conversational topic. Covering things from their very own high school memories, both good and bad. To memories ranging along the lines of personal opinion and point of view on certain ponies and things.
Octave then looked back at Maestro carrying on with his former schoolmates, and even grew slightly jealous he was laughing and cutting up with them so much.
“I haven’t seen dad laugh and cut up that much since I was little.” she thought to herself. So she decided she would try and join in with them.
“Mother, I’m going over there to be with dad.” She pointed with her hoof.
“Okay dear, I shall remain here on the lookout for our train, and that I will be here should you need me.”
“Okay!” Octave then galloped off happily, and into the direction of those two other ponies with her father.
She slowed herself down as she approached the group closer and closer, careful to not attract attention to the two whom were talking with her father.
“Dad?” she said approaching Maestro.
“Yes dear?” he replied.
Hays then suddenly intervened with them, and began complementing Maestro on how adorable she looked.
“Again, Maestro you lucky son of a-”
“Hey!” Maestro interrupted him once more to correct him.
“Oh, right…ahem…Maestro you lucky stallion you, she’s adorable! What’s her name again?” Hays smiled at her. Octave of course didn’t really know how to act at the stranger suddenly showing signs of positivity towards her.
Maestro said nothing and looked down at Octave, insisting she uses her manners in front of strangers like she was taught.
“Um…my name’s Octave…pleased to meet you, sir.” She replied smiling a little bit back to him.
“Ah, and a filly who knows how to use her manners, well that’s something I don’t see everyday.” Said hays.
“It’s not?” Maestro wondered.
“Of course not, because I don’t really come here very often. Though yes I have been here other times, I have not been able to actually have a great experience here until now. I bet the war must have whipped these Canterlotians into shape, eh?” he chuckled.
“Dad was in the war, he said it was really bad too.”
“Oh I bet, war is never good, and I hope we don’t have to deal with one ever again. Never did I think Equestria however, was capable of such a fighting force across the entire country.” Nickel Less added into the conversation.
“So Nickel…how’s your business coming along?” Maestro asked.
“Oh it’s coming along great! I’m getting a lot more money than I though I would going into the banking industry…but it’s brutal competition I tell ya.” Nickel replied.
“You have no idea.” Hays added.
“Quiet Hays, you don’t even have a company of your own, nor have you ever had one.” Said Nickel.
“I don’t care…I regret nothing!”
“You have nothing to regret.” Nickel about to now facehoof himself.
“I don’t care…silence Nickel!”
They then shared an awkward silence between the three of them, but Octave giggling a bit at how funny the two seemed when they talked to each other.
“They’re funny dad!” Octave giggled and smiled up at him.
“We’ve all had a pretty good sense of humor I’d say ever since we were young.” Maestro replied.
The minutes continued passing on by, and Octave was beginning to get into their conversations more and more. Hays usually trying to make her laugh with him adding clever puns into the subjects at random. Octavia was managing to hear four ponies across the station laugh along with each other, and even seemed to be interested as to what was so great and funny where they were. Octave hadn’t even grown bored of their talk yet, which surprised her. But she knew sje loved being with her father whenever she could, and no doubt she was daddy’s little girl.
Before they all knew it, Maestro’s train had finally arrived, and it was time for him and the rest of the family to head out.
The train then let out a loud peep coming from its whistle, signifying that all passengers must board.
“All aboard! Current destination is San Palomino!”
Maestro then made his way to the family luggage to load them onto the train.
“Well…I guess this is goodbye then.” Hays spoke up, as he then saw Octavia board onto the train and made it to her seat.
“What? Oh come on now, it’s rather a see you later.”
“Dad, can’t he and the other come with us to San Palomino?” Octave asked, wanting the funny one to come along with them.
“Eh look here kid, I don’t think that’d be a great id-”
“Now hold a minute there, Hays…” Maestro began to then think, placing one of his hooves under his chin.
“Not really holding any at the moment, just standing here…but okay I suppose.” He laughed.
“You and these puns for like the past twenty minutes already. Goodness Hays, did Pinkie Infect you with her sense of humor when we were back in Ponyville or something? My goodness!” Nickel asked.
“Um…sure, why not? I wouldn’t mind that.” Hays replied.
Nickel’s efforts to then facehoof himself were not in vain just as he did just that immediately thereafter.
“One minute until departure!” the conductor shouted once more.
“Well Maestro, it’s been real good seeing you.” Said Hays.
“Same here dude, I don’t think that trip will be the same without you.”
“Hey! What about me?!” Nickel added in slightly frustrated.
“You too man, he didn’t forget about you.” Hays replied, seeing that Maestro was just joking around like he “forgot” about him.
“We need to find a way to keep in touch or something.” Said Hays.
“Hm, true…then what do you suggest we do then?”
“Well I suggest that we either send each other letters…oh what the hay, let’s make ourselves another group name like we did back in high school?”
“You’re kidding Hays…” Maestro thought.
“Yeah…how about…the Canterlot Triforce!” Hays stuck his hoof up in the air dramatically, causing Octave to giggle once more.
“That’s a terrible name dude.”
“Darn…well how about it be named after somepony then and make it short?”
“Like a famous figure?”
“Exactly Maestro!”
Maestro then came up with a name that would seem good, but he knew Octavia wouldn’t appreciate the name…but he didn’t care either way.
Nickel Less and Hays then looked back at each other, then back to him lost for words. They then laughed.
“That’s genius! But Hahahahaha…you serious?! You’re naming it after your wife?! I love it!” Hays laughed, wiping a tear from his right eye.
The bell from the train then began to ring, and steam began to emerge from the train.
“Well it’s been awesome you two, but we’re heading out! Let’s go Octave!”
“Bye you guys! It was nice meeting both of you!” Octave shouted out to the both of them just before she and her father made it inside with only a few seconds left to spare.
The train then chugged off with a final blow of its whistle, as it moved down the tracks steadily then picking up pace in a quick fashion.
“I like your friends dad, they’re awesome! I like how you made your groups name after mom!” Octave laughed. Octavia’s ears rose attentively to what she said just then, causing her curiosity to spark.
“What’s this ‘named after me’ business she speaks of?” Octavia asked him, knowing Maestro was up to some typical comical mischief.
“Um…well you see-”
“DadAndHisFriendsMadeUpAGroupNameToKeepInTouchAndNamedItAfterYou!” Octave immediately covered her mouth with both of her hooves, and looked back at Maestro’s expression, then back to Octavia’s.
“You did what now? Named a…named a group after me? You saying you named your little three pony group after me?”
“Um…yes?” Maestro replied, looking back at Octave, and giving her the stink eye.
“What was it named then?”
“Well uh…Tavi Triforce.”
Octavia’s eyes then opened up a bit more, knowing it was awfully catchy sounding, but still not approving of it.
“I may never understand why you do some of the things you do dear, but I still enjoy your sense of humor.” Octavia smiled a bit, then quickly turned away. She then tried to find something to occupy herself with to end the topic and conversation just then.
Meanwhile back at the station…
“So that name again…Tavi Triforce he said?” Nickel spoke up.
“Yep…and we aren’t changing it anytime soon! But I must say…is it just me? Or is his wife, Octavia, actually kind of hot?” Hays elbowed him back.
“I will now proceed to stay out of this conversation.”
“You know what other conversation you said you would stay out of…”
“What?” Nickel sighed.
He knew Hays was then just about to let out another pun once more.
“Remember when that little filly came up to us, asking about what we were talking about? Does…the birds and the bees ring a bell?” Hays looked off laughing.
“Nope-nope-nope-nope-nope!” Nickel raised one of his hooves, and hastefully made his way out of the station.
“Aw come on?! We at least told her how bees make honey!? They rob the flowers, remember?!”
The train continued to chug along the tracks for about a couple of hours now, and Octave was bored out of her mind. Maestro could be sort of a kid at heart depending on the situation, so his daughter wasn’t alone when it came to boredom. Octave was sitting back about two rows behind them, making little designs on the fog that had gathered up on her window.
“Ugh! When are we going to be there?” Maestro groaned.
“It will be quite some time before we arrive there dear. Besides, you have me right beside you to be occupied with.” Said Octavia in a charming and cute tone of her voice.
“You do know that Octave’s just two rows behind us right?” he chuckled slightly.
“Correct, but there’s not another soul in this car with us other than her. We’re the only ones heading off to San Palomino on this train. The other passengers are riding on the other railcars behind ours.” She replied.
“I like how you have refinement in public, and yet you still enjoy having a good balance of romance along with it.”
“And to think I do this all because I love you.” Octavia giggled, continuing to look right into his eyes. The energy of her soft purple eyes mixed in with his feelings of curiosity, as she seemed to drive his thoughts to a romantic sense.
“Octave will be getting her own room, since Vinyl likes to be the coolest ‘Aunt’ so-to- speak, right?”
“Indubitably.” Octavia nodded a bit.
“Well…how about we just take it easy for now, heh.”
“Of course, that’s seems lovely.” Octavia replied once more, as she then faced the front when she began hearing their daughter walk up to their seat.
“Mom, dad? How much longer will it be?” Octave asked circling her hoof on the floor in front of her in a bored fashion.
“Octave, you know you are supposed to remain in your seat whenever the train is in motion, understood?” her mother spoke up.
“Yes mother…” she sighed, and then trailed off making her way back to her own seat she had been sitting in for the past two hours or so.
Octave kept lying in the seat, for every minute to her felt like an hour, and every hour felt like a day. Her mind was thinking about nothing else but her home and her BFF, Stardust. She wondered why Stardust still seemed down about her mother? Did her mother perhaps get into drugs? Hopefully not, knowing Canterlot ponies only drank occasionally or at those cool Canterlot suaires (parties). She wanted to have a little fun until they arrived to their destination, which was still a long way off.
“Hmm…will dad vouch for me if I get into trouble?” she thought. “Oh what am I kidding, of course he will, he’s got my back on everything it seems. He always seems to take the blame for me. But again though, he might not.”
So after thinking about it for a good five minutes, and a few other things after getting sidetracked in her mind here and there, she now made efforts to sneak out of the railcar.
“Hmm…are they watching?” Octave slowly poked her head up from the seat she was in, and noticed that mom and dad were still talking away.
“Okay, here’s my chance.” She quickly, and at the same time, quiet as she could, crept her way over to the door that led to the other train car. The door slowly open, and a little squeak made off from the door being opened, but her parents didn’t seem to pay much attention to the noise. She heard a brief break in their speech, but it was because they were simply talking about another topic of something she could probably care less about.
The door then swung open, and she could see the hooks and links that kept the cars together in-between them. She carefully walked over the area, and head into the second car, which was behind their car.
She noticed several ponies looked back at her as she entered from the loud noise of the railcars clacking down the track.
“Um…hi.” She waved awkwardly, but continued making her way down the rows of seats. The passengers knew for a fact she was not one of them, but they still seemed too lazy or really mind either way.
“Phew, I thought one of them was going to let the conductor know about me or something…well then.” She said to herself quietly, trying to avoid disturbing the least among of passengers as she could through her exploring.
She continued to slowly walk down the rows of seats, and saw that some of these passengers were from places and cities she had never heard of. Octave even saw a suitcase that had a Saddle Arabia sticker on it. She had absolutely no clue where that place was, but she heard about it in her school. A foreign exchange student was from that country in one of her classes. She then made it to the back of the second car, and looked back at all of the passengers. She noticed a colt waving back at her, and he looked kind of cute to her, but she had an adventure to carry on with, so she could currently care less.
“Well this was an interesting crowd.” Said Octave. With that said, she then opens the door up to the third car. She takes her time walking over to the next railcar, careful to not fall off. She takes a slight slip on her last step, but she still manages to get across comfortably.
Just as Octave made it into the third cart, she saw a group of five friends, who were acting like they had known each other for a long time…a decade at least. A few passengers here and there could be seen in the seats ahead of her, but her eyes seemed to be focused on one pony in particular. She was a lavender colored alicorn sitting up, having her two forelegs over the top of one of the seats, and looking back to talk to one of her alleged friends.
She approached them steadily, and asked why she seemed different than the rest.
“Um…excuse me…ma’am?”
The five ponies then stopped, and all turned to face her. Octave seemed awfully nervous now, wondering what would happen next. For a moment, she then thought she may have been caught, or was in trouble by some chance.
“Well look at you little filly…you and your manners nonetheless. That’s something you don’t see everyday from a filly your age, am I right girls?” said a pretty white unicorn, as the mare then looked back at the group. Their friend Pinkie had an important party event to plan, which was the reason she couldn’t tagalong with them.
“Who are you to be exact? What’s your name?” the lavender alicorn then stepped out of her seat and stood in front of her curiously, and with a smile.
“My name is Octave, uh…but aren’t you a um…princess or something?” Octave asks.
“I am in fact, my name is Twilight Sparkle by the way, nice to meet you!” the alicorn replied.
“Are ya lost? Do ya need help findin yer mommah or daddy?” an orange earth pony spoke up.
“Nah, I know where they are, and I don’t call them by those names anymore really.” Octave answered back.
“Where are they then might I ask? Because I don’t think it would be ideal for you to be separated from your parents while this train is in motion.” said Twilight.
“Now Twilight, be a dear and let this little filly have her adventures.” The white unicorn then leaned in whispering to her in a form of a question to be sure. “You are just doing a little exploring like most your age would is that correct?”
“Yes ma’am.” Octave mildly nodded.
“Ooh what manners! I love a pony that has manners, or is refined. I can certainly tell your parents have raised you well. My name is Rarity by the way, and it is a pleasure to meet you erm…Octave, is that correct?”
“Yes ma’am, again.” She giggled slightly.
“Well I’m charmed, I’d certainly love to meet your parents if they’re around darling.”
“They’re up at the first car.”
The group then lightly gasped.
“They’re what?! Oh good heavens you poor thing, how in Equestria did you manage to make it from car to car?!” Rarity asked with sympathy in her voice.
“Uh…I walked across the links that kept them together? It wasn’t really that hard actually.” Octave shrugged.
“But what if you fell off dear?!” Rarity then gasped to herself once more. “It would be horrible if that happened!”
“You’re starting to sound a little like my grandma.”
The group then began to laugh at Octave’s funny remark, making Rarity feel a bit old after that.
“But, but…I’m not old…I’m young!” Rarity then went right into Rainbow Dash’s face momentarily. “I’m still young and fabulous, right?!” she asked, grabbing part of her mane, and trying to put on a pretty face.
“Uh…sure you are…why would you not be?” Rainbow Dash replied with a shrug of her own.
“Oh thank goodness, I was beginning to lose it there.” Said Rarity.
“Haha! You’re funny Miss Rarity! I bet my mother would enjoy knowing you.” Said Octave. This caught Rarity’s ears, and she immediately then turned around facing back towards her.
“You…you think I’m funny?” Rarity then put a hoof over her heart, feeling sort of touched by the remark of a pony she didn’t even know very well.
“Of course…you’re really pretty too! You’re pretty just like my mother.”
“Aww, well don’t think you’re not pretty yourself Octave, I’m sure you get a few cute colts here and there to look at you, don’t you?” Rarity giggled playfully.
“Uh, no, not really.” Octave replied with a serious expression on her face.
“Oh…well no worries, you’ll find love soon enough, you just have to be patient.”
“Mom said that love at my age is something to not really count on much. She said I could focus on that stuff more when I get a little bit older.” Said Octave.
“Oh, right, of course dear, heh. After all, mother’s know what’s best for their children.”
“So who is this mother of yours? What’s her name if I may ask?” Twilight wondered.
“Her name is Octavia, her full name is Octavia Melody.” Said Octave. She then took a seat next to Rarity, as Applejack kindly gestured to her she could sit there after she moved next to Twilight.
“Hmm…I know a lot of ponies around Canterlot and Ponyville, and Octavia surprisingly enough seems to ring a bell. What does she do exactly?”
“She’s really good at playing the cello, and I play the violin. I’ve played the violin ever since I was a little filly. Now I’m old enough to use my cousin Fiddly Faddle’s full sized violin, or well her nickname is Fiddlesticks, heh.” After Octave said this, Applejack quickly asked her a question
“Wait a second now…did you just say one of your cousins is named Fiddly Faddle?” AJ asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“Well I’ll be darned, that makes us kin!” she said happily.
“No way! You’re related to Fiddly Faddle too?!”
“You bet your sweet apples I am, Octave! She’s been to many Apple Family reunions year after year!”
“Oh wow, this is so cool! That means you’re one of my cousins, this is just…I don’t know what to say!” Octave exclaimed, jumping up and down in place, the rest of the group smiling at a great site of new discovery.
“Well I suppose I got nuthin else ta say really, other than…welcome to the Apple family cousin!”
Octave then ran up to Applejack, hugging her apparent new addition to her own family too.
“Well Applejack, this is just too cool ya know!? Who would have ever thought you have a cousin that lives in Canterlot!” said Rainbow Dash.
A few more hours had passed, and a voice on the intercom came up.
“Excuse me fillies and gentlecolts, but we apparently have a missing filly on board by the name of Octave. If you know where this filly is on the train, please contact me the conductor up at the front car, thank you.” The intercom then shuts off with a click.
“Well then, heh…I guess I better be on my way back then.”
“I suppose so…well we had a great time meeting you Octave! You can now tell your mother that you got to meet a princess I suppose.” Twilight smiled waving back to her as she saw Octave make her way back to the second railcar.
“I sure will Princess Twilight! Thanks so much for letting me hang out with all of you! I hope I get to come over and visit my new cousin Applejack one day.”
“Aw shucks, you will one day, just not today. But if ya ever do, me and my family down at the farm would be more than happy ta see ya.” AJ replied with a grin.
“Wait a second…can’t you come along with me back to where I am? Because I still have a long way to go.”
“Well bless your little heart…where to?” Fluttershy spoke up softly.
“It’s called San Palomino, we’re meeting a good friend of my mother’s. Her name is Vinyl Scratch, and I consider her my aunt sort of…and she’s the coolest aunt ever!”
“Vinyl Scratch?! You mean Dj-Pon3?!” Pinkie gasped, as she invaded Octave’s personal space.
“Um…yes?”
“Oh wow, this is incredible! She Dj’s at some of my parties sometimes, and yeah she’s the bomb!” exclaimed Pinkie, raising her front forelegs in the air dramatically.
“That’s so cool! I hope I can go to one of the parties she Dj’s at, cause I wanna see her in action!” Octave smiled.
“Dear, why don’t you try an alternative, rather than tread upon those shaky links and cables, and such that keep these cars together, hm? Twilight, surely you have a spell that can possibly take her back to the front car safely?” Rarity asked, not wanting to take chances on a sweet filly like Octave to get hurt.
“Um, well…I haven’t used it much, but I believe I still know how to use it. It is a spell that can transport you safely back to the front car where you parents are. Long story short, it’s a teleportation spell for the cast upon, not the caster.” Twilight chuckled slightly.
“Wooow! You can do that?! Oh please, oh please, oh please do that on me?!” Octave’s curiosity went through the roof, as she was interested in magic in action now.
“Okay, well, I need a good bit of concentration please, so just stand still okay?” Twilight’s horn began to give off a soft purple glow. A brief flash of light shown in front of her in the form of an orb as it got bigger and bigger. The orb slowly got closer to Octave, but she knew that Twilight surely wasn’t about to mess up? A princess wouldn’t surely mess up right? Twilight had tiny doubts it may not work, but she had faith it would, even though it was a spell she used seldom.
With a final bright flash of the orb, a link of magical energy then swirled around Octave, and the filly disappeared into thin air.
“Well…I think she’s in good hooves now.” Said Twilight.
“Heeeelp meeeeee! Mooooooom!!!!” Octave screamed at the top of her lungs, as she was on top of the roof of the railcar her parents were in. The wind rushed past her entire body, and was messing up her mane a bit, but she was obviously worried and focused on surviving at the moment. She for the most part squinted her eyes, and covered her ears, since the loud wind was just making her panic even more. She saw a hatch that looked like an escape hatch on the roof. She got closer and closer to what it was, and she was right. It was an escape hatch, though she was locked from the outside. She kicked and screamed out from the roof, and her voice was well muffled by the sound of the train clacking down the track, followed by the wind rushing past her.
“Do…do you hear something?” Maestro wondered, looking every which way.
“Is it my Octave? Oh Celestia where is she? Surely a good soul would have told the conductor by now, but I haven’t seen anypony in the past half hour!” Octavia cried a bit, worried sick over her one and only daughter.
“Moooooooom!!!!!” a greatly muffled voice screamed out again.
“What the? Is that…is that voice Octave? Does that sound like-”
“Daaaaaaad!!!!!!”
“Mother of Celestia it is! But where is she!?” Maestro then looked around the railcar attentively.
“Oh please find her Maestro! Octave?! Octave angel where are you?!” Octavia called out.
Octave couldn’t hear them from her side, due to the fact she had the worst part of the noise level, and they had a quiet interior. So she could think of nothing else but continuing to try and get their attention.
“Moooooom! Daaaaad! I’m scaaaared!” Octave cried, feeling the most scared she has probably ever felt in her life. Thinking that they couldn’t hear her, and she would be stuck on the train’s roof the rest of the way.
Maestro kept looking around, and noticed an escape hatch at the top of the ceiling.
“Can you give me a boost Octavia?”
“Yes. If I can that is.” Octavia struggled to lift Maestro up to the latch, but he luckily grabbed a hold of it.
“Aaaand, yes! Gotcha!” said Maestro relieved, as he opened it up, he couldn’t believe who he saw crying her eyes out.
“Daaaaad!!!!” Octave quickly crawled over to him to avoid being caught up by the wind, and cried hard into the top of his chest.
“Shhhh, it’s okay, daddy’s gotcha.” He stroked her mane, bringing her down from the roof, and falling sort of hard onto the floor.
“Oof! Gotcha girl!” Maestro then let go of her, and let her get herself up off the floor after he cushioned her fall with him almost entirely.
“Thank Celestia you’re okay!” said Octavia, quickly walking over to her.
“Mooom!” Octave then ran into her mother’s loving embrace, crying into her side.
“No more mom, no more train adventures!” she cried.
“I-I beg your pardon?”
“I met a new cousin, and a princess too. I…I even met a real pretty white unicorn who I think you could be good friends with.” Said Octave through sniffles of her little nose. She wiped her face clean of tears as they flowed down her face, and looked back up at Octavia with a happy face. It was like a face of relief, yet of satisfaction as well.
“Met a princess? You met a new cousin? What in Equestria are you talking about angel?”
“Um…can I sit down and tell you?”
“Of course dear, we have all the time in the world.” Said Octavia, still wanting to comfort her little girl throughout that bad time of her life.
The three of them then sat down in the same seat, as Octave sat next to her mother, cuddled up beside her. Maestro sat next to his daughter listening to every word she said with interest, as Octavia did the same no doubt.
Several hours later, the train had finally arrived at its destination…San Palomino. The conductor would then let everypony on the train know that they had arrived within the city’s station. Octave and the rest of her family wound up falling asleep together on the seat they all sat in together, but found themselves woke up by the train’s loud whistle.
“Uh…are we th- oh we are here I guess.” Said Maestro, as he was then getting things situated with the conductor for their things to be unloaded off of the train when he got up.
“If only train whistles were different.” Octavia stretched, and then gently shook Octave to wake her up more.
“Come on dear, we’ve finally arrived.” She kissed the top of her daughter’s head.
Octave’s eyes steadily opened, thought despite her excitement for arriving there, she wanted to still take it one step at a time.
“Okay mother…I’ll uh, help out dad with the stuff.”
“That’s awfully sweet of you, well then…of you go. I will deal with checking us into our hotel room, if only I could recall what room Vinyl said she reserved for us?” Octavia said to herself out loud.
“You mean you forgot our room number?!” Octave’s mind then immediately awoken by that bad sounding thing her mother had said just then.
“Relax dear.” Octavia giggled. “I was being sarcastic…but I’m sure that woke you up either way.” She smiled.
“Yeah, it did.”
Octave then made it outside with her dad, along with a few other helpers to swiftly unload the luggage onto a cart, then onto a taxi to their hotel later on. The minutes passed on faster than they anticipated, as the train gave off one final loud blow from its whistle as it departed from the station. By that time, the luggage had been loaded onto the taxi, and they were on their way to the hotel as they had planned.
They arrived at their hotel, and the exact same one Vinyl had asked them to meet her whenever they arrived.
“Do you need any help with those bags?” “We’ve gotten a lot of that lately…and yes we could use an extra hoof.” Maestro thanked the kind hotel greeter, as Maestro also gestured his daughter to help out if she’d like to.
“Where’s Aunt Scratch, mother?”
“I’m sure she knows we’re here…she is weird like that.” Octavia replied looking up at all of the rooms in the incredible hotel building from where she stood.
“Can I go ahead and go into the hotel mother?”
“Didn’t your father ask for your help just a moment ago? Don’t think you’ll slither out of a little helping young lady.” Said Octavia.
“Darn…well I almost did.” Octave smiled a bit, before making her way back over to Maestro and the other pony to help him with the things.
“Well…I believe that’s all of it, thank you sir.”
“Pfft, nah it’s fine sir, have a good day. Oh, and enjoy your stay at the Hoofton.” The hotel greeter pony then opened up the door for them, as Maestro pushed the cart into the main lobby and setting it next to an empty chair.
“Ahhh, so much better than those train seats.” He sighed as feelings of relaxation coursed throughout his body.
“You’re going to fall asleep again? But mom just made it to the counter to check us into our-”
“Hey y’all! What’s shakin!”
“Aunt Scr-…I mean Vinyl!” Octave ran over to hug her, as she quickly caught site of her come around the corner of an elevator.
“Hey there Octave, what’s up?” Vinyl hugged her back, and then briefly ruffed Octave’s mane a bit.
“Vinyl, how did you know we were here.”
“Oh, not hard really. I just noticed you guys down below at the entrance, so I decided to go ahead and meet you three down here.” Vinyl then turned her head noticing Octavia was still busy dealing with the check-in.
“So it’s been like what, how long exactly? I dunno…I need a bit of refreshing here.” Vinyl chuckled, as she took off her shades with her magic.
“I’ve always loved your eyes Vinyl, why are you pretty and yet you don’t have a special somepony by now? How in Equestria can you be by yourself at your age?”
“Pfft, who needs love when you got the money like me to buy it?” Vinyl laughed with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.
“Um…was that-”
“No, I was joking Octave, when you get a bit older you’ll get a good looking colt someday, just be patient. Heck, I know how you’re certainly different than most of the fillies in Canterlot. Some colts like a bit of a bad girl every now and then ya know what I mean? I know you got it in you since you have a slight tomboy attitude. You just gotta know how to act it when the time is right.” Vinyl stated, knowing maybe what she said might not have been entirely the correct thing to say at her age, but she figured she would have heard it some day in her life.
“Um…okay?”
“It’s fine, no need to understand it now, heh. But I’ve been in a few relationships before, and those guys were nothing but jerks trying to bum off of the money I made from all of my gigs throughout the years.” Said Vinyl.
“Oh wow, really?” Octave wondered.
“You know it! The only kind of special somepony I’d be with is a stallion that’s like Maestro.”
“Hey!” Maestro intervened.
“Relax, I only kid! Hahahahaha!” Vinyl laughed, and Octave ended up laughing along with her since she wanted to be cool like her whenever she was around her.
“Can I ask you something Vinyl?”
“Sure, shoot.”
“Well um…before I was born…did you and dad ever know each other?” asked Octave.
Awkward silence fell in the lobby, luckily they were the only three in the waiting lobby, and her mother fortunately didn’t hear her ask the question.
“Uh well um…no not really, heh.” Vinyl scratched the back of her head, but Octave was still looking at her curiously. Octave was no idiot, and she had a little knack for knowing if somepony was lying or not. It was rather impressive for her age really, and even her family knew they needed to be honest with her whenever she was around them.
“I don’t know if that’s true Vinyl…you liked my dad back then didn’t you?”
“Uh…” Vinyl was then caught speechless, but Maestro luckily intervened and stopped the topic just as he noticed Octavia make her way back to the three of them.
“That’s enough Octave, this is not a topic to be discussing at your age, understood? Maybe when you’re older okay?”
“But dad, you always say that?” Octave whined.
“Octave?”
His daughter then sighed. “Yes father.” As she immediately then dropped the subject when she saw her mother no less come closer into view from the corner of her eye.
“Well I see that you have decided to greet us sooner than I expected.” Said Octavia to Vinyl.
“You bet I did, come on you guys, just follow me up to the top floor. I got us the best rooms in the whole place, they’re for diamond members only heh-heh.” Said Vinyl, as they all got into the elevator together with their luggage and such. Octave continued keeping quiet, but her mind was still curious about whatever went on between Maestro and Vinyl before she was even born. To be honest, both of them were surprised she came up with such an accurate question, almost like she was there when it happened or something…but not there of course.
“Hold it…aren’t these rooms then only available for big business owners then?” Octavia was pretty surprised her friend even managed to pull off such an interesting deal.
“That’s right Octy, and I have my sources to get thing straightened out whenever I know it counts.”
“You’re not breaking the rules are you?” asked Octavia.
“Pfft, hahaha! You’re gold Octy, you know that right?”
“I uh…suppose.” Octavia looked away, and then partially faced Maestro behind her.
“So we’ll get really awesome hotel rooms?”
“Not just awesome hotel rooms Octave…epic hotel rooms! You name it, and it probably has it. We’re talking temperature-controlled memory foam beds, Jacuzzis, whirlpool tubs, all the room service you want, the list goes on.” Vinyl smiled proudly back to her, knowing she had just gotten an award from Octave for even mentioning all of that amazing stuff. Octave was now giddy with anticipation as soon as they arrived to their rooms. Vinyl’s of course was on the complete other side of the hallway…and for good reasons. Since she knew Octavia didn’t appreciate her wubs late at night. At least Vinyl was willing to keep it down for the family out of good faith for them, since it was there time too, and not just hers.
The very second Maestro had opened up the door with the room’s card, Octave quickly stormed into the amazing room, leaving her speechless. She didn’t know what to say, she was completely and entirely awe struck at all the cool amenities the room had to offer. She darted from the bedroom to the bathroom, but she then wondered why she didn’t see another bed for her to sleep in?
She soon after realizing that, she slammed on her hoof brakes across the carpet and came to a complete stop just in front of her Octavia.
“Um…don’t I have a bed?” she wondered.
“You do…and this is your card.” Maestro smiled, as he gave her, her very own card for her very own hotel room. She nearly lost her mind in the sheer epicness that her mind was receiving at the moment.
“I…get…I get my own room?!” Octave’s voice rose with a slight squeak at the end of her remark.
“Yes you do, and you can thank Vinyl for that. She figured she wanted you to get a full taste of living large like she does sometimes. So she decided to give you your very own hotel room that you can do whatever you want in.” said Maestro, but Octavia of course seemed a bit concerned on a filly her age getting an entire room to herself. She was mainly concerned about her safety of course more than anything.
“Maestro dear…are you sure she’ll be okay by herself?”
“She might as well be, since we don’t have any room for her really.”
“Sure we do, she can sleep in our bed with us.” Octavia replied.
“Oh don’t be so concerned, you have my promise she will be just fine.” Maestro assured her in return.
A few hours later, Maestro and Octavia could plainly hear their daughter go all out in her room. Shouting out of total excitement, for this was the coolest day she might ever have until she was old enough to do this kind of stuff out on her own. She knew she wouldn’t get another hotel room like this ever again in her life, so she made the best out of it…by shouting and laughing all around the room for the next half hour.
Another hour had gone by, and Octave couldn’t be heard at all anymore for the past twenty minutes or so
“She’s awfully quiet…maybe I should go check on her.”
“No-no-no-no she’s just fine, she’s just worn out from all that excitement she had over there. She’s asleep, nothing more.” Maestro replied.
“Well, okay I suppose.” Octavia continuing to read her novel, which was actually the same saucy novel Maestro had joked around with her about.
“Wow, you still reading that thing?”
“I certainly am, and it’s actually quite the well written book.” Octavia smiled a bit, still primarily focused on her book more than anything else.
“Don’t tell me you’re becoming a book nerd.”
“Well excuse you mister, I’d have some manners if I were you, I am your wife after all.” She said stopping herself momentarily to give him ‘the look’. Maestro knew all about ‘the look’, which generally meant he would lose the battle. Mainly he’d lose through her sexy and classy good looks, and funny thing was, she wasn’t even trying to be sexy or anything. Even if she seemed a bit angry or bothered by him, he still found her cool-headed but yet bothered attitude whenever he mildly teased her about her novels to be actually pretty cute.
“You know, I bet we could have a little story of our own.”
“Hmm…that was sort of cheesy sweetie…but later alright? I’m almost to the part of the story I’ve been waiting for.” Octavia replied in a normal tone.
Maestro’s faces showing disappointment, since he enjoyed to start off some romance with her too, and her not being the only one who would be up for it generally. They did enjoy having a love life together, as it seemed to keep their marriage in line, and seem satisfied. They both even knew that, well…getting jiggy with it has been proven to actually be healthy for a marriage in occasional activity. (No joke, this is a scientific fact)
It had struck eleven at night, and Maestro was now ready to go to bed instead of…you know.
“Well I thought you wanted to do a little something together?” Octavia wondered, as she had finally finished her book, then placing it upon her nightstand.
“Meh…too tired now.” He replied, his voice trailing off to a mumble at the end of his reply. He then brought up the covers over his face, leaving nothing but his ears and the top of his head to be seen. Since he didn’t appreciate any kind of light when he slept. “I bet I know how to keep you away from the Sandpony for a little while longer.” Said Octavia flirting with him. She then put herself just inches away from his ear Her warm breath caressed over his ear making it instinctively twich in an adorable fashion to her.
“No…won’t work on me this time.”
“Oh, but I bet it will this time.” She then began to make sounds of soft moaning into his ear, just to get him aroused and hopefully interested.
“You know you enjoy it, and so do I. Just a quick one at least.”
“Nope.” He replied bluntly and straightforward, showing that he wasn’t going to be tempted this time, he was flat out tired for tonight.
“Well.” She took in a breath. “Okay then, forgive me if I acted like that dear. I know you’re tired, so I will offer my respect to you for that.” Octavia then proceeded to kiss the top of his head, as she brought the covers over herself and snuggled up next to him.
It was totally silent in their bedroom, and Octavia was shocked, knowing Vinyl was a night owl through and through. She always assumed that Vinyl had something to do at night, as she normally commenced her wubs.
A few minutes into the snuggling, and Maestro then spoke up something that Octavia couldn’t help but laugh a little at.
“Okay just a quickie.” He quickly spoke up to her, and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his unexpected remark.
“Good night Maestro.” She chuckled. However another minute later, the temptation struck back at her once again, and she couldn’t seem to turn it down herself neither.
“Alright…you’re on top I assume?” she whispered softly, but still giggling here and there at what he said just moments ago.
The time was a comfortable ten o’ clock in the morning, and Octave was making her way down the other side of the hallway to check on Aunt Scratch, as Octavia enjoyed teasing Vinyl with that name. Vinyl didn’t like being known as an “Aunt”, since it made her feel old. Octave knew she didn’t like being called that, and she had no problem with calling her by her real name either.
She knocked on the door fairly loudly, so she could wake Vinyl up from whatever night she had.
She then saw the white unicorn’s face show from the door being cracked open.
“Oh…hey, come on in.” said Vinyl. “Close the door as you come in too, I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course.” Octave replied, as she followed by her word closing the door behind her as she walked on in.
“Sooo…did you sleep well?”
“Eh…it was okay, but not the best night of sleep I’ve had. Normally when I make music late at night, I can still sleep soundly after about three in the morning or so. This night though, was just different.” Said Vinyl. With a glow of her horn, she then levitated a glass to herself from her mix table, and lied down on her couch. It contained some kind of liquid Octave was curious about.
“What’s that?” Octave pointed to the levitated glass.
“What, this? Oh nothing really, it just helps me sleep good that’s all.” Vinyl replied taking a sip of the mildly alcoholic drink. She didn’t want to let Octave know it was alcohol though, since she was afraid it’d hurt their friendship and make her think she was doing a bad thing.
“Can I have some?”
Vinyl then spewed out what she had in her mouth at the sudden question.
“You crazy girl? This stuff will hurt you.”
“Well then what is it? Surely it’s not that bad to tell me right?”
Vinyl froze as her an Octave kept looking at each other with total silence filling the air between them. She then leaned in closer to her, and lowered her tone. “Okay…this is a secret between me and you…and no you’re not getting any of this.”
“Aw darn…well okay then, what?” Octave replied.
“It’s an alcoholic drink, and fillies like you should never ever get their hooves on this kind of stuff okay? It’s dangerous, and the last thing I want to deal with, is a lawsuit against me from Octy about giving you alcohol, heh.” Vinyl stated to her, as she took another sip of her drink.
“Is that all it is, just an alcoholic drink?” Octave raised her eyebrow, kind of wanting to laugh at the pointless effort of not telling her at all what is was. “Well my mother drinks wine occasionally, but she’s not a drinker. Are you a drinker by any chance? It’s kind of pointless to just hold back something so much for something I already know about at my age…I’m not stupid you know.”
“No, of course not, you’re the coolest filly I know of! No way would I ever think you were stupid or anything. Tell you what, how about we head out into the city, just the two of us?”
“Oh wow! Really?!” Octave spoke up, eagerly waiting to finally have a moment to hang out with Vinyl herself despite her age.
“You know it! We’ll be the best looking ones on the block!” Vinyl smiled to her, as she then got up off of her couch, and went into her bathroom to clean up to officially start her day. The water could be heard by Octave being cut on, as she knew she had to clean up herself also. “How about you meet me back here in an hour, and we’ll head out?” Vinyl spoke up from the noise of the water behind her, popping nothing but her head out into view.
“Um…you do know it doesn’t really matter whether I see the rest of your body, right? We don’t normally wear clothes to begin with.” Octave replied, as she made her way back to her own room anyway.
“Oh…right, heh. Well I dunno, I just did, and things just happen ya know? Well anyways, get going so we can meet back here.”
“Okay. See you later Aunt Scr- I mean Vinyl!” Octave quickly caught herself almost slipping up, since she didn’t want to look uncool in front of her for saying that to her.
Meanwhile in Maestro and Octavia’s room…a heated engagement was taking fold on their bed.
“Oh my goodness, this is amazing, and unbelievable! Damn you’re good at this!” said Octavia.
“As always…I only aim to please.” He replied, as he kept looking back at Octavia continuing his tactical movements.
“You’re sooo going to get it now…but you know I like it hard.” She spoke, charmingly giggling to him.
“Oh you know I like it hard, and you know just when you take it easy on me…I’ll strike back. Go ahead…make your move cello princess.” Maestro replied laughing a bit, and with a smile of being up to no good. But with the activity they were engaging into with each other, how could you not?
They continued on into their intense game of chess, as Octavia was a great player at the game, and Maestro had the upper hoof for the first time in many games. She was amazed at Maestro’s sudden comeback too, and was even down by five pieces nonetheless just minutes ago.
Octavia continued to scan the board, and could find only a few places she could move her pawn, a rook, and a bishop to help protect her king. Maestro still had his queen, three pawns, and two knights. It was all down to this, and whether it would determine if Maestro would be crowned the new champion of the family. Octave played the game too, and she even won a game against her own father surprisingly enough. But goodness, how big of an upset it would be from a mother who was on a hot streak of over ten straight wins?
“You’re thinking an awful lot dear.” Octavia spoke up, and in a tone to hopefully get him out of his zone so she might have a chance of coming back.
“No! Be gone you sexy mare of minds! I shall never give into your temptation!” Maestro then stopped himself on what he just said. “Well…last night was great…but still!” He added.
“You don’t think I was great last night?” Octavia now trying to put on a cute face for him.
“What?! Well I-I…uh…” Maestro began blushing bright read around his cheeks.
“Aw…well do not be embarrassed dear…I think you did great…even though you sort of seemed a bit off tempo.”
“Whaaaat?! You’re kidding me right?! Me, off tempo?!”
“Yes.” She bluntly stated back to him.
“Well…I…but I thought…ah forget it.” Maestro’s laziness and naturally comical humor at time always seemed to keep Octavia giggling or in some kind of good mood.
A little while later, in Octave’s room…
“I’m walking on sunshine, whooooa!”
Never mind, she’s in the shower…okay, let’s head back to Vinyl’s room then…
“D to the J to the P-O-N-3…and ain’t no other pony drop the bass like me I’m-”
She’s in the shower too? Well crap…where’s this story at now? How am I going to continue narrating this story?
“Well you could always check back with me and Octavia?”
Well I’d love to Maestro, but you see this story needs to give Octave some of the spotlight. Since this story after all mostly revolves around her in the first place.
“Hmm, true…well then what will you do then?”
You think I have an idea?! All I do is narrate this story for peeks sake. I’m not even a pony! I have hands for goodness sake!
“Uh…what are hands?”
Not important, just stating that I’m no storytelling genius okay?
“Well…I’m no genius either really. I’ve had my fair share of dumb moments in my life.”
Hah! Then you don’t know how ridiculous it is to live as a human being!
“What in Equestria are you even talking about?! What the buck is a human?!”
It’s what I am…now silence!
“Pfft…fine…continue. I’ll just get back to this game of chess.”
Yeah…that’s right…you don’t want none of this.
“I can still hear you.”
Darn…well okay then…anyways…ahem. Octave and Vinyl were finished with their morning showers and such, but Vinyl seemed to be having a bit too much fun in her shower.
“Oh yeah! Woo! Yeah, shred that bass! Aw right!”
Her tunes were tearing her head to pieces, surprised by even her own self of managing to create such incredible pieces of music within a genre that wasn’t even her main forte.
Well then…who knew mere wubs could do this to a pony?
The wubs of her mixes she made carried over to her though the noise of the water coming from the shower stall. The electronic CD player she turned up before she stepped into the shower was luckily waterproof as a few were made that way. The water hitting her face and her entire body as she stood there in it seemed to relax her. But yet it gave her a new feel of energy as it coincided with the noise of her music. It was the trance and techno soundtrack she made herself, and it was one of her favorite tunes. She then shuts off the water with her magic, followed by the same from her magic as far as her CD player went.
She had an average day planned out for her and Octave, but she however felt like she needed to get a few things maybe off of her chest perhaps. Though Vinyl wasn’t big into that stuff, and preferred to keep it inside herself, she knew she could tell it to a pony at a young enough age to where it wouldn’t make her feel embarrassed, and yet she could get it off of her chest with no regrets or anything. However, she knew she didn’t want to do that, so instead she would be then expecting out of all the odds…for Octave to bring it out of her.
“I promise Octy, and don’t worry, she won’t get into any kind of trouble with me.” Said Vinyl waving back to Octavia, as her and Octave made their way out of Octavia and Maestro’s hotel room.
Making their way over towards the elevator, Vinyl then whispered into Octave’s ear.
“Don’t worry, with me around you can have a bit of troublemaking and get away with it.”
“Why?” Octave wondered, knowing that if she said in front of her mother, she wouldn’t be going anywhere with her daughter.
“Because I’m just that awesome of a friend that’s why! Now come on, let’s boogie! I’ll even race ya over to the ice cream store just across the street from this place once we get down to the main floor.” Said Vinyl.
“Cool! Ice cream before lunch!”
“You bet! Because having your dessert before lunch is always the best part of the day…before you gotta eat the boring healthy stuff afterward that is.”
Octave looked back up at her, wondering if she was even serious as far as the ‘boring healthy stuff’ was considered.
“Oh what am I kidding, we’ll have pizza after that! You can even choose where we eat. Just name it, and it’s yours ya silly filly.” Vinyl added roughing up her mane a little bit.
“Hey! I just brushed you know!” Octave then tried to manage her mane the way it originally just before Vinyl did that.
“Oh right hahaha! I forgot you still care about your appearance and all that. Well at least you’re not totally like your mom, otherwise I’d be in trouble.”
“Yeah, and I’d sooo tell on you.” Octave replied with a smile, as they continued heading down in the elevator before hitting the main floor.
The second the elevator door opened, Vinyl managed to get a heads start on Octave when she shoved her slightly to the side.
“Hey! Not fair Vinyl! Or should I say Aunt Scratch?!” Octave called out to her behind her by mere feet away. This remark cause Vinyl to stop in her tracks, and look back at Octave with a ‘you know I don’t like being called that’ sort of expression on her face. However, clever as Octave was, she flew right past Vinyl, and out across the street ahead of her.
“Wow you little filly…just wow! Not fair ya know?!” she raised her voice to her from across the street.
“It was still worth it!” Octave jumped up and down in place happily.
“Ugh, fine…you win, wait for me though and we’ll head in together.” Said Vinyl, now taking her sweet time getting across the street to her.
A bell for the door chimed as soon as the two opened it and entered into the ice cream parlor for a nice frozen tasty treat that seemed a bit on the rare side for Octave.
“You know I’ll admit, you’re pretty quick for a filly your age.”
“I uh…have had practice.”
“Doing…what exactly?” Vinyl then raised and eyebrow.
“Um…uh…” Octave then looked around her as some kids her age would do before telling somepony something personal.
“You promise not to tell my mom?”
“Pfft, you’re kidding right? No way in Equestria would I do that to you.” Vinyl replied.
“Okay, well…I’ve gotten practice when me and my dad…well…”
“Yeah?” Vinyl leaned in closer out of curiosity as for what it could be.
“Prank some houses whenever mom’s out giving music lessons to other young colts and fillies.” Octave confessed.
“Hahahaha! That’s awesome! I’d so wanna get in on some of that action!”
“Heh, yeah, me and him have had so many close calls. I like how at his age, he still acts like he’s young. I’ve seen pictures of him as soon as him and mom got married before I was born. But anyways, yeah, I’ve pretty much gotten a lot of practice of running from households that nearly seemed to catch us in our, uh…”
“Mischief?” Vinyl added.
“Yeah, that word.” Octave smiled a bit. After they got their cones, they decided to head out and make their way down to the beach as they kept enjoying the moments of hanging out together. They each shared to one another funny and unforgettable mishaps that could be laughed about and remembered for years to come it seemed.
As far as their ice cream cones were concerned, Vinyl got some of her favorite flavors. She got a scoop of cookies and cream, along with a scoop of vanilla bean with sprinkles under it. Octave didn’t really have much of a favorite; she almost liked all of them surprisingly…almost being the keyword. She herself merely had one scoop that’d do nothing more than satisfy her seemingly constant sweet tooth. No more than a scoop of strawberry was all it took for her to satisfy her usual craving for sweets. She loved sweets, but she knew how to savor them and make them last.
Octave as well enjoyed sneaking a bite or two of some of her mother’s imported chocolates that came from Germaney. Her father however had an even bigger craving for sweets than she did. He was so bad one night…yes it was nighttime…he ate half a box of chocolate chip cookies, half a dozen donuts, and a bowl of Octave’s own sweet cereal she enjoyed for breakfast. He ended up having to miss out on work for over two days straight, and was sick even longer overall, considering his terribly upset stomach after all of that.
“We hardly ever have much ice cream at my house, yum!” said Octave devouring her cone.
“Really? Wow…I have some all the time at my place, if you ever wanna come by and visit or something.”
“I’d love to visit you! Of course I need-”
“You need your mom’s permission first before coming over…” Vinyl trailed off saying, and not even glancing over at Octave as she said it.
“Um, right…yeah that.” Octave chuckled a bit.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the beach faster than they figured they would. Even better, Vinyl could then see the ship she had her first sea tour off into the great distance. It was a large cruise ship that was making its way back into the mainland, and linking back up with the docks for any repairs or maintenance touch ups it ever needed. The ship gave off a loud sudden noise from its horn, signaling that it had made it back safely.
Vinyl then looked back at it once more, then noticed Octave had been looking at the same thing. The little filly caught onto her expressions when Vinyl looked off towards its direction.
“What’s that cruise ship for exactly?”
“Well cruising of course.” Vinyl chuckled. “What else do you think it could be for?”
“Uh…how about a music tour at sea for you? I still don’t know why you quit touring or whatever? You’re still young and pretty and stuff…why did you stop?”
Vinyl then sighed. “It’s nothing to worry about, I’m cool about it.” She tried to smile it off back to Octave, but the filly wasn’t buying it, and kept staring at her determined to find out the answer.
“Okay, okay fine…” Vinyl and Octave then proceeded down the coastline as she carried on to Octave about what happened and why she had to stop. She continued down the beach, as the edges of the waves washed up on shore and touching their hooves daintily. The cool refreshing coastal air seemed to keep Vinyl’s mind clear and free of most clutter that tended to carry on within that musical genius brain of hers. With a second sigh, she looked off out to the ocean as they both ended up on a boardwalk overlooking some of the water beneath them and out beyond the horizon.
“Sooo…is that why Neon Lights had to leave you as a partner?”
“Yep, that pretty much sums it up kiddo.” Vinyl replied with a straightforward response on the truth as to why.
“But…surely there has to be more than that?”
“Well uh, there was…like other artists, Dj’s, Mix masters, whatever you wanna call them. They stole some of my greatest hits before I even had the time to get a copyright on about three of them I’d say.”
“But you had so much money? Why couldn’t you manage to get a copyright before-”
“I dunno…it was just a stupid decision for me to put the stuff out there before I did. I figured…well if I’m like the biggest name, or well one of the biggest names in music throughout Equestria, nopony would wanna mess with me. But I can now see that I was misled by my own bravado I guess. I figured long story short, they wouldn’t mess with me or my stuff since I was so big in the music industry, and that they would have to…ah forget it.”
“It’s fine Vinyl, you don’t have to keep saying it.” Octave stopped her, not wanting to see her seem anymore frustrated with herself than she was already. Though Vinyl was good at hiding her feelings, being troubled with something was not her strong suit as far as hiding that particularly was concerned.
“Thanks Octave, I appreciate it.” Vinyl then turned back to face Octave square in her little eyes.
“Ya know…you’re a great kid, and you got a great family too.” She then placed a hoof upon her shoulder, and then realized that nopony else was around on the boardwalk, as the sun started to set.
“Thanks a lot Vinyl, I’m well, kind of surprised to hear you say that. I’ve never really seen you this open with somepony.”
“Eh well, I’m not, you’re right about that, I don’t like to. I know though that even though your young, you’re a smart filly, smartest and most understanding filly I’ve ever seen.”
“Thanks again.” Octave giggled.
“If I ever wanted a…well…”
“What is it?” Octave leaned in a bit closer to her, acting much more mature for her age than what she really was at the time the two of them were talking on the boardwalk
“A…well…daughter…I’d want her to be sort of, like you I guess, I dunno.” Vinyl then turned off to another direction, preventing any more idiocy and embarrassment to stack up on her emotions. Vinyl couldn’t stand looking like a softy in front of friends, though deep down she had a great heart.
“Um…thanks I guess?” Octave not really understanding it fully, and began to feel a bit awkward or weird at that moment she said that to her. A few more moments of awkward silence was shared between the two of them, but Octave then broke the silence and hugged Vinyl.
“W-what do you think you’re doing Octave?! G-get off, I’m not that soft now, conversations over and all that…now please stop hugging me, heh.” Vinyl scratched the back of her head and looked around to see if anypony was watching them as Octave hugged her friend. But Octave however considered her closer than a mere friend.
“I love you Vinyl…wish you’d let me call you aunt.” Said Octave hugging up to Vinyl’s own chest. She was speechless, and yet deep inside of Vinyl’s own self, she felt warmth from this filly. It was like nothing but love and care radiated from her, and seemed to stir something up inside of Vinyl.
Never had the Dj expected to shed a single tear from her face, as she felt like actual family to her at that certain place and time. It made her think that, maybe being a little soft isn’t so bad after all. She felt a great feeling of love from Octave, who considered her like the pony she knew Vinyl didn’t want her calling her. The Dj realizing this, she then opened up to her like she might not have ever opened up to anypony else except her close friend Octavia. She noticed Octave had so many characteristics from her own mother, Octavia. How certainly mature and understanding she was, how open-minded, sympathetic. Calm and collected she was…just like her mother in times of serious and delicate subjects. Vinyl never wanted her to reply or say anything about what she said; all she wanted was somepony to hear her out, that’s all. This coming from a mere filly of her age shocked her, but yet made her feel welcome, appreciated, and loved like she hadn’t been in years it seemed.
“O-Octave?” said Vinyl, as Octave could notice the difference in the one of her voice. It seemed more of care and other positive things.
“Yeah?” Octave looked back up, letting go of Vinyl thereafter.
“You can call me Aunt Scratch if you want. I uh…sure…go right ahead kid.” Vinyl replied, as she then brought in Octave like they were family.
“Yay…it’s about time.” Said Octave, her humorous remark caused Vinyl to then laugh for a short moment there.
“Yet you still got Maestro’s sense of humor. After things clear up, he’s the one to hit it off with a little laugh or two to make the subject brighten up a bit if he ever can.”
“Yep...that’s my dad…and yeah, I get that from him.” Octave giggled.
The sun had then set, as Vinyl and Octave had an awesome evening hanging out together. They both arrived back at Octavia and Maestro’s room, as Octavia seemed to yet feel a change of aura about Vinyl for some reason.
“I trust everything went well today? How did you day go Octave dear?”
“It went great mom, we got some ice cream, walked the beach, and talked about all kinds of stuff!”
“Well I’m delighted that you had a wonderful time with Vinyl.” Octavia then turned back to the doorway of her room, noticing Vinyl seemed a bit…different standing there. Her expression seemed a little unlike the usual one Octavia knew and expected about her.
“How did everything go with you?” Octavia asked Vinyl.
“Oh, wha- me? Yeah, I had a great time with her! We told some jokes, talked about all kinds of funny stuff and awesome stuff that happened to us. She’s great by the way Octy…you should be lucky to have her as your daughter. I was uh, shocked to realize just how much she is like you.” Said Vinyl. This comment made Octavia speechless, not understanding what she meant by that. Surely this wasn’t Vinyl speaking this from her very mouth?
“Vinyl? Is everything okay?”
“What? Yeah no worries Octy…I’ll just be on my way back, and leave you three together or whatevs. See ya round Octave, we’ll hang some other time, count on it.” Vinyl waved back, as she then left out of sight from the doorway.
“Aww…she didn’t even say hi to me.” Maestro pouted playfully to get his daughter in a good mood.
“Yeah dad…she didn’t want to sign autographs to ponies like you.” Octave giggled.
“Hush for a moment you two…” Octavia said getting off of the bed, and walking out into the hallway to the sight of Vinyl making her way back to her own room.
“Vinyl?!”
“Huh?” Vinyl looked back, surprised to see her even bother, thinking she eluded the classy pony with her change of mind in certain ways.
Vinyl noticed Octavia for an odd reason to her, seemed a bit curious concerning something. With quick thought, she knew avoiding her wouldn’t solve anything.
“What?” Vinyl wondered.
“I just, well…” Octavia spoke up. “I’ve known you since we were both young you know, and the way I saw your face as my daughter came back in…you seemed like something was on your mind.”
“Well, I kinda do, but I’m fine, thanks anyway though.” Vinyl replied. She then turned back around facing her hotel room door, and brought out her key with a soft glow of magic from her horn.
Octavia however insisted out of good faith for her friend, as she then proceeds to grab Vinyl’s room key from her magical aura’s grip.
“Hey, whatcha doin that for? Give it back Octy! Come on now…no games, seriously. I gotta mix some stuff anyways, I’m busy tonight.” Vinyl then tried to grab the key away from Octavia’s grasp, but failing in the process.
“I know your lying to me Vinyl, it’s not hard to see that.” Octavia replied.
Vinyl sighed. “Fine, what is it?”
“I just figured maybe we could have a little chat is all.”
“A little chat huh? You mean like a lecture in your terms, right?” said Vinyl turning back around facing her friend.
“No, not this time. I’m sure we could talk about all kids of things wouldn’t you say?” Octavia giggled a bit.
“Uh…well…okay I guess.”
“Splendid.”
“Splendid!” Vinyl mimicked in Octavia’s smooth accent as best as she could.
“Don’t even go there Vinyl.” Octavia added.
“Yeah, yeah I know.” With a click and turn of the lock, the door then swiftly swings open with Vinyl’s magic as they both head into her room, and towards the living room area.
Octavia called in room service a couple of minutes later for them both to enjoy conversation over a nice hot cup of tea. The waiter arrived into the room, as he brought in the tea for them both, and even offered to make it just the way they’d like it to be. Thought Vinyl didn’t really prefer tea much, she didn’t really seem to mind the flavor of it either, since Octavia knew how Vinyl liked food and drinks to be sweetened a lot. More than anything though, she would drink nothing more than energy drinks, soda, and other sugary beverages that Octavia considered to be a nuisance among drinks.
“Would that be all Mrs. Octavia and Miss Vinyl?”
“Yes sir, you are free to leave now, and thank you.” Octavia gestured for his departure from the room, as she took a sip from her cup. The tea was nothing but transcendental bliss for her, but she saw Vinyl loading it down with sugar whenever she thought she wasn’t paying attention.
“You’re welcome ma’am, I shall leave you both as you were now, and you may return these whenever you are ready.” The waiter replied shutting the door.
“Well now, he was certainly a looker, wouldn’t you say Vinyl?”
“Nah, I’ve seen way cuter than him.” Vinyl replied.
“Oh? Who might that be then might I ask?” Octavia asked her intrigued, looking like the first topic of their conversation would kick off wit talking about nothing but cute guys, and fantasies…typical mare talk one would think.
“Well uh…I guess…um…” Vinyl then put a hoof under her chin, thinking through that list of hers of all the stallions she thought was cute…which wasn’t that long to be honest, she was a hard mare to please, and a rare bird nonetheless.
“Oh please Vinyl, tell me, I do so enjoy hearing you talk about…who was that one stallion you toured with…”
“What, Neon Lights?! Y-you’re joking right?! Hahahaha!” Vinyl tried laughing off the awkward feeling she was getting, but when it came to hiding feelings from Octavia, she was always a loser in the battle.
“Oh but I’ve seen how you act around him, don’t tell me that isn’t you flirting with him every now and then.”
“I-I don’t like Neon! He’s a…a friend is all, hmph!” Vinyl then pouted and turned away from her friend.
“Oh come now Vinyl, there’s no hiding it, I know you got a crush on him, and it’s a big one too.” Octavia giggled.
Vinyl didn’t say a word and continued looking away from her. Yet Octavia knew she was still paying attention to what she was saying, and knew what she was saying chances are, was right.
Vinyl’s ear then twitched, and was noticed by her friend, implying she was indeed still listening. No longer could she keep on fighting it then, she knew she had no way out of this one now. Octavia had her backed into that corner of the room called love, and the only way out of it was to go ahead and confess.
“Okay, okay fine! Fine!”
“Mhmm…yes Vinyl?” Octavia awaited Vinyl’s response anxiously, as she took another sip of her tea.
“I…I guess he’s sorta cute. But hey now! That doesn’t mean-” Vinyl then stopped herself, seeing Octavia’s expression, she knew she had already lost the debate.
“Well I believe that’s settled then. You think he’s cute…so why do you not let him know that?”
“That’s well, the problem…I have.” Vinyl replied, looking away a pinch.
“What do you mean?”
“He told me himself that he thought I was the best and coolest friend he’s ever had, and that’s about it from what I heard.”
“He has never said anything that even made you think whether or not he likes you himself throughout all of the time you both spent together touring with each other?” Octavia wondered.
“No, not really, but hey ya know? I don’t really need to think about that right now right? I still got plenty of my life to live.” Said Vinyl.
“Very true, and you still have plenty of time to look for the perfect partner.” Octavia assured her.
“Yeah, right…well anyways what’s the actual reason why you wanted to talk to me? I know it wasn’t about that though…or was it? Cause if it was, then well, I just gave you my answer Octy.”
“Of course, and no it wasn’t about this, rather something else.”
“Liiiike.” Vinyl gesturing her hoof in the air in a circular motion, insisting she go ahead and cut to the chase.
“I see you wish to go ahead and-”
“Cut to the chase…yep…I knew you were gonna say that. Look Octy, we’ve been best friends since we were teenagers, and we can read each other like books and all that jazz not to mention.”
“We certainly can.” Octavia smiled.
“Well? You gonna say or not?” Vinyl chuckled a bit to lighten the subject a little more, and to make herself feel a bit less pressured on it.
“Right, of course…well I just noticed that you seemed to have a little bit of a different aura about yourself when you and Octave got back from your ‘girls day out’ I guess you could call it.”
“It was just us hanging out that’s all, nothing more.”
“I’m sure of that Vinyl, but yet I feel that there might be just a little bit more to it than that…what do you think?” Octavia then set down her teacup, and was on her way of finishing it. Vinyl looked at her for a moment, and got up to walk over to her window overlooking the street intersection down below.
“It’s fine Vinyl, I know how you are when it comes to emotion. You don’t really appreciate letting others know how you feel, and that’s what seems to make you different than any other pony I’ve ever met. But you must know that holding in your emotion is only going to prevent you and others from knowing a different side of yourself. Not of a bad side of yourself, absolutely not. But rather it would be a new side of the Vinyl I have come to know very well and call my best friend. Look, if you’d like me to leave…then I will not waste your time. I am willing to hear you out like I have the majority of the time since we have been friends.”
Hearing Octavia say that made Vinyl turn her head halfway. Perhaps what she said was right, surely seeing the same side of her would get old after a while she thought to herself. Vinyl even knew from herself for a fact that she was not a normal mare of a pony to be around with, and yeah she was different. That’s just what Octavia found in her to be unique. Though of course Vinyl was the first one to really meet Octavia to begin with at the train station in Canterlot.
Vinyl then turned back around to face her friend. “It’s…well I’ll tell you in a few…just lemme take a shower first…I reek to be honest with ya.”
“Of course, I understand.” Octavia replied. Octavia knew Vinyl normally took showers mainly to clear her mind and gather her thoughts before talking about something she normally wasn’t good with or improvising on, depending on the subject. On the subject of feelings and all that stuff, it wasn’t her forte when it came to talking along these subjects, she had been like that for as long as Octavia could remember about her.
Octavia waited patiently for Vinyl to finish with her shower, which pretty much meant she was just gathering what she was going to say or whatever it would be. The steam being distinctly made out in the air, as it crept out from the bathroom door she cracked to help vent out the room.
Vinyl walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head, wondering if Octavia forgot about what she was curious about from her friend.
“So Vinyl…where were we exactly?” she asked.
Vinyl stuttered a bit, not knowing what to say at first, but she regained her composure and swiftly managed. “Uh…we were talking about-”
“I know where we left off on about Vinyl, I was kidding.” Octavia giggled slightly.
“Oh, right…that.” Vinyl replied looking off towards her fridge to grab something to drink. Perhaps a soda might quench her thirst, but she always knew how much she drinks that stuff to begin with. Water would be fine she thought, thirst quenching, cool, and refreshing. She grabbed a hold of a bottle of water with her magic, closing the fridge door, and making her way back next to her classy friend.
“We were talking about my daughter Octave, yes?” Octavia started off right away, which caught Vinyl off guard a little bit.
“Um, uh…yeah her, well let’s see here…” she then fell silent, not really knowing what to say at that very moment, but she was trying a bit at least.
Vinyl then took a swig of her water and looked back at Octavia’s face, as she could obviously see that she was expecting an answer.
“Okay, I’ll start it off again if you’d like. Now then…I had noticed that when Octave had come through that door, and you noticed how happy she seemed. You appeared to me in my view anyways, to have a different look upon your face. You looked mixed? Perhaps you didn’t fully realize what your face formed out to be?” Octavia stated to her, trying to refresh Vinyl’s memory.
“Gosh, really? Like…what did you think I was thinking? Cause I uh…” Vinyl then stopped herself.
“Well like I said before, I hadn’t seen you look like that on your face in years to be honest. I also know that last time I saw that face, was when you were curious about starting a family of your own that one time. If I were to make a prediction…you’d like to still one day have a filly of your own…is that correct?”
Vinyl didn’t say anything; she couldn’t manage to say really anything.
“Well then…perhaps I stand corrected?”
“What? Oh no you’re…” she then sighed. “You’re right, I suppose.”
“Awww, you’d be such a great mother if that ever happened!” Octavia giggled.
“Hey knock it off okay?! I’m not one still, so yeah…there ya have it.”
“Well surely you’d like to maybe perhaps start soon? After all, you do know at your age you are still in your prime, but you’re approaching the end of it.”
“Please don’t go into details Octy, I’m not that kind of mare.”
“Of course…but again though, concerning my daughter. Was there something in her that affected you in some manner?” Octavia asked.
Vinyl looked at her bottle, its crystal clear appearance reminding herself to be clear to herself too, she might as well tell Octavia how she felt about it. How she felt feelings that she hadn’t felt since she was a filly herself.
“Well uh, look Octy…what I’m about to say, I-I don’t really even know about it myself, k?”
“I understand, and I will do nothing more than hear you out.”
“Thanks Octy, I uh…yeah just thanks. But well Octave…I just…” Vinyl then Octavia’s face, seeing nothing more than that calm and collected smile of sympathy no other friend could’ve even managed it seemed to her.
“Octave made me feel…well…have emotions I guess I hadn’t had since years ago I suppose. It was like, she brought something out of me that seemed a bit suppressed inside of me, but yet it felt…kind of good I suppose. Octave…she hugged me and considered me like I was a part of your family…she even called me an aunt. Yet however, you already know I never like being called that at all, but yet this time I didn’t seem to really mind. I felt responsible, almost like it was the feeling of being somewhat of…well…a mom or whatever. I guess I had those feelings run through me at that time? I never knew how to react? It just…sort of happened y’know?” Vinyl then took a brief silence, and checked back with Octavia. Certainly Octavia seemed quiet intrigued by her remark, she never even knew Vinyl had that in her. She knew she was a bit of a tomboy yes, but never would she have known her daughter would perhaps impacted her throughout all of the times they had seen and been with each other. Octavia even knew that Vinyl really enjoyed having Octave being around her, but she never knew why exactly…until now that is. She had the feelings and urges to be a mother one day if that day and calling to her ever arose. She took Octave under her own wing and cared for her like she was her own daughter whenever Octave would ever visit with her. Octavia even already knew her daughter loved Vinyl to bits, and simply enjoyed her because she just had so many traits that made her just an awesome pony, and the coolest role model a filly could possibly ask for.
The two of them continued on into the topic that was now considered important to Octavia by any means, and she knew this was yet another great step forward in their seemingly unbreakable friendship. Octavia was almost always the listener, and the one who tended to keep a coolheaded mind, and always seemed to be well sorted out as a calm pony in general.
The door to Vinyl’s room opened back up after they spent the last couple of hours talking and doing nothing more than talking nonetheless. Considering they had a lot more catching up to do about their lives than they thought they did.
“Thanks for coming by Octy, I honestly hadn’t realized that stuff until now.” Said Vinyl.
“Of course, anytime you need me, I well, as you say…I got your back…is that how it’s pronounced?
“You got it!” Vinyl always found it funny when Octavia tried to use terms that Vinyl and her new trendy generation always uses.
“Well hey I suppose I’m kinda tired, so yeah I think I’ll hit the hay.” Vinyl spoke up after a few moments of silence when she stood there at her doorway.
“B-but Vinyl…I thought you enjoyed staying up late?”
“Yeah well…I guess maybe all of that talking got the best of me, heh.” Vinyl replied.
“I couldn’t agree more, good conversation is sometimes even more effective than things you normally do to help relax yourself. Sparingly it had even worked with Maestro on that. Every now and then he even helps relax me whenever the tone of his voice seems deeper, and he’s tired himself. Not sure if I feel bad for him, or even sexy?” said Octavia, putting a hoof to the side of her face with an expression of thinking.
“Why not both? You could have best of both worlds I guess?” Vinyl shrugged at her with a smirk on her face.
“Sure, that works too, much obliged.”
“Pfft, all in a days work for the unicorn Dj…well see ya later Octy.”
“Good night Vinyl.” Octavia lightly waved back to her. Just then, the door to Vinyl’s hotel room then finally closed for the night, as Octavia herself was on her way back to her own room to hit the hay, followed by a long yawn.
Before they all knew it, they had all arrived back at the Canterlot Train Station. But Octave however wanted to stay more with her aunt, or Aunt Scratch, as Vinyl was now fine with it, and used to the idea of being called that. They were at the moment walking out of the train, and were not back into the lobby inside the building.
“But Mooooooom! I wanna stay longer with Aunt Scratch?!”
Octave just saying those words and the effort she was putting into hopefully convincing her mother made Vinyl chuckle a bit behind her.
“Well…I don’t know about that this time now dear.” Replied Octavia.
“Aw come on, you always say that and you know it.” Said Octave.
“She’s right you know.” Vinyl intervened.
“Hush Vinyl, you’re know you’re out of this.” Octavia glanced over at her.
“Well…I kinda am y’know.” Vinyl added, she then looked off into another direction whistling. Normally she’d be bracing for whatever impact she would get from the normal typical pony. But knowing how Octavia is, she would pretty much let many things slide, and would do nothing but proceed to tolerate it temporarily.
“Maestro dear? Is it okay if Octave stays with Vinyl for a few days? Because I believe she needs to find a teacher for her violin lessons correct?”
“She certainly does, you’re right…but she’s just a filly, she deserves to have some fun every now and then.” Maestro answers her.
“Hmm…I could see what you mean by that, yes.” Octave pondered with her hoof under her chin, then agreeing with his statement.
“Well hey look, I’m totally up for her chilling at my place. I love hanging out with this kid, she’s great!” Vinyl then leaned in close to Octave, roughing her mane a little bit.
“I told you about that.” Octave replied, trying to then straighten up her mane for the second time since the trip they all took together.
“Oh right hahaha! I remember now…like Octy in many ways still.” Vinyl laughed.
“Yes, she certainly has her mother’s pretty eyes too…isn’t that right sweetie?”
“Yes ma’am!” Octave stood up straight with a big smile aimed back at her mother.
So since Maestro was the stallion of the house, he decided that Octave needed to spend more time with others, and even other family members if ever possible. She and Vinyl then about an hour later or so made it back to Vinyl’s cozy home in Ponyville. It may have looked cozy and cute on the outside, but on the inside of the home was an entirely different story.
“Well here we are, home sweet home.” Vinyl then flipped on the light out of the pitch-black darkness that shrouded everything, and Octave’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe how much clutter was everywhere. All she could see was a bunch of electronic music equipment, and a few mix tables that were mixed on so much that some of them were missing knobs and one even missing its main wiring system.
“Uh…it’s…”
“Messy? Yeah, I know, but it’s not as bad upstairs…I hope anyways.” Vinyl replied, as she set down her suitcases with her magic onto the living room floor.
“Your fireplace is covered up by-”
“My bass amplifiers…oh yeah, those sick little bast- I mean things. Yeah those have been with me since day one, and I really need to sell a ton of this stuff. Maybe some of my loyal fans would be willing to pay big bucks for stuff directly sold by me?” Vinyl wondered.
“If I were a loyal fan, I would buy all of your stuff.”
“Pfft, if I found out you were one of them, I’d give you like half of it for free since you have perks of being the daughter of my best friend.” Vinyl chuckled.
“Oh cool! Do you really mean that maybe I could ha-”
“Now hold it just a sec…I didn’t mean that as in you could really have the stuff ya know, heh.” Vinyl interrupted.
Sunset had arrived, and Octave had never been to Ponyville. She wasn’t ready to settle in for the evening with Vinyl just yet, she wanted to keep exploring and such.
“Um…where’s the library from here?”
“Haha! You’re kidding right? It’s literally a few blocks from my place. Ya can’t miss it, it’s a humongous oak tree.” Vinyl smiled a bit, as she was busy with reprogramming some of her stuff to get ready to sell. “Okay thanks, well I’ll be over there to get a book to read.”
“Yuck, you read books?!” Vinyl laughed playfully.
“Hey! They make you smarter, and you get more insight on things if you read.”
“Right, right, your mom reads those saucy novels of hers.” Vinyl trailed off, mainly focusing on a piece of equipment.
“What did you say? What’s saucy mean?”
“Uh, well um…nothing really, just be back here in a couple of hours got it? I don’t want Octy chewing me out because you got lost in Ponyville.”
“Okay, I promise.” Replied Octave, as she quickly went out the door and immediately towards the immense oak tree she quickly caught sight of. Vinyl was right; you literally could not miss it.
Octave then approached the front door followed by a few light knocks.
“Come on in!” a familiar muffled voice called out to her it sounded from a distance from inside. Before Octave could open the front door however, the sight of what appeared to her to be a baby dragon appeared.
“Uh…hi?” Octave waved at the dragon awkwardly smiling.
“Don’t you have to be home at the moment little filly? Where are your parents anyway?” said the dragon, as he looked out and around the filly with her parents nowhere in sight.
“Spiiike? Just let her-oh my goodness it’s you!” Twilight exclaimed happily.
“Princess Twilight?! B-but I thought um…that you lived in-”
“Canterlot? Yeahhh, I get that a lot. I chose to stay close to my friends, so I stay here sometimes too, and not stay in that old castle all the time. Well don’t just stand there, please come in!” Twilight’s horn then glowed as she closed the door behind Octave.
“I’ve never been in Ponyville before, this place is a lot more different than Canterlot.”
“It certainly is.” Twilight giggled a bit. “There’s something I’m sure you’ll find great here in this little quaint town though. I know I did when I was young. I found the greatest friends a pony could possibly ask for.” She added.
“I guess…well I’m staying here with my aunt.”
“Really? You have an aunt that lives here too? Please do tell.” Twilight then faced towards Spike.
“Spike, could you please by any chance make us a little snack?”
“Sure thing Twilight, I’ll have some tea and sandwiches coming right up!” Spike then made his way into the kitchen, with the sound of searching through many doors to find the appropriate ingredients to set everything up. Twilight then looks back at Octave asking her a similar question. “Would you like a little something too? Spike’s good with making his own recipes and such.”
“Sure, that sounds neat! Oh wow…I get to…to eat with a princess!” Octave just felt so star struck and giddy all at the same time as she simply stood there with a huge smile on her face. Never did she ever expect in her wildest dreams to actually eat with a princess of Equestria.
“Um…would you like to-”
“YesPleaseIWouldLoveToSitNextToYou!” Octave in a flash then quickly takes a seat next to Twilight, and Twilight couldn’t help but smile back at the filly.
“Well um, you said that you have an aunt down here right? Who is she by chance?”
“Her name’s Vinyl Scratch, but I call her Aunt Scratch since she’s my mother’s best friend.” Octave replied.
Twilight was startled, for a second time with this filly. She never expected such a remark coming from a filly that lived in Canterlot.
“My goodness, she lives just blocks away from the library, that’s amazing! Do you have anypony else who is related to you that lives here?”
“I don’t really know…hey, didn’t that one orange pony say that we were both related?”
“Oh that’s right, yes of course! Applejack lives over at the farm called Sweet Apple Acres. It’s just outside of town not to mention, a little walk from here but it’s worth the small trip.” Twilight replied.
“Oh this is just so cool! First I get to eat with a princess of Equestria! Then I can visit my new cousin!”
“Well I’m glad that you get to have some of your dreams fulfilled. Since it’s certainly not everyday a pony gets to meet a princess…let alone eat with one I might add.” Twilight smiled. Octave said nothing, as she simply sat there looking back at her with that squee expression on her face. A few minutes later, Spike came out with some daffodil sandwiches, which were Twilight’s favorite, and some lavender tea to help relax them both for the evening.
“Here you go ladies, hope you enjoy these. You two I guess can stay here, as I will be heading off to bed to read the new Power Ponies comic…oh boy I can’t wait!” Spike then dashed up the stairs, leaving a slight trail of dust in his wake.
“I hope you like daffodil sandwiches, cause they’re my favorite!” Said Twilight before she levitated it in front of her with her magic and took a bite.
“Actually I’ve never eaten one of these before. I’ve seen others eat them, but I don’t know if I would like it?”
“Never hurts to try, go ahead and give it a shot.” Twilight then quickly took a second bite, followed by a short sip of her tea.
Octave was still speculative about it, but just a few minutes later, and Octave was scarfing it down…it was her new favorite sandwich too.
“Take it easy Octave, you’ll choke yourself. Those little flower petals might get caught in your wind pipe if your not careful, okay?”
“M-hm.” Octave nodded, her mouth full of as much of the sandwich as it could possibly hold.
The evening dragged on, and Twilight was used to the tea. Octave on the other hoof was getting extremely relaxed and drowsy now, and had been for a little while. They both were in Twilight’s own bedroom, looking at a Daring Do book together. Octave was intrigued by the Daring Do book series after Twilight introduced her to it after they finished with their snacks. The series by now had come to an end after all those years since Rainbowdash fangirled over finding out A.K Yearling was the one and only Daring Do herself. Octave gave off a final yawn, for she could no longer keep her eyes open. She then lightly fell limp on the side of her body, and up against Twilight’s side.
“Hey…Octave…you need me to take you home?” Twilight whispered and got no answer whatsoever, as the filly was out of it. She then looked over at Spike lying in his bed completely out of it too with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. A light string of drool hung out directly below it, and it was a comical sight for Twilight to see. The comic book rested over the center of his body loosely, providing a slight paper blanket of sorts for him.
“Come on now…let’s take you home.” With a soft glow of her horn, and careful to not disturb her, she slowly and steadily put Octave onto her back, and proceeded to make her way down the stairs as softly as she could. Twilight would fly down and over the stairs, but she knew the wind and flapping of her wings might wake the cute filly up.
“Mmm…daffodils…” Octave could be heard mumbling. The tea must have been steeped to be extra strong to put Octave to such a deep state of sleep so fast, but Twilight was a firm night owl, and could tolerate it, so it didn’t affect her nowhere near as much.
Twilight rang the doorbell to Vinyl’s place, and Vinyl was starting to get a bit worried about where she could have been all that time. But again though, she knew Octave couldn’t have wondered off too far, and she had fully trusted her.
“Sorry for the inconvenience Vinyl Scratch, me and her ended up hanging out together a lot longer than I expected. Who knew simply checking out a book would have turned into this?” Twilight giggled slightly.
“I understand, I knew she wasn’t far anyways…just um, put her on the couch here and I’ll cover her up, thank you princess.”
“Please, no need to thank me, just doing my duty for another good neighbor is all.” Twilight replied, now preparing herself to teleport back to her bedroom.
“Well look at it this way, you made yourself a new friend.”
“Yeah, I sure did…she’s very sweet, I’m sure she’ll have wonderful friendships in the future.” Said Twilight. She then gave off a bright and very brief flash of light followed by a ‘pop’ noise of her spell, signaling that her teleportation spell as always, had worked successfully.
Vinyl then carefully and quietly closed her door, and faced back towards Octave resting peacefully on her couch. She then went over to a small closet that held some extra covers, and levitated one softly over her.
“See ya in the morning kiddo.” Vinyl then did something she knew she’d never do in front of anypony. She slowly leaned in close just above Octave’s face, and kissed her forehead. Octave’s face then showed a very soft smile of approval, seeming to just form itself upon her face by mere instinct of that warm feeling she felt. Vinyl thereafter then decided that maybe now was not the time to test out some new beats, but rather get some sleep like it was logically called for to do so.
It was about midday judging by the suns position, and Octave was making her way through a small but yet seemingly lively town of Ponyville. Her and Vinyl were on their way to a little music store just a few blocks further into town just down the road from where they were. They both had stopped around town hall and decided they would head through the market if Octave ever wanted to get anything special.
“Hey, wanna make our way through the market district to see if you want anything before we reach the music store?”
“Yes please!” Octave replied happily.
“Okay good deal, well let’s check out that place, then we’ll go to the music store I need to check out.”
The two of them were walking through the market district, and Octave had treated herself to a little bag of maraschino cherries, the best kind of cherries for sure!
“Okay miss, that’ll be twenty bits for the bag of cherries.” Said the pony at the cherry stand.
“What? You’re joking right? Twenty bits for just these stupid things?” Vinyl then looked back at Octave really enjoying these incredible little red berries from heaven. Never had she tasted berries that were so delicious before.
“I’m telling you it’s worth ten bits dude, take it or leave it, my final offer.” Vinyl said to him assertively, and with a subliminal expression on her face of her willing to do something drastic.
“Nope, I’m stayin at my offer, twenty bits or nuthin.” Vinyl then brings him in close to herself and talks in a volume to where Octave couldn’t hear them.
“Uh, look here lady, I got a family and a little filly back home…just take the darn things free of charge okay?”
“Well look a you being so nice today, thank you so much.” Vinyl replied back to him sarcastically, and now in a volume where Octave could clearly hear her.
“Cool! You didn’t have to pay for them?” Octave wondered, after noming on her third cherry.
“Eh…a mare has her ways.” Vinyl chuckled to her.
They kept on trekking through the district, and they were nearly out of there, until…
“Get yer apples down here from Sweet Apple Acres! Down home cookin not ta mention! We even got yer favorites rangin from Apple Pie to Apple Brown Bettys! Yer gonna luv’em!”
Octave stopped and quickly scanned around herself, wondering who that familiar voice belonged to.
“What is it Octave? You okay?”
“Yeah, I just want to know where that voice is coming from?”
“Oh, her? Oh she’s just Applejack. Vinyl replied, but yet she got no feedback from Octave.
“Um...Octave?” she turned around and noticed nothing but a cherry on the ground left in her dust path.
“What’s she got going on with AJ? She’s just a farmpony is all?” she thought to herself.
After the filly located the source of that familiar voice, she was ecstatic to see her country cousin kin. “Applejack, is it really you?!”
“Well I’ll be darned, is that you Octave?! Or should I say cousin?” Applejack chuckled a bit, as she came around from her stand to give her a hug.
“It’s so cool that you really live here in Ponyville!” Octave replied.
“You bet it is! Say…how did ya find me here anyways sugarcube?”
“I’m with my aunt who lives in Ponyville, and then I found out from the princess just a couple of days ago about you.”
“Oh, Twi must’ve told ya about where I lived and all that stuff. Well that’s mighty nice of her I’ll say.” AJ smiled at her.
“Is there a good time I can ever come over to your um, farm and visit?”
“Hmm…well I think Big Mac’s still out there probably workin his tail off. My little sister Applebloom is-”
“You have a little sister?!” Octave’s eyes then lit up.
“Uh…yes?”
“Oh how awesome is this?!” Octave hugged AJ somewhat tightly.
“Uh, yeah, ungh…okay you can let go now sugarcube.” Applejack struggled a tiny bit, being on the verge of squeezed to death by the filly.
“Oh…sorry, did I hurt you? I’ve just had some of the greatest days of my life, and to top it off, I got to eat with a princess and meet new relatives apparently in my family tree!” Octave stated to her once more joyfully.
“Well now…I don’t really see a reason why you couldn’t really come over and see us sometime…but not right now k? I gotta sell some of this product we made fresh late yesterday and just this mornin.” Applejack replied.
“Oh okay then, well what would be a good time?”
“How about sometime this afternoon? You’d love meetin Ol’ Granny Smith, she’s the humblest apple in the bunch!”
“Hey Octave, why’d you leave me hanging over there silly filly?” Vinyl elbowed Octave as she finally caught up to her.
“Hey Vinyl! I was just meeting one of my recently discovered family members!”
Vinyl’s jaw then hit the floor; she couldn’t believe what Octave had just said to her. Maybe her ears needed cleaning? What if she’s going deaf?
“I-I’m sorry Octave heh…now what was that you said?”
“I found out before we all met you in San Palomino when me, mom, and dad were on the train, and on our way over to there. I met her and some of her other friends too. They were all so nice and stuff, I wish I had more friends like them!” Octave smiled.
“Aw shucks, nicest thing I’ve heard about me all day. Well I appreciate that Octave, That’s mighty kind of you ta say, heh.”
“Um…wow…I just…well then…” Vinyl replied pretty much speechless, she couldn’t believe it was true.
“Well how bout y’all two just get on movin ta wherever ya needed to go before ya crossed paths with me. It was good ta see ya again Octave, hope ta see ya again soon. It was nice to meet ya too Vinyl Scratch!” Applejack waved back at the two of them, as they made their way out of the market district, and finally on towards the music store.
“Likewise AJ! I’ll be wanting some of those killer apple fritters later on, got it?” Vinyl yelled back at her.
“You got yourself a deal Vinyl!” AJ replied back to her raising her voice a little.
“Okay…so what’s so great about this music store? Didn’t you say it was new or something?” Octave asked.
“Sure did! They’re supposed to be a chain of some of the best music stores around. Hopefully they’ll have what I’m looking for.”
“Well what are you looking for? Cause I don’t really care much for this stuff.” Octave replied shrugging a bit.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t like it much, yeah…but you just have to get a passion for it like I do. I enjoy collecting records and mixing things myself.”
“Boooo!” Octave teased her, and then giggled thereafter just to see what Vinyl’s response would be.
“Oh knock it off you little…well I’ll think of something clever here in a bit to call you, just wait.”
“Bring it on frilly.” Octave then laughed out loud.
“Oh come- hahaha that was funny…but anyways, ahem…come on now you know I’m waaay cooler than that, right?”
“Nope, cause you don’t get me everything I want like a rich pony is supposed to do.” Octave replied showing off a bit, and strutting ahead of Vinyl.
“Forget it you spoiled sport.” Vinyl chuckled, playing along with Octave’s teasing humor.
A later afternoon had approached on the day, and Vinyl decided she would let Octave have her fun over at Sweet Apple Acres with her alleged new relatives and kinfolk. She made sure that Octave had everything she was going to bring with her back at their place, which was obviously not very much. All she had was herself, her cute blue bowtie, a few extra bits, and a little snack to bring along with her over there.
“Okay, anything else you need?”
“Can I ask why you’re sort of acting like my mom?”
“Um…okay I think that’s all then.”
“Vinyl?”
“Yeah?”
“Why have I seen you act more like mom when I’m around you?” Octave asked her curiously once more. This time it caused Vinyl to freeze for a moment, but she knew she didn’t feel like explaining it to her yet.
“Eh…nothing major kid, now you got some relatives to see, so off you go.”
“Why do you want me to leave so badly.”
“Because I’m about to drop some beats at my place here in a little bit…it’s be too loud for you I’d say.”
“Too loud?”
“Oh yeah…you couldn’t handle my music making and mixing procedures to conduct and stuff.”
“Oh, well…okay then see you later, or well probably tomorrow!” Octave walked out the door waving back at Vinyl before she closed the door.
“Have fun Octave!” Vinyl then closed the door. “Be careful too.” She then leaned in to the corner of her window watching the filly until she was out of sight to make sure nothing happened to her.
“Boy I tell ya…I need to just take it easy on this. Why am I doing all of this for her? If something happens to her over there…bah, just stop thinking like that Vinyl, she’ll be fine.” Vinyl told herself.
It had now reached sunset, and chances were Applejack, her brother, and her little sister were almost done with their chores and work, if not already finished chances were. Octave was then taking her time down the dirt trail leading to those gorgeous rolling green hills containing apples trees as far as the eye could see.
“Whooooa…” Octave’s eyes then lit up like a Christmas tree. She had never seen a place so basic yet so beautiful at the same time.
“I’ve never been to a farm before, I bet this will be fun!” she said to herself, continuing down the dirt trail. She continued along the edge however of a forest she had no idea about…the Everfree Forest. The portion she was around had a reputation of containing Timberwolves, and they were back in the past, known to attack ponies that journeyed outside of the forest around the farm. It was wise words by Granny Smith that you never look a Timberwolf in the eyes, as they considered it a challenge.
Octave continued down the path, and she began to hear what sounded like a howl in the distance, which made her feel like she was beign watched.
“Um…okay I’m going to pick up the pace then.” She said.
A second howl then followed, and it sounded even closer from the forest tree line.
“Um…Applejack?! Anypony?!” she yelled out towards the farm.
“Hello? Who’s there?”
Octave then heard AJ’s voice in the distance, but it was a good bit away from her. She however caught glimpse of a large red earth pony walking his way towards her down the same dirt path hauling a lightly loaded wagon in the distance heading towards her.
A third howl then seemed like it was right there at the tree line, as then two Timberwolves jumped out from the forest, and snarled and barked at her with hungry eyes.
Octave was now beginning to cry, as she then screamed out for somepony to help.
“Somepony heeeeelp!”
A Timberwolf then began to run after her just meters away from her. She then began to gallop as fast as she possibly could to the red pony in the distance, but she was terrified she might not make it to him in time. The large red pony then noticed her, and saw a Timberwolf was literally about to make a meal of her. He swiftly removed the latches that kept him connected to the wagon with one quick pull if a pin, and galloped off towards her.
“Nope!” he gritted his teeth, determined to reach the little filly screaming and galloping for her life.
Then, he was by a fraction too late to reach her, as the Timberwolf then grabbed hold of one of her legs within his teeth and tried to take her with him. But Octave instinctively was not going to just roll over dead and give up on her own life. Instead, she then kicked it in the face with her other leg as hard as she could, which made it let out a brief whimper, then taking off after her again, not wanting its meal to slip away from it that easily.
The red earth pony then caught up with her and slammed right into the Timberwolf, making it fall to pieces.
Octave then limped over and up to the large red pony she knew nothing about. Little drops of blood could be seen trickling from her leg as she approached him with the bad limp. “Please can you help- ah, it hurts!” she cried intensively at the wound that was now beginning to burn.
“Eeyup.” He then hoisted her onto his back, and then saw that Applejack was catching up to him. He noticed the second Timberwolf did nothing but glare back at him intensively, almost like it was devising a cunning plan…but for another time and day. It then retreated out of sight with a howl, and went back into the eerie forest.
“What in tarnation?! Octave are you okay?!” Applejack spoke to her. Octave didn’t really want to say anything, and did nothing but sob and cry intensively. The teeth marks were deep into her leg, and she was losing a surprising amount of blood. Luckily, they didn’t hit a main artery in her leg; otherwise she might be a goner.
“We gotta get her to the hospital now Big Mac!”
“Eeyup!”
Big Mac then quickly pinned himself up with the iron pin from his mouth, and up to the wagon. Applejack then got onto it as Octave was pushed onto it with her, and Big Mac then took off like his life depended on it to the Ponyville Hospital.
“It huuuurts! I’m scaaared!” Octave’s bottom lip shaking like mad, nothing but fear could be seen from her eyes to AJ. She was worried sick over her too; despite she didn’t even know her new supposed kin all that well yet. But yet she still tried to comfort and treat the filly like she, her entire life, had known her.
“It’ll be okay Octave I promise.” Applejack trying to shush and calm her down, while keeping pressure on the wound with a handkerchief she luckily had tucked away in her hat, and carried with her occasionally on hot summer days. AJ quickly wrapped the wound tight, and felt slightly woozy feeling at the sight of the blood. She was a strong and hardy mare no doubt, but one thing she didn’t like, was the sight of blood.
“Am I…am I gonna-”
“Now sugarcube, don’t be thinkin like that ya hear?” AJ’s motherly instincts then began to kick in, as she got right next to Octave bringing her in close to her, even tempted to nuzzle her to ease her emotions trying to get the best of her.
“You’re…sweaty feeling.” Octave sniffed, having a brief halt in her pain with the remark she made. Which even caused AJ to chuckle slightly.
“Yeah, that’s what happens when ya work hard out in the sun like I do.” Applejack replied softly.
Octave then began to cry once more, as the pain resurged with intense feeling back at the painful sight.
“Ahhh! I want my mommyyyyy!”
“Oh now uh…don’t you cry okay? Please don’t cry dumplin, ya hear?” Applejack softly spoke to her once more, and then lightly kissed Octave’s forehead, still helping to apply pressure to slow the bleeding down. No doubt she felt weird and awkward when she did that to her, but she figured it was better than watching her suffer so badly, it wasn’t in her to do that.
Surprisingly only a few minutes later they arrived, and Big Mac was out of breath like nopony’s business.
“Ya did great Big Mac…love ya.” Said Applejack.
“Ee…Eeyup.” He replied in between breaths with a slight smile before Applejack carried Octave into the emergency room.
“Miss, miss please ya gotta help this little filly!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Oh dear, what’s wrong with the poor angel?!” a nursed hastefully approached her, then pressing a button behind the desk for the doctors to make haste as well to the scene.
“A Timberwolf got her good on her leg, I need her to be cared for right now!” AJ replied in desperation towards the nurse.
“A-Apple, jack…I feel…kind of tired…can…can I sleep?” Octave’s eyes felt heavy, and she wanted to do nothing but get a good sleep now.
“No Octave! Stay awake for as long as you can okay? Can ya do that for me?”
“She’s losing too much blood, we need to-”
“What is it nurse, is there…my goodness that poor filly! Okay, we can take it from here ma’am. You just wait here for a little while okay?”
“Yeah sure…uh…m-hm.” Applejack was now trying to fight back tears, and then brought down her hat over her face.
The team of doctors and nurses then quickly brought her up to an I.V. and took off with her on a medical bed with it.
“S-stay strong darn it…It’s what paw said I sh-should be.” She was now beginning to choke back on her own tears, and then distinctly heard heavy hoofsteps approaching her. It was Big Mac, and though he seemed to not give it away as much, no doubt he was worried over this filly he knew nothing about too.
“Oh Big Mac…sorry ya had ta see me like this.” AJ cried into his chest.
“It’s alright sis…she’ll be fine, ya know she’s in good hooves right now.” He replied.
“I know but…but what would paw do if he were still around?” she wondered, as those two creeks kept flowing down the side of her face.
“He wouldn’t be worryin that’s for sure. Be strong like he said we need ta be. That’s what keeps an apple strong and healthy like he always told us.” He stated to her once more, implying to her she needed to be strong in these times, and that her worrying over Octave would do nothing but make herself sick.
“Y-you’re right Big Mac…I-I’ll do just that.” She sniffled, and then tried clearing her face of tears.
“You uh…you just go back on down to the farm…tell the family what went on. I’ll catch up with ya later…I…I think I’ll stick around here for a little while longer.”
“Eeyup.” He then with no hesitation, made his way back to the farm, hauling that wagon that’s been in their family for years it seemed…though it was only a few weeks old.
A couple of hours had passed since the tragic incident, and luckily Octave was kept awake long enough for them to stabilize her more, and was now in stable condition.
“Can I sleep…doctorrr?” Octave asked the doctor in the room with her, observing her to make sure nothing bad happened to her during that allotted time of observation for her safety.
“Yes young lady you certainly can now. I appreciate you being a big girl, and staying awake like you were supposed to.” The doctor replied to her with a reassuring smile.
“My cousin told…me to…that’s why…iiii…uhh…” Octave was then too exhausted to really say anything, and her mind and body got the best of her as she went off to sleep in a matter of moments.
The doctor then made his way back down to the farmpony waiting in the main lobby.
“Is she okay?” AJ quickly asked him, as she quickly got up.
“Yes she is ma’am, and she is by the grace of Celestia in stable condition. She just needs her rest is all, nothing major required of her. Does she have any family by chance?
“Uh yeah, sure…but I don’t know any of her actual family. I do know that she has a friend she’s with I think.”
“Oh? Who might this be then? Because we need to get to them, so we can contact her family as quickly as possible about the situation.” The doctor then brought out a pencil and notepad to be ready to scribble down any names he got from her.
“Her name’s Vinyl Scratch I believe. But I also kinda recall a name…Octa-something, I don’t really remember that one though.” She lightly shrugged.
“Fair enough miss…” the doctor gestured his hoof in tiny circles, implying he learn her name as well.
“Applejack, sorry bout that.”
“No need, and thank you. We will contact Vinyl Scratch immediately with this news, and she will contact this Octa-whoever you can’t seem to recall at the moment. Anyway however, I understand you may want to be with her, but she does in fact need her rest at this time. Come back tomorrow if you’d like, and thank you again for bringing her in to us.” The doctor stated.
“Uh yeah, sure.” Applejack then tipped her hat back to the doctor as she then went out the door, and on her way back to Sweet Apple Acres.
“Celestia’s peace be with her…” she trailed off under her breath, continuing to make her way down the very same dirt path Octave traveled on to the farm.
Later that evening…
“Ugh, man…finally I got a break from those rhythms. I tell ya what, that mix is looking pretty good so far I’ll say.” Vinyl smiled to herself with confidence. She reached into her fridge for a soda, followed by a knock on the door shortly thereafter.
“Huh…she back already? Heh, knew she couldn’t handle that country life stuff.”
However, she opened the door to the sight of the town’s most reliable mailmare, Ditzy Doo.
“Oh, uh hey Ditzy, what’s up?”
Ditzy’s face seemed to give to Vinyl a feeling of concern as she handed her a letter, then quickly flying off into the summer sky.
“What’s this? Better not be more…fan…mail…” Vinyl trailed off, slowly stopping herself realizing he postage was from the Ponyville Hospital. She sat down on her couch as she opened up the soda can to take a sip as she reached into the envelope wither magic curiously, but yet concern at the same time.
“Dear recipient, I must inform you that a pony by the…oh buck!” Vinyl read it in her mind, then spewed out the soda and couldn’t believe what she saw. Was Octave really in the hospital? Did this really happen? She scanned through the letter once more, then a second time to make sure she wasn’t delusional or seeing things. The words were true, and if this were some really sick joke, she’d beat the stuffing out of them.
“Oh my sweet Celestia…my…my friend’s in the hospital.” Vinyl began tearing up, and then put on her trademark shades galloping towards the train station.
“Octy’s gonna kill me for this.” She thought to herself, thinking she was royally and ultimately screwed over for life. Yet her mind still looked past the fact that she had absolutely nothing to do with it, but her mind still felt guilty like nopony’s business. The tears trailing down the side of her face could only be seen just past the shades she had put on her face, so she could help hide her feelings for her a lot better than without them.
“Hi, I need to get to Canterlot now! See my express pass? Okay thanks!” Vinyl briefly showed the boarding pass to the pony at the ticket booth, and even he was stumped as for why Vinyl seemed in such a rush.
“Um…okay Vinyl, have a…nice trip.” He replied, wondering why she was in such a rush to get there.
“I need this train to get to Canterlot immediately! Something bad has happened Mr. Conductor!”
“Oh hey Vinyl…well do you have your-” he was then interrupted by her showing her express boarding pass to him. She had managed to get her hooves on a pricey lifetime express pass when she had to travel a ton all across Equestria while she was on tour some time ago. With that pass, she could go wherever she wanted on the train, whenever, and however fast she needed to get there. She was pretty much a VIP and MVP on the Friendship Express.
“Oh of course miss Vinyl, please get on board.” The conductor then rang a bell in his hoof, calling out to them that they needed to get to Canterlot as quickly as possible.
“Canterlot! Double-time it!” he yelled.
With him saying that, the train deployed a large cloud of steam under it, as it chugged away as fast as it possibly could work itself. Though they knew it had broke down a few times trying to work so hard, since it was definitely not the youngest train around. But no doubt they had faith in the thing, and that it wouldn’t quit on them neither, not now, and not anytime soon they hoped.
Vinyl was still a good bit away from the train station in Canterlot. She knew the train was trying to help her reach her destination as efficiently as possible, but she also knew this thing had a reputation of breaking down if pushed too hard on the tracks.
“The second this thing stops at that station, I’m decking it straight to her place.” Vinyl thought to herself. She was greatly determined and with great worry nonetheless about Octave’s condition.
Meanwhile in Octavia’s home, Octavia and Maestro were simply enjoying each other’s private time together within the living room. Nothing better than the golden silence along with that connection you have with a lover that you cannot have with anypony else. It’s a feeling of its own uniqueness. However, Maestro had a little something in mind for Octavia to try, and it was something new he decided to try out too.
“Mmmm…it tastes delectable…Maestro you seem to really outdo yourself nearly everytime.” Said Octavia with a slight grin.
“You think so? Huh…well then try a little of some of this stuff then, see what you think now?”
“Oh my goodness Maestro, I’m loving this, this is the best I’ve had yet!” Octavia giggled with delight.
Bite after bite of the incredible food dish he had prepared, he wanted to make his own homemade recipe when it had to do with pasta, which was their favorite food. Though from time to time he took a few references from his mother’s recipe book on a few things here and there.
“Hmm…maybe a bit more of some garlic and I think this would be the best tasting one.” She added, twirling the noodles around on a fork and taking another bite. They shared the food together, and were going to share the chocolate fondue Maestro had prepared for the two of them. Their anniversary was not too far off, and he wanted to make everything just right for them whenever that day arrived.
“Um…you have a little bit of tomato sauce on this side here.” Maestro tried pointing out to her.
“Oh…this side?” Octavia blotted the side of her mouth in a refined manner.
“No, you missed it.”
“Hmm, here then?” she wiped on another location of her mouth, but Maestro was actually toying around with her for some reason.
“There you go you got it- wait! You missed one little spot.” He pointed to her once more.
“Well goodness Maestro, where could it possibly be?” Octavia wondered.
“Right here.” He then brought his lips against hers, and it certainly charmed her a good deal making her giggled as their lips parted a few moments later.
“I think you got it all dear, thank you.” She smiled back at him giggling once more. Their eyes were not looking anywhere else but back at each other in that moment.
“Maybe it was sort of a good idea I’d say for Octave to be with Vinyl for a few days. Through that decision, we have managed to have some time together. Not to mention our anniversary is coming up too.” Octavia then fell back beside him, lying upside down next to him, as he remained smiling beside her right side up. She smiled and shared a few playful giggles here and there, teasing him by touching his muzzle with her hoof then quickly drawing it away almost like she was provoking him to do something about it.
“You’re pushing my buttons milady.” Said Maestro.
“Oh? What will you do about it then?’
“Well I mean I could lock you up in the bedroom.”
“With you?”
“No…just lock you in the room, and I’ll enjoy the rest of the food.” He chuckled.
“Choosing food over me…that must be very much like you, hm?” she replied with playful sarcasm.
“Oh no doubt about it milady.”
“You and ‘milady’…are you knight in medieval times or something? Royalty perhaps?”
“Depends on what you mean by that.” Maestro replied, continuing to look at her looking back at him upside down next to him.
“I just thought you might need a bit of some conditioning in that armor of yours.” Octavia flirted with him.
“Goodness…you must really be enjoying this love life thing we have been experimenting with?”
“Weeeell, it has been proven to lower stress levels by a big margin in both partners…so there are always benefits dear.” She replied.
“But you always seem to be calm and collected when I’m around you?” Maestro wondered.
“I am yes, and it’s because of mainly myself…but you as well tend to make it better since I feel so delighted around you. That I know you would not allow anything to hurt me. I love you for all the things we’ve done together, and through the bad times we have found ways to keep going. I love your persistence…and I love a stallion with clarity and vision for his life and his family.” Octavia’s eyes then seemed to sparkle from Maestro’s view. Like she was trying to look more and more adorable the more she spoke to him. She then returned to being right side up, and continued speaking to him closely, their muzzles almost touching. Her soft breath gently caressed over his snout, tickling it a bit from time to time.
“I see what you mean, but one thing I-”
“Shhh…” Octavia shushed him, softly placing her hoof over his mouth as she flittered her eyes in a cute manner with a smile.
She then locked her lips with his, as they once again shared a passionate kiss together. She lightly moaned in and out of some of her breaths, as her own passion seemed to rise.
“That was one of the best kisses I’ve had in a while. Where have you been practicing for something so good?” She huffed slightly followed by a desperate smile as she very lightly licked her lips ready for another go whenever he was.
“Uhhh…gosh that’s really a good question. Well let’s see here now um…I’ve been kissing you for now-”
“Just shut your trap and kiss me, my knight in shining armor.” She kissed him passionately once more, as this third one seemed even better to her.
“Mmmm, Maestro…you’re delicious.” She huffed and moaned in her usual smooth sexy British accent, feeling like she wanted more.
“I-I don’t really- hehehe…know how to reply to that at the moment, you’re just an amazing kisser.” He chuckled a bit out of breath to her.
“Oh but you’re the master dear. After all…your name is Maestro in fact…would you care to live up to that reputation?” she spoke to him with a sultry voice and hungry eyes.
“I have no problem giving you a concerto milady…if that is what you prefer.” He replied.
“Oh indubitably yes…though a double performance however would be most appealing to me though.” She giggled back to him, continuing with that undeniable and gorgeous set of eyes. It was like she was raised by angels as her other and father, her incredible natural beauty with her smooth charcoal mane and deep purple eyes would seem to undermine Maestro’s ability to even think straight.
A minute or two later, they found themselves sharing between each other’s passionate moments upon their bed that seemed like it was made entirely out of cloud.
Octavia then seemed by instinct, to raise her plot in the air at him, implying she wanted this moment.
“Once more from the top.” She giggled from wanting him.
Maestro stared at her and her marehood attentively…but yet for some odd reason…he felt something was wrong just then.
“Hmm?” Octavia wondered, slowly lowering herself knowing that Maestro didn’t seem to have a normal energy about him…so much for having her great moment and experience.
“Is something bothering you?”
“Yeah, something definitely is. I…I feel all the sudden like a piece of my heart just got broken.” Maestro then put his hoof along and around the area of where his heart was.
“What?”
“I don’t really know how to explain it, but call me crazy…it’s like somepony I care for a great deal just got hurt or something?”
“It’s okay, I’m right here sweetie.” Octavia then softly began placing gentle kisses along his neck.
“Eh-heh, that feels nice, but rather I’m serious here Octavia…I don’t feel right at the moment.”
“Should we get you to see a doctor?”
“No I’m just fine, it’s not my body or anything. It seems to be tied to my emotions…like…what if…what if my baby girl’s hurt?” Maestro wondered, as he looked right into Octavia’s ever alluring eyes, and he knew he could find comfort from her heart.
“Now-now Maestro, you know that Vinyl is taking good care of Octave. I bet they are even partying at her place, just the two of them. It’s just one mare’s opinion, but I think that sometime hopefully in the future, Vinyl can have a little filly or colt of her own, and be an excellent mother I bet.” Said Octavia.
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right about Octave, but…I think I just need to check just to be sure. Would you mind if I just ran down there to check in on how she’s doing?” Maestro asked her getting up off of the bed.
“Of course dear, and take all the time you need to do so. I’ll be waiting here for you whenever you get back.” She replied.
“Okay, thanks dear. You really are balanced when it comes to romance and seriousness.”
“The perfect package as you called me, correct?” She smiled back to him.
“Absolutely no doubt about that. Okay, I’ll be back in a while.” Maestro then took off out the door moments later, grabbing a small bit pouch, and galloped off towards the station.
“Darn it, why do I feel so hurt all the sudden? This is making no sense whatsoever?”
Maestro had reached the station quite swiftly, and heard a train arrive by the distinct and loud sound of its whistle. He then quickly approached the ticket booth, asking for a ticket to Ponyville.
“Yes I’d like a ticket to-”
“Maestro!”
To his surprise, it was Vinyl, and she looked like she was awfully worried. When she approached him
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, please forgive me!” Never had he ever seen Vinyl act this way. She even hugged him tightly, and what sounded like her trying to fight back tears.
“Please you got to come with me back to the hospital!”
“Wh-what? What’s going on!? What’s happened?”
“Octave…she’s not in good shape I heard. I don’t know how she’s doing over there, but it didn’t seem good to me.” She sniffed, her eyes starting to tear up.
“M-my baby girl?! S…surely…not…this isn’t happening is it?” Maestro’s tone immediately changed to one of pure worry and concern for his daughter.
“Where’s Octy?”
“She’s back at the house waiting for me. I guess my bond with her is connected…”
“You were saying?” Vinyl turned facing him.
“Wha- um, it’s nothing…let’s just get over there now!”
“Awesome, follow me now!” Vinyl then grabbed him by his hoof and guided him back to the same train. She flashed the pass she had, followed by a brief tip of the hat to her from the conductor patiently waiting on her.
“We need to get back to Ponyville please.” Said Vinyl.
“Yes ma’am! Let’s go, back to Ponyville! Immediately!” the conductor then once more rang a bell, signaling for a second time, they get there as quick as they could.
Meanwhile, back at the Ponyville Hospital…
Octave lied there in the room recovering, continuing to sleep and rest up as the doctor said she could finally do, now that they have her set up to some fluids through an I.V.
However, Octave for some reason seemed to wake up, but yet she didn’t feel like she was actually awake. It was almost like she was in a dream, but she knew for a fact she was awake…or possibly hallucinating. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at, what appeared to be one of the most beautiful ponies she had ever seen.
“Hello.” The pony smiled at her with a seemingly ‘heavenly’ presence.
“Who…uh…why are you…here?” she asked the unknown pony to her in a tired tone still after ‘waking up’.
“I am here because I have been watching over you for quite some time now.” The pony replied, continuing to smile at her. It was like she had no signs of any other emotions other than pure happiness and love. She wore a flawless pure bright white thin toga around herself, and a faint white light outlined her body as she stood there facing Octave.
“B-but I don’t…know who you are?” Octave asked.
The pretty pony blinked once, then exhaled, followed by a transcendental smile from her face. Octave could not comprehend what was even going on at the moment. However, she felt nothing more than pure love at the sight of the pony, like it was emanating out from her very being and existence.
The doctor observing Octave from the outside of the room noticed that Octave appeared to be facing to the left of her, and what appeared to be talking to somepony. Yet he saw that nopony was in the room at all.
“Something’s…going on…but what?” he thought.
Within the room however, the gorgeous pony then drove Octave to a point of figuring that it was nothing more than a dream or something like that.
“Dear Octave…I am the grandmother you never got to meet.” Said the pony, as she blinked once more with a smile.
Octave’s eyes then widened, as her bottom lip was shaking a tiny bit.
“Wh-what? I…I don’t understand?” Said Octave.
“I am your mother’s mother. My name is Melody my dear angel, but Octavia is my angel too.” She giggled.
“B-but why? Why did…I never get to see you? Did you live somewhere else?”
“You could certainly put it that way dear. Though I am happy beyond comprehension as of where I am now.” Melody replied, never failing to smile back at the granddaughter she had never got to be with.
“I…but I…I don’t get it um…Melody?”
“It’s quite alright darling, and that you must know that I continue to watch over you, and that I love you so very much dear.” Melody then slowly approached next to Octave’s bedside and softly kissed her on the forehead. The feeling brought Octave to tears of just how happy and joyous it felt from her. It seemed like she was nearly perfect in every way possible.
Octave then began to wonder something she had never considered until now.
“Y-you’re…a-an…B-but…how?” Octave’s voice shook in shock, still trying to comprehend what she was experiencing. She still though through instinct felt like she wanted to tell the pony who was claiming to be a grandmother she never got to meet until now.
“I…I l-love…y-you.” Octave’s words crept out on their own, like her mind didn’t understand one second of what was still happening in front of her, but yet her heart still knowing the truth.
“I love you too…and so very much, and that I will always be with you.”
“B-but…what about…”
“Shhh it’s okay Octave…you do now know just how happy I will be when I get to reunite with you and Octavia…my sweet Octavia. Do not fret my dear, merely rest your lovely eyes, and I will always be with you…farewell.” Melody then once again kissed Octave on her cheek, as Octave then tried to hug her deceased grandmother. Unfortunately, it passed right through her angelic presence, as Melody then completely disappeared within the dark room.
The experience then ended up bringing Octave to tears once more, as she began crying. The doctor then quickly opened up the door to check in on her, and had left him wondering why Octave seemed to act so strange?
“Are you okay little girl? What happened? Are you hurt?” the doctor asked concerned
“No.” Octave sniffed. “Are you sad or anything?”
“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I…I don’t know what to do…but I’m…I still feel happy though.”
“What? Happy? B…but how and…” the doctor was speechless, never had he had a patient be like this, and better yet claim she felt happy for some very strange reason.
“Just tell me what you saw or whatever it is you felt.” The doctor then quickly got his clipboard with a piece of paper, and a pencil to record what she had said.
“Um…okay.” Octave replied, still sniffing here and there from her crying, and trying to clear herself up a bit more to tell him what she claimed had happened to her.
Meanwhile at Ponyville Station, both Maestro and Vinyl were galloping their way over towards the hospital, and no doubt was Maestro anxious to see his little girl.
Minutes later, they arrive through the double doors of the hospital.
“Where is Octave? I need to see her!” Maestro said to the front desk pony with urgency.
“Octave? Well now, let me see here…” she searched through files she had stored away within the file cabinet of patients beign kept there, and Maestro didn’t have much patience to begin with.
“Please hurry ma’am, I need to see my daughter!”
“Oh my, you’re her father?! Oh I’m so sorry for the wait…she’s in room one-seventeen.”
“Thank you miss, come on Vinyl!” he grabbed her hoof.
“W-well okay then, geez!”
Tirelessly Maestro climbed the stairs rather than take the elevator. He’d instead want to work his tail off running up there rather than waist no energy at all in the elevator is what Vinyl thought. He arrived on the top level of the hospital, and dashed straight down the right side of the hallway, which was fortunately in the right direction, and he didn’t even bother to look whether it was or not.
He then luckily arrives at the room his sweet little daughter was in, noticing that the window blinds were shut, and that there was a possibility that she might have been resting at the moment. He then looked back at Vinyl, but then over her shoulder to a doctor walking back his direction. “Hello? I-is this Octave’s room?”
“Yes sir it is…and may I ask who you are by chance?” the doctor replied.
“I am Maestro, her father, pleased to meet you.” They both then share a hoofshake with each other as a small smile forms on the doctor’s face.
“Ah of course, pleasure to meet you sir, I’m surprised you even managed to get here by chance. Just how did you-”
“Long story, I would rather not go there for the time, may I just see how my daughter’s doing?” Maestro asked him eagerly.
“Yes sir, understandable. Now who is this next to you?”
“The name’s Vinyl Scratch.” She smiled.
“Ah, okay then…but where’s your wife Mr. Maestro sir?” said the doctor.
“Unfortunately she’s back the house, waiting for me to get back. Never did I expect this to be of my daughter. How did this even happen Vinyl?”
“I’m really sorry Maestro! She just told me she was heading down to Sweet Apple Acres where one of her apparent new cousins or relatives lives. So…yeah…I’d rather not say what happened after that.” Vinyl replied then looked off to another direction from him.
“She was attacked by a Timberwolf Mr. Maestro.”
“She was what?!” Maestro’s eyes widened by a big margin, he couldn’t believe what the doctor had said to him just then. He then turns to face back at Vinyl, and has grown to be quite upset now.
“You never told me she was attacked by one of those beasts?! You think it would have been okay to not tell me Vinyl?!”
“Again I’m sooo sorry Maestro! I swear to you…I didn’t expect this to happen to her as of how safe this town is. How would I have known she would’ve been attacked by one of those things out of everypony else in town? Look, all I know is that the Everfree Forest borders very close to one of the pathways to Sweet Apple Acres, and it just so happened that she-”
“Damn it Vinyl, I got it! Just…I’m just going to be with my little girl right now, I would appreciate some privacy please! As for you Vinyl!” He then turned to face her before he went into the room. “I would have expected you to under no circumstances travel alone at such a distance…I’m ashamed…I really am.” Maestro stated, he then went in and shut the door behind himself.
Vinyl’s face began to express feelings of being agitated; despite she was hurt by what he said, but not showing it. She appeared from the outside to be frustrated back at him to help cover up her feelings beign hurt a bit there, but inside she was anything but angry or frustrated. She felt nothing but sympathy for Octave, and just wanted her to be okay. Vinyl then heard the doctor say nothing and return back down the hallway, leaving her out there by herself for a little while to think a few things through.
“I’m sorry Maestro…I’m so sorry…I’m the worst friend ever I swear.” She said to herself in a disappointed tone to herself. Maybe Maestro was right, maybe she should have went with her at her age to make sure she was safe. It just never seemed to cross her mind over two things. First, was that it was never in her; after all she knew that Ponyville was one of the safest towns, cities, etc. in Equestria. Second, she had faith that Octave would have made it there just fine, despite it even approaching sunset.
She never would have guessed that A Timberwolf out of all times and places would choose to do this. She just didn’t understand why it had to happen to that poor filly, better yet even particularly her to begin with…it was ridiculous Vinyl had thought. All it did as of thinking about all of this stuff now seemed to do nothing but make herself more and more angry with herself, and like she needed to be like that in front of Octave, should she ever get the chance to meet her now. Vinyl now began to wonder if she would ever be able to see Octave ever again for starters. Would Maestro ever permit Vinyl to see her again? Despite all of what had occurred in these late hours?
Maestro tried closing the door as carefully as he could, but causing Octave to wake up from him not paying attention as he let go of the door when it locked. It then made that sound you would hear in a heavy-duty door lock, as it made off with a distinct click.
“Mmm…H-hello?” Octave’s little eyes squinting a bit now as she turned her body back around to the source of the noise. Much to her surprise, it was her father.
“Daddy!” she smiled real big, extending her two forelegs out to him wanting a hug.
“Hey there gorgeous!” He replied, followed by a big hug and a kiss on the side of one of her ears.
“I love you dad.”
“You already know my answer.” Maestro replied, followed by a small happy giggle from her.
“Where did you get hurt?” he asked a bit concerned.
“Um…right…hang on a sec…” she then tried to bring the covers off of the bottom half of herself to show him.
“Right…here.” She then pointed to a well-wrapped leg of hers.
“Well my goodness…um…” he then figured he would try and cheer her up with a little morale boosting comment from him.
“So uh, did you show that Timberwolf who was boss?”
“No…it hurt really bad when he bit me. It burns a tiny bit sometimes, but I think I’m fine. My cousin Applejack and I guess who was her brother, brought me here really fast. She’s a really nice pony, I wish you could meet her.” She Octave.
“Well I’d be delighted to meet her one day, but today’s not the day.” Maestro replied.
“Oh also…guess what dad?!”
“What is it?!” he followed along jokingly with the same apparent level of eagerness in her voice.
“Octavia’s mom visited me!” she said.
“Um…wait…what? I-I’m sorry sweetie…I must have certainly misheard you?” Maestro replied, knowing the sad story behind Octavia’s mother when Octavia told him herself one rainy night they were together.
“Yeah, she did! She was even prettier than mom, way prettier than mom actually. She was so nice too; it was like she was never sad. She was happy all the time.”
“Um…are you uh, heh…okay Octave? You sure you didn’t eat any bad cafeteria food or anything?” Maestro looked at his daughter like what she was saying was fine, but nothing about it was fine. How or even better yet, why did this happen?
He knew Octavia’s mother had died when Octavia was only four years old of a very rare but extremely swift and hard-hitting illness that he doctors had no way of curing. The sickness started out in its early stages as benign, and had no affect in her everyday life. But as life for her progressed, she became sicker and sicker the closer it came.
One unfortunate day however, Octavia’s family had all gotten back from a concert, and her mother had been feeling very ill all of a sudden. It was like months and months of illness had seemed to catch up to her all at once. When she died, Octavia didn’t realize it at first of course, and thought that maybe her mother all the sudden fell asleep on her when she was talking to her. But later on as a minute or so had passed, Octavia then began throwing a fit unlike any other, wanting her mom to wake up…but never would that wish be fulfilled.
Maestro then realized what Octave was taking about, and he was truly lost for words and speechless. She had met her guardian angel it seemed, her guardian angel was the grandmother she never got to meet after all of these years.
“O-Octave?”
“Yeah?”
“W-what did she look like exactly?” he wondered curiously.
“Well, she was wearing a thin white clothing around her body, kind of like a toga, but it was sparkly looking and everything. She even had this little white think line of line or something around her body when she was standing right there beside me. She told me she loved me a lot, and that she couldn’t wait to see me and mom, but she didn’t tell me when that would happen. So I think she just was going to be patient with us when it happened.” Octave stated, and continued rambling about on and on for minutes on end.
Maestro was amazed and greatly interested in honestly one of the most incredible stories he had ever heard from anypony in his entire life. He nodded his head in approval every now and then as his daughter looked back at him from time to time when she talked. Surely there was no possible way Octave even managed to make all of this up? If it was however…it was certainly awfully farfetched to be considered a fib, especially from her age. She even managed to describe in detail what her grandmother, Melody, had looked like too. Maestro even remembered what Octavia had told him that one rainy night, and shockingly enough, both descriptions nearly matched up perfectly.
“Octave sweetie…” he looked off, before returning his look back to her.
“What is it now dad?”
“How…did you even…m-meet her? She’s been dead for years?!” he said.
“I guess…but I think she was an angel though. I wanna meet another angel someday! If they all are that loving, caring and friendly to everypony, then I wanna meet them all.”
That heartwarming thought then made Maestro’s face form a smile over that expression of disbelief.
“I can’t believe it…my daughter…my very own daughter…her guardian angel.” Maestro then gazed outside of the window that was behind him on the left side of Octave’s room from her view, and behind the couch.
“She got to see…Melody. Oh how much I would have wanted to see her too. I bet she’s as every bit as beautiful as they both say she is…just…wow.” Maestro thought to himself.
“Um, dad?”
“Yes Octave?”
“Mom said I was named after her grandmother right?”
“Yes? Why?” he said, as she steadily made his way back to her bedside.
“Well…do you think I could meet her too? Is she an angel just like her? Is she really pretty? Octave asked.
“To be honest, I don’t have the answers to those questions sweetie, maybe you could find a way to discover that on your own. But I’m sure they’re just as every bit as pretty as you think they are I bet. Why…you’re an angel too, didn’t you know that?” her father replied.
“Daaad, that’s a figure of speech like you say.” She replied.
“It is yes…but I still mean it.” He then laid a soft kiss on her cheek, and let her know that he loved her.
“I love you so much Octave, and that I hope nopony tells you otherwise. If they do, you just tell them they are nothing more than liars.”
“I know dad…and I love you too.” Octave then raised herself up on her bed, and hugged her father’s neck as she returned a kiss back on his cheek.
“Oh but I don’t think you do…in fact I bet you hate your dad.” He added into the mood.
“Come on dad, knock it off!” Octave pushed him away giggling and smiling.
Maestro then opened up the door a while later, and looked back at Vinyl sitting in one of the chairs just outside of the room across the hall.
“What?” she wondered.
He then closed then door behind him, leaving Octave to herself for a short time there.
“Vinyl…” he sighed.
“I’m sorry if I seemed a bit hostile towards you a little while ago.”
“It’s uh, it’s fine…I knew you seemed angry about it, and I figured you had no other way to vent it out, than dishing all of that stuff out on me.I’d have to say one thing though…you’re cute when you’re angry.” Vinyl replied joking around with him.
“Vinyl!”
“Relax hahaha, I’m kidding like always, you know me. Well I guess she’s doing fine then?”
“Yeah she’s uh…doing just fine.” Pausing for a moment there, as he recapped fragments of the incredible experience she had with her grandmother she never knew.
“Well um…so you mind if I visit her dude?”
“She looks pretty tired now, I think I talked her to sleep.”
“yeah, you do that a lot, I’ve even seen that to your wife…man you’re boring.”
“Yeah…and you’re ten times worse.” Maestro replied.
“Hahahaha! Smooth man…well hey, let’s get word out to Octy, and then we’ll all meet back here tomorrow morning or something?” said Vinyl.
“Sounds fine to me. I’m getting…” he then yawned. “Getting a bit tired myself.”
“Well hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do…I’ll see ya round tomorrow or something. Heck, maybe you can even meet this Applejack pony yourself, she’s pretty cool I guess. Never met her very much, but she seems good willed.” Vinyl replied.
The two of them then decided to take the elevator this time, and definitely call it a night. Vinyl was going to be a up a little longer, but as soon as Maestro got home, he needed to then let Octavia know about the unfortunate news, and then he could head off to bed. However, he knew that Octavia would certainly be interested no doubt in the alleged experience their daughter had, so chance were he wouldn’t be heading off to bed as soon as he would like to.
After Maestro had arrived back home, and let Octavia know of the bad news, she was by all means tore up about it. Octavia however knew that Maestro was there for her, and that even her own mother and grandmother she knew was looking down at her at that moment. In addition to her mother, before Maestro went off to bed after he got himself a good shower, he had something…extraordinary to tell Octavia regarding Octave’s experience no less.
“Are you sure she will be okay by-…oh of course she will Octavia, get yourself together now dear.” She spoke to herself out loud, as her and Maestro were lying there in the bed together to turn in for the night.
“Absolutely, she will be just fine Octavia.” Maestro replied, as Octavia laid there snuggled up beside him.
“Speaking of that…I…think you might want to hear about something she told me that happened to her.”
“Hm? Was is bad?” Octavia asked.
“Oh it was anything but bad, in fact…I think you might be pleased to hear about somepony you knew from your past? Say…your mother perhaps?” Maestro replied. Octavia’s eyes then came to life, as she gazed up at him awfully intrigued, but at the same time not understanding where he was going with it.
“I’m…not quite sure as of what you could mean by that?” she said in a confused tone.
“Well, now you can call me crazy, or call her crazy, but she claimed it happened to her. I must say I have never heard her speak so incredibly about this experience she had than any other time in her life. I assure you that what she said was absolutely true, since she had never known your mother to begin with.” Maestro stated.
“Maestro please, can you just please get to the chase now?” Octavia’s curiosity was getting the better of her, and now her mind was a blizzard of questions and thoughts.
“Okay…well…Octave has claimed that…when she was in the hospital room by herself…”
“Yes?” Octavia added.
“She had claimed that she had allegedly…well…met…Melody. You know…the grandmother she never got to meet?”
Octavia was awestruck at the accusation from her daughter that was told to Maestro from herself. Was what she was hearing possibly even true by chance? Or were Octavia’s ears merely playing tricks on her by chance?
“Maestro?”
“Yes sweetie?”
“You’re…you’re not lying to me about this are you?”
“What?! No I’m serious, you can even ask her yourself tomorrow morning in fact, since me and you are meeting Vinyl there in the hospital lobby before we all head up to visit her together.” Maestro replied.
“It’s just…too…too much of a coincidence…”
“Huh? What do you mean Octavia?”
“I am saying that I have had an experience with my mother as well when I was very young. I was on her bedside when she passed Maestro, I’ll never forget just how much she told she loved me, and how I was her little angel. She seemed to tell me this everyday from what my grandmother told me. I was of course too young to recall much at all at that age, but never shall I forget that unforgettable time when my mother passed away right there in front of me…and I didn’t even know it until just a minute or so after it happened.” Octavia stated with teary eyes, feeling a bit of emotional pain just thinking about it, and recapping those memories.
“I know it was rough dear, I cant imagine how I would feel if that happened to me…even today better yet. You have any idea how devastated I’d be? My feelings would be inconceivable to me…I wouldn’t be able to hardly even take that kind of pain, you know me.” Maestro replied.
“I know Maestro, and I appreciate you still offer and share some of your emotions and emotional burden with me, as it helps me cope with many of my losses too.” Octavia then trying to cheer up by giving him a soft smile slowly forming across her face, letting him know she would be fine whenever he was there to support her.
“But however, back to this experience Octave had…you said it was…my mother?”
“Yes it certainly was she said. Octave even claimed that she seemed to be some sort of a guardian angel or something along those lines. She literally carried on about it for a good forty-five minutes or so, talking about how even she looked prettier than even you, which seemed to mean an awful lot. Because you know how pretty Octave thinks you are, so no doubt you definitely got much of your mothers good looks.” Maestro said charmingly.
Octavia merely nodded and replied with a “Thank you”, as she was too interested in this alleged experience her very daughter had.
“In addition to that…she said that she was wearing this thin white clothing resembling the look of a toga. Octave even talking about Melody’s smile, and that it seemed to be so pure and not even show a slight miniscule of sadness in her.
“That’s…that sounds beautiful dear…please continue.” Octavia replied, her eyes starting to tear up from faint good memories of her mother rushing back to her.
“Oh, and not to mention, Octave even claimed something that even touched my heart, and I’m not even related to your family in any way.”
“Please tell me Maestro, I want to know more.” Octavia asked of him anxiously.
“Of course…but…but yes. She even said that Melody couldn’t wait to see you and her whenever the time came.” Maestro added, bringing Octavia to soft tears.
“She…she said that to her…she…she said that to me when I had my experience with her too!” Octavia was just blown away by how accurate and just how believable it felt to her. She cried softly into Maestro’s chest not of sadness, but of happiness that she had heard something from her mother through her own daughter for a second time in her lifetime. For it was that same golden message: That she couldn’t wait to finally be with her daughter and granddaughter when that lovely and incomprehensible unifying time would arrive.
“Oh Maestro, you don’t know how happy I feel right now that I’m hearing from my mother another time.”
“Oh, but I think I do, and it’s written all over your face. I appreciate just how strong of a mare you try to be sometimes, and how I enjoy seeing you so happy to hear such warm and comforting news.” Maestro replied bringing her face up to his at eye level. As their eye remain locked with each other, it caused Octavia to calm down more as time between them passed on with Maestro’s gaze of sympathy seeming to radiate out to her own heart and soul.
“Your so sweet dear…thank you so much.” Octavia then kissed him with a smile still on her lips.
Another minute or two passed between them, and Octavia then brought the topic back up with him once more.
“It’s still so hard to believe, but yet my heart knows that what you she is saying, and that of what you are saying is true.”
“Octavia, you should know that me lying to you is not going to get me anywhere in life other than a hole I would be digging for myself.” He replied.
“I know, and I appreciate your honesty too, thank you.” She said before bringing the covers more over her and him both.
“I would like you to cuddle me instead of you this time.” Said Octavia, as she then turned her body away from him, with her back facing towards him.
“Well now, talk about a change of pace.” Maestro replied chuckling a bit.
“But of course, because surely you can’t just cuddle up to he cutest mare in Canterlot now can you?” she giggled.
“You’re right…I can’t.” Maestro then decided to play along, and play hard to get with her. He then faced the other way like she did, with both of their backs now facing each other.
“Oh come here you smarty pants.” Said Octavia giving into him, and turning him back around kissing him once more for the night before their room would go black for the night.
Months had now passed since Octave’s unforgettable experience, and now she had some time to herself for her school year was almost over for the summer. For Octave’s condition, she managed to make a full recovery, though some nerves within the leg were dead and torn, and had to be removed. So she had a bit of numbness in a small portion of her bitten leg, the scar was still there as well. As far as Applejack’s concern for Octave, AJ, Maestro, and Octavia ended up meeting each other at Octave’s room that following morning by coincidence. Octavia wasn’t really too fond of her, but Applejack did in fact still get the good amount of refined respect from Octavia about pretty much in a nutshell, saving her daughter’s life.
Octave’s thirteenth birthday was now just around the corner, and Maestro’s distant friend Starlight finally would have a chance to reunite some of their friendship they had after a couple of years or so of not seeing each other at all. She decided as of starting it off good, why not do some catching up with Octave?
“Okay champ, let’s head out okay? Hey, we’ll see you two later okay? You lovebirds have fun at that concert or whatever it is at that concert hall place. But me and Octave here are gonna chill together and what not.” Starlight chuckled.
“Okay Starlight, and remember that-”
“Yeah I know dad…no cloud walking if she invites you, right?”
“No…okay yes…well…sort of…okay I don’t know now.”
“Relax, I bet my friend Twilight down at the library could give me a cloud walking spell or something. She’s a princess dad, I bet she knows all kinds of spells.”
“Well eh…I suppose you could do that, but I still don’t know about you walking on clouds.” Maestro scratched the back of his head, only concerned for Octave simply because he loved her as a good father should be.
“It’s fine dad, I will be fine…and mother agrees with me right?”
“I’m staying out of this one young lady, this is between you two, not me along with it.” Octavia smiled, showing some classiness behind her expression.
“Well don’t you worry Mrs. Octavia, we’ll get her down to that library and fix her right up. After that, nothing to worry about, see?” said Starlight.
“I’m sure you only mean this for the best of my daughter correct? I trust you two will not get into any trouble together?” Octavia raised an eyebrow curiously.
“Yes ma’am, only for a beautiful refined young mare such as yourself shall I uphold my end of the bargain.” Starlight replied, but then looked back at Octave followed by a wink.
“Very good then Ms. Starlight, me and Maestro shall be heading off to the concert now, and that I would like Octave to be back here by tomorrow morning nine o’ clock sharp.”
“Yes ma’am, you can count on it.” Starlight nodded assuring. Since she was in the military during the war after all, no doubt you could count on her when it come to being reliable as far as deadlines were concerned.
A few minutes later, Octave was hanging on for dear life as she looked down and around Starlight’s body up in the air heading down to Ponyville. Octave had originally came up with the idea for paying Twilight a visit, since she obviously knew no other ponies who knew a spell for her to walk on clouds.
“Relax, ouch! You’re hurting me with those hooves in my neck!”
“I’m sorry Starlight, I just can’t let go!” Octave said shutting her eyes tight, afraid to look down once more.
“No I mean just lax up a bit on the grip okay? You will not fall off if you do that, I promise.” Starlight replied, letting Octave know that she was a Pegasus you could count on, somewhat like Rainbowdash where loyalty’s concerned, but overall she would still lose comfortably as far as loyalty’s concerned about comparing the two of them. They both then arrive at Golden Oaks Library, which was Twilight’s original home, and she still stayed there from time to time.
“Twilight? Hello?”
“Oh, hey Octave! It’s been a while hasn’t it?”
“Princess Twilight! Oh, please forgive my intrusion.” Starlight bowed to her.
“Please, no need to really bow at this time. But what is it you both need? Oh, and I heard about that tragic thing that happened to you Octave, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, numb in a small part of my leg, but eventually I think they said new nerves will grow in their places. But anyways, I’m going to be with my friend Starlight here, and I was figuring you might have a spell that lets me walk on clouds or something?”
“Well I do know one of those in fact! Though I would have to ask…how long will this visit with her be exactly? The spell wears off in about a day, or about eighteen hours to be precise.” Twilight replied.
“Okay, I understand…but I’m ready I think.”
“Well, okay then…here it goes.” Twilight’s horn gave off a small orb of magic, as it floated over and around Octave’s body. She still continued to stand there patiently, knowing that surely a princess wouldn’t screw up on a spell as petty as this one was? Suddenly, a flash or light blinded everypony in the room, and nothing could be seen for a few seconds. The white room then cleared s few short moments later, and Octave continued standing there like nothing had happened.
“Um…I don’t really feel any different?”
“That’s because you have to-…oooh right he-he…my bad. I think the only way to test it out is by having to actually go up there and see if you…well…” Twilight then stopped herself, panning back over to Octave and then Starlight making her way net to her.
“You’re saying I have to go all the way up there to simply test it?!” Octave was shocked, and was also worried too. She knew that if the spell didn’t work, she would fall to her death, and then there would really be something for her family to cry about.
“Wait, I am a Pegasus after all, I could just whip up a quick little cloud, and bring it down close to the ground so that if it didn’t work, you won’t get as badly hurt.”
“Yeah…as badly.” Octave replied. “What if I still end up breaking a leg…or even worse?”
“Oh relax Octave, a Pegasus knows what she’s doing when it comes to stuff like this. I’ll put it low enough to where the least you’ll get is a bruise or something.” Said Starlight assuring her that she had everything under control.
“Well…I guess it’s worth a shot.”
“Then it’s settled I guess from the looks of it. Both of you better get a move on then, you’ll want to live out that cloud life, as Rainbowdash says.” Twilight smiled.
“Of course princess…and thank you.” Starlight then gestured for Octave to head out with her to an open hill just outside of town.
“Bye Twilight! It’s been nice seeing you again!” Octave waved back just before she closed the door.
“Farewell Octave, be careful this time!” Twilight waved back.
A little while later, Octave stood out in the middle of an open hill, and Starlight was up in the air quickly putting together a practice cloud to test it out on.
“Okay, here we go! You ready to give it a whirl?” Starlight asked her anxious to get started.
“Well, no turning back now…yeah, let’s try this out.” Octave replied, as she got onto the Pegasus’ back to be steadily flown up to the cloud. It remained over the soft grass, and floating up above ground a comfortable ten feet in the air.
“Oh boy…I-I don’t know about this?” Octave hesitated, looking at the cloud then back over to Starlight.
“Just do it okay? I’ll catch you if you fall through…like uhh…like this!” Starlight then quickly bumps Octave off of her back, and onto the white cottony heap of cloud, as she flies right under the place of where the filly was predicted to fall should she fall.
“Ahhh! I’m…oh…I’m…just fine.” She said out loud to herself surprised.
“See? I knew the princess wouldn’t let us down!” Starlight replied smiling to her, proud that she conquered the white fluffy monster known as a cloud.
“Oh boy! This is going to be so much fun! I get to live and act like a Pegasus for a whole day!” Octave hopped little off the cloud’s surface happily.
“Yeah, but once you wake up, it’ll wear off about that time. Remember what she said Octave.”
“Yeah I know, be back by nine o’ clock sharp.” Octave replied with spite in her voice.
“No not that…the princess said that-”
“It will wear off in about a day.”
“Eighteen hours.” Starlight added, though not trying to be too much of a smarty to her.
“Right…so I guess by the time I wake up tomorrow morning, it’ll wear off.”
“Correct, but as long as you’re in my house you should be fine. I mean my house is not completely made up of clouds on the inside thank Celestia. Now then, let’s head on over there, what do ya say?”
“Yeah!” Octave then quickly hopped onto Starlight’s back as she made her way back up to the side of the cloud for the filly to get on and hold on tight.
Before Octave was entirely prepared, Starlight shot off, causing Octave to instinctively hang onto the mare’s neck for dear life, as she remained in-between her firm flapping wings. The feelings Octave had of being high in the air were mixed feeling of exhilaration and fear of falling all at the same time. She stared off into Canterlot from the great distance, mesmerized by its sheer size and beauty, even from where she was. They were approaching the greatest city in the skies faster than Octave was expecting to arrive there, and she couldn’t wait to finally get off and step onto a whole new world for her.
“Okay, we’re here! You can open your eyes now!” said Starlight, since she wanted Octave to close her eyes to make it more of a surprise. When Octave opened her eyes, she could not believe the incredible structures and things that were happening in front of her eyes. Pegasi were filling the air all around her as far as the eye could see. She sparkled with curiosity to no end it seemed, and her mind was filled with a torrent of questions about anything and everything Cloudsdale now.
“Wooooow!”
“Cool huh? Yeah, here’s my place…um…Octave?” Starlight then turned back to face Octave still sitting there staring off into the beautiful cottony fields of water vapor.
“Octave?”
“Whooooooa!”
“Octave!” Starlight waved in front of her, making her snap out of her daydreaming.
“Wha- oh…I’m sorry, it’s just so beautiful and breathtaking up here! The view is…I can’t really describe it!” Octave’s eyes shot open once more, full of energy and excitement of being up here. She could see everything up there from such a high place.
The two of them managed to make it inside Starlight’s home, and knew that her own daughter was over at Flitter’s house being foalsat.
“If only you could meet my daughter Comet Trail, you’d love her. She’s smart for her age, but yeahhhh…she gets her smarts from her mother.”
“Where’s the father then?” Octave wondered.
“Oh…he uh…I’d rather not go there honestly…it’s hard to think about anyways. I don’t even know if you’re old enough?” Starlight replied looking off, and with a distinct change in the tone of her voice, like she had been hurt or awfully sad when something…whatever happened to him.
“It’s fine Starlight, it’s not like I’ll tell anypony, and mom says I’m a good listener anyways. I’m like her in that kind of thing I guess.”
“Thanks Octave, that’s sweet of you. Well…um…he…he was killed…in a weather accident within the lightning test facility. His name was Wind Tamer, and he was so handsome too.”
“You must have been one lucky mare, Star.”
“Oh I certainly felt like it at the time. I had never felt more appreciated or loved like anypony else other than him…saying that I mean he’s literally been my one and only relationship I’ve ever been in. But well, he was killed by a bolt of lightning hitting almost directly where his heart was. That was where he wore his metal Wonderbolt badge he said he got from his uncle when his uncle was in the Wonderbolts when my husband was just a colt.” Starlight chuckled a bit, trying to lighten up the subject to make it not seem so depressing.
“I’m really sorry Starlight…did Comet Trail ever get to know her daddy?”
“A little, but thankfully not to the extent to where she would be able to remember him.”
“That’s understandable.” Octave replied, continuing to be attentive and listen to her friend.
“Yeah, well at least she will know in the future when I tell her, that her daddy was the best daddy Cloudsdale had to offer for her.” Starlight smiled, managing to hold back tears from coming down her cheeks.
“It’s okay Star.”
“What?” Starlight looked back at her, still looking the same way.
“It’s okay to cry, there’s nothing that says you can’t.” This comment made Starlight’s heart warm up, and guided her to Octave.
“You’re such a loving young filly, Octave. Your mom and dad’s raised you well and proudly, you’re also quite intelligent for your age.” Starlight brought her in close to her in almost a hug.
“Yeah, mom says I’m a prodigy just to make me feel better about myself. But dad says I’m like any ordinary filly, just with a few extra brain perks as he likes to call them.” Octave giggled.
“I like his version of it better.” Starlight giggled along with her.
“I like his too, he’s the comedian around our house. He knows I like his sense of humor, so that’s why he always tries to make jokes out of things whenever I’m around, and mom knows it too. She knows that he tried to do that when I’m around because he loves me a lot.” Said Octave. “I bet he loves you more than just a lot. Why, I bet he loves you to where he gives you lots of hugs and kisses doesn’t he?”
“Well, not really much of that anymore, but he and mom still do plenty. I know that mom did that to me a whole lot when I was a filly, they said the top thing to teach a child is how to love.” Octave replied.
“Well I’ve never seen any other filly that is more mature and smart for your age than you are. You are one of a kind and truly unique.” Starlight smiled to her.
“Uh, thanks, I bet your daughter is happy to be with the best mom in Cloudsdale.” Octave winked.
“Pfft, oh come on now, some other pony had got that award in this city.” Starlight blushed a bit gesturing her hoof in front of her, feeling embarrassed by Octave’s flattering remark.
A little while later after they chat, they decided to do all sorts of things as long as Octave remained up here. Being in Cloudsdale obviously for an Earth Pony was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her. They managed to go see the Wonderbolts perform in the Aerodrome, get some ice cream together, and simply fool around in the city in general. However, a certain pony gave Starlight a twinkle in her eye.
“Oh Octave?” Starlight said in a singsong tone of her voice. She rolled her eyes pointing to a cute looking colt that was helping from what looked like his father behind the register in the ice cream parlor.
“What is it?”
“Look at the cutie over there.” Starlight elbowed her towards the colt up at the register helping to scoop the ice cream.
Octave then stopped licking the scoop of ice cream resting safely upon her cone, as she didn’t know what to think. Her eyes not managing to move anywhere else, though they wanted to. She still couldn’t manage to help herself from looking at this apparently cute colt Starlight pointed to from behind her.
“Um…uh…” Octave’s mind went blank.
“Well don’t just stand there, go talk to him girl.” Starlight then lightly pushed her out of her chair, not enough to where her ice cream would fall off of her cone.
“Hey! Well I…I-”
“You what? You wanna finish your cone? Now come on Octave, you won’t get another chance like this ever probably.” “Well technically I will if I ever want to visit you ag-”
“Well technically you need to just say hi to him at least, and introduce yourself, nothing hurt that now right?”
“Well…I suppose not.” Octave looked off and back to the sight of the colt behind the counter scooping ice cream for the customers.
“See? Just go for it girl, I got your back if you mess up okay? Don’t you worry about feeling awkward.”
“Okay, thanks.” Octave then took in one gulp and steadily made her way up to the counter. The closer she approached towards him, the more nervous she got, and wanted to turn back to her table, but Starlight wouldn’t let that happen.
“Okay, thank you come again!” the colt smiled as him and his father waved back at the leaving customer out the entrance. However, he stopped himself, and then noticed Octave before she was even ready for him to, making her even more anxious to just take off the other way.
Octave looked back at Starlight, then back at the colt blinking once out of curiosity. That Pegasus known as Starlight was determined someway somehow to get Octave a date it seemed.
“Um…hi.” Octave spoke up in a soft tone.
“Sorry, what was that?” the colt chuckled a bit, implying she get on one of the chairs at the counter for him to hear her better, rather than staying down there below the counter. She went ahead and accepted his offer, and hopped up on one of the chairs awkwardly, and simply looked at him then away once more.
“Um…can I help you?” he asked the shy filly.
“H-hi.” She smiled slightly.
“Hi there, my name is Scoop, what’s yours?”
“Um…I’m uh…Octave.” She blinked back to him, a smile started to show on her face, but she pulled it away from his view just before he could see her allegedly embarrassing expression.
“Octave huh? That’s a pretty name, wish I had a name that good, but eh…my family’s got something to do with ice cream in some sort of way with names.” He replied.
“Oh…that’s cool I guess.”
“Eh, I guess, but I just wish I could do more than just serve ice cream like this? It gets boring after a while. I mean, see my father over there?”
“Yeah.”
“His name is Ozone, he used to be a high altitude stunt flyer when he was young. Now he just serves ice cream for a living.” He added.
“Um…how long?”
“As long as I can remember. All I know is that this store has been in business since my father opened it up after quitting his stunts and stuff. He thought he would retire from all of that after he got badly injured one day trying to pull off some sort stunt no other pony has ever pulled off before. So I’ve been doing this for about a year or so now, ever since my dad told me I was old enough to help out run the business.” Scoop then faced back to Octave after looking off into the different tubs of ice cream after giving her some history on his family. “What are your parents like?”
“What, mine? Well my dad is a cellist and so is my mom. Her name is Octavia, and my dad’s name is Maestro. He enjoys cutting up a lot whenever I’m around him, since he likes seeing me smile and stuff.” Octave replied looking off to another direction once more, not wanting to really look him in the eye.
“Is something bothering you? You haven’t even paid attention to me at all ever since we started talking?” Scoop asked her curiously.
“Hey, Scoop my boy I need your help back here!”
“Coming dad! Well hey listen Octave; it was nice to meet you. I know! How about we hang out after I get done helping my dad? That’d be cool right?”
“Huh?! Well I uh, um…oh, I don’t know.”
“Well no need to tell me now, is that your mom over there? Cause she’s looking back here at you a lot it seems?”
“Well that’s-”
“Scoop! Need your help pronto okay? Get back here in the freezer!” His father called out to him.
“Gotta run, later Octave!” Scoop then shook her hoof and made his way in the back to help his dad with whatever he needed help with.
“He…shook my hoof? He was…he was so nice.” She thought to herself, after a tingly feeling then rushed to her heart. Octave then walked her way back to the table; not realizing a small smile had crept onto her face.
“Well now…somepony’s got a little crush I think.” Starlight giggled teasing her.
“I do not!”
“That’s not what your face is telling me. You do know you were smiling when you came back here right?”
“Huh? I wa-…well that doesn’t mean I like him or anything!” Octave then looked away pouting a bit.
“I don’t believe a word of that, I’ve been around longer than you have, and I know love in bloom when I see it. You like him, you just don’t know it yet, trust me.” Starlight then got closer to her. “So what did he say huh?”
“Well uh…he asked me if I wanted to hang out with him or something after he gets through helping his dad.”
“I think he was asking you out.” Starlight replied looking out the window.
“He was what?!” Octave’s eyes then widened and looked back at her wondering if that was really the case or not.
“Wow…you really need to get out more.”
“Hey!”
“Well it’s true…sort of I guess, but understandable at your age…kinda.”
“What are you saying Starlight?”
“I’m saying he might have actually asked you out, or he just wants to be friends or something, I don’t have the real answer. You’ll just have to take him up on his offer.”
“Are you kidding me?! I can’t do this!” Octave exclaimed.
“Sure you can…just do it…it’s that easy.” Starlight giggled.
“Star!”
“Yes?”
“Come on now…you said you would help me?” “You certainly don’t need help on this, trust me, you’ll be fine. What time did he say for you to meet up with him?”
“Knock it off Starlight!”
“Okay, okay…you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
“Thank you…” Octave then stared off, but then panning back to her after they shared several silent seconds between each other. “Can I have another?”
“Another colt date?! Have you lost your mind?!”
“Star!”
“Relax I was kidding! Sure I have no problem getting you another cone.” Starlight laughed.
Starlight decided to not really wait on the colt Pegasus, and just go ahead and head on home. Starlight though had a little living surprise waiting for Octave, and even though she still knew about her, Octave still wouldn’t see it coming.
“Well it’s a shame you decided to let him down Octave, that was actually kind of rude to leave him hanging like that.” Said Starlight, as the two of them approached her front porch.
“Hey, it was his fault he totally forgot about it, but I guess working will make you forget certain things, I don’t know.” Octave shrugged.
“Well…okay point taken, but still though, why didn’t you remind him then?”
“Did you seriously think I would go along with this date idea of yours?”
“Um…yes?” Starlight giggled with a smile.
“I think my mother was right about this kind of stuff at my age, no dates until I feel ready and of the appropriate age to do so.” Octave added, before Starlight rolled her eyes teasing her, and then turned the doorknob to lead them into her cloud home.
Starlight and Octave then saw an adorable sight of Flitter lying next to her daughter.
“Did you get in with the key I gave you?” Starlight whispered, as it was followed by nothing but a soft smile and mere nod from Flitter.
Octave didn’t know what to think at the moment? Who was this Pegasus with a bow in her mane? Who was that little filly sleeping peacefully next to her?
After Flitter gave herself a proper introduction to Octave, she made her way out onto the porch, and swooped off into the air back home. One question remained for Octave…who was this cute little filly sleeping softly on the couch? Her mind wondered seemed so focused on it, she nearly forgot that Starlight had a daughter in fact.
“Is…is this…Comet Trail?” she whispered pointing to the small filly.
“That’s her, and I’ll just get her here, and make my way into her bedroom to put her off to bed. You can do whatever you want, I think we may have a few hours to hang around and stuff before we need to head off to bed.” Starlight replied, still whispering as quietly as she could to her to avoid waking up the light sleeper.
“Aw come on, I thought-”
“Shhh!” Starlight intervened shushing her, unfortunately causing her daughter to wake up.
“Uhh…mommy…” the small voice spoke up, lookin back up at her mother.
“You want mommy to take you to bed?” Said Starlight. Comet Trail said nothing, and nodded in approval that she was awfully tired. When she got onto her mother’s back however, she then noticed Octave for the first time. This ended up sparking Comet Trail’s curiosity, and she hopped off of her mother’s back and made her way over to Octave.
“Hewwo…who awe you?” she tilted her head; her speech impediments making her sound all the more adorable.
“I’m Octave, and oh my goodness!” she then looked over at Starlight walking over next to her daughter.
“She’s so adorable Star!”
“I know, isn’t she cute?”
“She sure is! Aren’t you little one? Wait…her name was…”
“Comet Trail.”
“Right, Comet Trail…” Octave then got down to Comet Trail’s level on the ground, and saw her head still looking at her tilted a little with a smile.
“Oh my goodness, those little legs! That face of hers…” Comet Trail then intervened with her statement with something they would not expect to come from a filly her age.
“Can I sweep with her mommy? She’s vewy nice!”
“Aww, she said sweep instead of sleep.” Octave giggled.
“Well…alrighty then Comet…but don’t you go anywhere else when you do, understand?”
“She loves meeting new ponies, and one of her favorite things at such an age is making new friends, no matter how old they are.” Said Starlight.
“Oh I bet…but just look at how cute those tiny wings of hers are!” Octave touched one of Comet’s wings, making Comet Trail squirm a bit in place, and giggling a bit at the feel of a hoof touching her sensitive wing.
“Okay, okay, I got it…she is absolutely adorable, thank you Octave.” Starlight chuckled, wondering if she was going to be commenting on her daughter any more now.
A good while had passed now, and it had reached ten o’clock at night. Comet Trail had gotten her nighttime bath, brushing her tiny teeth, and gotten ready for bed in the spare bedroom that Starlight set up for Octave. All she did in it was set up a nice warm bed for her and Comet Trail to sleep in together, and a little lamp and a spare nightstand to set it on top of. Other than that as far as the spare bedroom was concerned, there were nothing but boxes full of stuff stored away on the other side of the room, and that was pretty much it.
“There you go sweetie…now you behave okay? Octave has to sleep too, so don’t toss and turning the covers okay?” Starlight then kissed her daughter’s forehead.
“I pwomise mommy! Good night!” she waved back to her with a small hoof.
“Okay dear, goodnight! Octave? Do you have everything you need? You need a glass of water or anything?”
“No ma’am, I’m good.”
“Heh…you said ma’am.” Star replied.
“What’s so funny?” Octave wondered.
“You called me ma’am…with me, you won’t find me so easily impressed like the others. I was in the military you know, and I led a small group, so I’m used to it, but it’s not like I want it to happen or whatever.” She replied.
“Oh okay, well I guess whenever I think it’s good to be proper I will be.”
“You do whatever you’d like to Octave…goodnight little lady.”
“Goodnight Star.” Octave waved back.
“I wuv you mommy!” Comet Trail’s voice called out to her.
“Mommy loves you too sweetie, I’ll see you both in the morning.” Starlight then cut out the light, and everything went dark, leaving nothing but a lamp on a nightstand left on.
A few minutes passed amidst the dead silence throughout the house. Octave felt Comet’s body rise and fall next to hers, trying to sleep soundly.
“Umm…uh…what’s your name?”
“My name is Octave, I thought you knew that?”
“I fowgot…sowwy.” Comet’s voice spoke up from a dim light next to them.
“Can we pway tomowwow? I wanna pway house…I be the mommy and you be the baby.” Said Comet in that adorable combination of trying to sound out words properly, but errors came into them in a cute fashion.
“I don’t know Comet Trail…because I need to go back home tomorrow.” Octave replied.
“But you don’t have any wings?”
“I know, which is why I need to get back home before the spell wears off…did that make any sense?”
Comet said nothing and only blinked once right into Octave’s eyes. “No…”
“Oh…I uh, figured you probably wouldn’t.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that you need to be big enough to understand some questions.”
“Oh…” Comet then looked back up to her again, and then got herself comfortable by curling up into a ball next to Octave.
“Am I a big girl?” she asked.
“Well uh…sure you are…just not big enough still.” Octave replied giggling.
“Oh…okay den…I’m uh-” Comet then interrupted herself with a yawn. “Sw-eepy…” the little filly then began to slowly close her eyes, and gently rest next to Octave. This feeling of an adorable filly had a few things rush to Octave’s mind just then.
“Mom told me I did something kind of like this when I was her age?” she thought to herself within her mind. “Wow…it uh…it gives me feelings for her sort of. She’s so harmless, so cute; I just want to snuggle up with her all day if I wanted to. Wait a moment…I can now.” Octave added in her mind. She then decided to bring Comet Trail a little bit closer to her, and Comet not resisting at all. She then brought her body around Comet Trail’s in a crescent shaped fashion around the filly’s body, like a mother protecting her child. The feeling of that little body generating so much warmth from her body seemed to radiate nothing but pure love. It relaxed Octave even more, causing her to fall asleep along with her in only a matter of minutes.
Octave was sleeping peacefully at the delightfully early time of six o’clock in the morning. Silence had filled the entire house until…
“Awe you asweep?” Comet Trail poked Octave’s nose curiously. She got no response, as the semi-classy filly was out of it.
Comet Trail along with her mother, Starlight, were early risers on a regular basis. They did everything other pony families did when they woke up…only two hours earlier that’s all.
“Comet Trail, leave her alone!” Starlight whispered to her daughter.
“Okay.” Comet replied back in a whisper, before hopping off of the bed, and joining her mother into the kitchen.
Thirty more minutes had passed, and Octave’s nose was beginning to pick up inviting aromas from their kitchen as she continued sleeping. Slowly but surely it would eventually cause her to wake up due to her mind’s natural curiosity. Eventually Comet Trail decided to check back with Octave like she was her sister or something.
“Um…awe you asweep?”
Octave groaned, starting to feel bothered by the small filly now. “Leave me alone…” she said, covering her face with more of the cover.
“I’ll do what mommy does to me...” Comet trailed off, getting a bit closer to her now.
“What is that…” Octave wondered, feeling a bit annoyed now by the filly.
“Mommy kisses me a lot until I wake up.”
“Okay, okay…” Octave then slowly and steadily rose up, still covering her face with the pillow over it.
“Mowning sweepyhead!”
“Ugh! Can’t you just-” Starlight then poked her head through the cracked doorway checking on Octave.
“I see that she’s woke you up?” she giggled. “Yeah…why?” Octave wondered in a sleepy tone of her voice.
“She’s just good spirited is all. We don’t have many guests over here, only Flitter and her sister most of the time. If you want to sleep some more, I’ll get her out of your mane.” Starlight replied.
“Thank you Star.”
“Anytime…come on now Comet, she needs her rest.”
Comet then stands up on the bed facing her mother. “Can I cuddle with my fwiend? Pwease?”
“Octave?”
“I don’t even care anymore…” Octave replied in a low tone, covering herself up again.
“Ya-”
“Shhh! Hush sweetie, she’s wanting to sleep. You really like to snuggle don’t you? You do that a lot with me and Flitter.” Starlight giggled at her adorable daughter standing up with those little legs on top of the bed sheets looking back at her in a partially lit room. The only source of light was from the cracked bedroom door.
“But she’s pwetty too, just like you mommy.” Comet smiled real big.
“Well…okay then…but don’t you dare try and wake her up, understood Comet Trail?”
“I pwomise.” She nods.
With that said, Starlight then began to close the bedroom door on them both, and made her way back into the kitchen.
Comet looked back at Octave, whose face was covered up by the pillow, only revealing her mouth and nose to breath from below it. The rest of her body was completely covered up by the warm covers over the bed, which Comet proceeds to then get under next to her. She looked at Octave with curiosity again blinking a time or two. She then got even closer to her and then curled back up next to her, leaving only her head exposed out from under the covers beside Octave.
“Um…hewwo?”
“What did she just say?” Octave mumbled to her.
“Oh wight…sowwy.” Comet whispered close to her ear, before managing to relax next to her after some quiet time. She heard Octave inhale then exhale softly, which seemed to make Comet yawn.
“What’s your mommy wike? Is she pwetty wike you?” Comet Trail asked, after being told to be quiet.
“This is the last thing I will answer you about…my mother is very nice yes…and secondly…ah just forget it.” Octave replied a bit bothered by her now, but Comet trail didn’t understand that she wasn’t a morning pony to begin with.
“I’m sowwy…I’ll be quiet wike mommy said.”
Comet Trail was unique all her own, and her mother simply told her that so she would feel special, and hopefully that might fill in the gap of her heart of never knowing her father. Her personality was something of being quite a lovable filly her age, and didn’t really care much on what others thought. If she ever wanted to do something, she went ahead and did it. She would occasionally have her hardheaded moments like her mother from time to time, due to the fact that Starlight was in the military at one time. But overall, Comet Trail wanted to know what it would have been like if she had a sister, but chances were she would never get to live that chance out anywhere in her lifetime.
“I want a sistew.” Comet said to herself quietly, but Octave managing to overhear her since she herself wasn’t back asleep yet.
“So…no wonder…” Octave thought. “She doesn’t like to be alone I guess…she…she wants to just have somepony to be with her for company. I guess she just loves having company around her or something.” She thought to herself once more.
After realizing it wasn’t long before the spell allowing Octave to walk on clouds was going to wear off in a little bit, she knew she needed to go back home. However her home wouldn’t be the same when she arrived back unfortunately…something bad has struck the family.
Octave finally arrived back to her house around nine o’ clock sharp luckily. Just as Starlight descended slowly back down to the ground, Octavia was standing there looking like she was concerned about something.
“Good morning Starlight.” Said Octavia letting off a slight smile.
“Mother!” Octave ran over to her onto the front porch hugging her.
“Why there’s my little angel!” Octavia raised her voice up a bit more, hopefully hiding more of the concern on her face with a voice of positivity. Her daughter however was smarter than that, and she herself knew it too.
“Mom?”
“Yes dear.”
“Okay Mrs. Octavia, I brought her back home nine o’clock sharp just as you wanted.” Said Starlight, unintentionally interrupting Octave.
“Yes ma’am you did, and thank you very much.” Octavia replied, then signaling for Octave to head inside. Her daughter knew that gesture of her hoof all too well, and went straight on in to the sight of what looked like Maestro worried over something. She stopped herself as she closed the front door behind her, remaining to stand there at the door entrance looking at her father.
“Um…father?”
“M- wha? Oh its you sweetie, come over here and give dad a hug, he needs one you could say.”
“Sure thing!” Octave then quickly scurried over to him hugging him directly into his chest.
“Ooh, my word your hugs will kill somepony if you don’t lay off.” Maestro said to her, trying to lighten up the mood. “Dad, I saw you when I first came in…what’s uh, going on? Mom looked kind of worried about something too?” said Octave curiously.
“Oh, me? Nah, I’ll be fine…don’t you worry about your old dad.”
“You’re not old father, you’re young and handsome…and all that stuff.” Octave smiled, poking his cheek.
“It’s so good to hear you say that, glad to see you are happy, though surprised you even got out of bed at this time.” said Maestro.
“Well Starlight’s daughter, Comet Trail, decided she wanted to bother me in the morning.”
“Well she’s just an early filly, that’s all. You have to admit though, she’s a little ball of love and fun isn’t she?”
“Yeah I’ll admit, she’s awfully cute, and very sweet.” Octave replied with a grin. “But seriously though dad, what’s going on?”
Maestro then looked back at her with seriousness, and looked away back to the inactive fireplace.
“Look dear, there’s no real easy way to say this, but we’re lucky you came by at this time. Me and your mother are about to head out in a little bit.”
“But why? Just tell me already…please?” Octave begged him, grabbing one of his hooves and lightly shaking it, anxious to find out the answer.
“Your um, or well…my mother…your grandmother…is currently in the hospital.” Maestro answered with no good emotion detected in his voice at all. Octave couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could her grandmother, so sweet and so humble, takes great care of herself, and to top it all off, looks fantastic for her age, be in the hospital? She didn’t even want to know now, and just wanted to get over there whenever they were heading out.
“Oh…well uh, is she doing okay?”
“We don’t know, but that’s all I got from the hospital early this morning. I got a knock on the door around seven I believe, and they told me the news.” Her father replied.
“Please, don’t tell me that-”
“If I know my mother, she will be just fine. Don’t you worry about granny okay?”
“But you’re worrying though dad? How can I not worry when you are?” Her father didn’t answer; he really had no desire to answer something like that to stir up the subject even more.
“We just need to get over there whenever Octavia comes back inside.” Just as that was said, the twisting of the front door could be heard, and Octavia had arrived back in to get ready to head out.
“You have already informed her of the unfortunate news haven’t you?” Octavia asked him. He nodded, and then looked back at Octave not really being too badly affected by it.
“Oh sweetie I am so sorry to hear this too. Don’t you worry though okay?”
“Well uh…I haven’t really worried much to begin with. I just…don’t really know what to think at the moment.” Octave replied trailing off with her voice.
“I know it’s awfully unexpected and too hard to believe Octave dear, but I’m sure your father told you she would be fine, correct?” Octavia then checked over to Maestro’s face, wondering if he had already assured her it would be fine like she said.
“Yeah, I told her that stuff, no need to worry about that.”
“Wonderful…then I suppose we must be going then.” Said Octavia.
A few minutes later, the three of them were out and onto those streets of Canterlot they knew all too well. They were making their way over to the Canterlot Hospital, which was a recently built structure. It was designed and built around the same time as Canterlot Academy was constructed. They had the latest and greatest technology available, and some of the best medical staff a pony could ask for. It was better than Ponyville Hospital for sure, though it was a lot more expensive as far as medical charges and such were concerned.
Octave had never been in the hospital her entire life, and she was mesmerized by just how large the lobby was. A high ceiling hung a large crystal chandelier, with a sun and moon design on the tile flooring directly underneath it. There had to have been dozens of chairs, as this hospital seemed to be maybe even double the size of the one in Ponyville. A few Canterlot citizens looked back at them as the three of them made their way in, but not caring either way.
Maestro made his way up to the front desk, asking for his mother as the other two wait patiently next to an elevator.
“Yes I am looking for a mare by the name of Harmony please.”
“Harmony you say? Well it just so happens that I believe they brought in somepony by the name of Harmony just hours ago. They said she collapsed for some odd reason, I have no idea.” Said the pony at the front desk. “That’s her! That’s got to be her! May we please see her? I need to see my mother.” Maestro urged her.
“Yes of course, hang on just one second as I try locating her medical information in this stubborn little file cabinet here. Ugh, if only we had something so much more reliable than these things, like something where you could maybe type it in like a typewriter, and it would show up on a board or screen or something, you know?” the pony chuckled lightly before then quickly scribbling down Harmony’s room number on a sticky note.
“Thank you dearly.” Maestro then quickly grabbed the note, and caught up to the other two that waited for him, as they went into the elevator together.
“What floor is granny on?” said Octave, ready to push buttons.
“Room nine-one-three-two.” He replied.
“There’s over nine thousand rooms in this place?!” Octave’s voice rose in shock and disbelief.
“No you silly girl.” Octavia giggled. “The floors are just rated by thousands, that’s all.”
“Ooooh, I get it now. So like the first floor is one thousand, then the one above it is two thousand?”
“Precisely…see? You catch on quickly don’t you? Good job sweetie.” Octavia kissed her daughter on her forehead.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the top floor, floor nine, and were heading off into the right direction luckily. Maestro and Octavia continued down one side of the hallway, assuming Octave went along with them.
Maestro then looked back down at the room number, forgetting temporarily. “Okay, so we are looking for room-”
“Found it!” Octave called out from the other side, echoing as she called out to them.
“Wait a moment, I thought she followed us?”
“I suppose she catches on quickly after all.” Maestro smiled.
“That was by luck she was going in the right direction.”
“Feeling embarrassed by our little girl dear?” Maestro giggled.
“Remember this Maestro, your mother is still on my side after what happened a few days ago.” “Darn…she remembered.” Maestro thought to himself, then looking back at Octavia still staring at him. He couldn’t keep serious with that face of hers though; it just always seemed to make him smile even slightly on negative moments and days.
“I love you.” He added right before they went into the room.
The door slowly opens into the room that Harmony appeared to be resting peacefully on her bed. Octavia insisting they come back another time to be fair to her, but Octave didn’t listen.
“But I want to be with granny.” Octave then covered her mouth quickly after realizing she was too loud, and probably woke her up, despite she was a light sleeper.
“Hm? Er-wha? Oh…well my goodness it is you three, and I see my little doll down there too.” Harmony smiled to her granddaughter with delight, knowing that Octave felt the same way when her eyes lit up to the sight of that humble mare of a grandmother.
“Granny!” Octave quickly made over to her giving her a big hug after getting up onto her bed with her.
Maestro hadn’t even been noticed yet by his mother, which kind of bothered him. Harmony seemed focused on Octave the entire time it seemed.
“Hm? Oh come now Maestro, don’t think I’m not paying attention to you sweetheart. Come give you mother a hug, she needs one.” She said.
“Hey mom, it’s good to see that you are doing fine at the moment.” Maestro hugged her.
“Oh of course, you have a strong mother here, I am not going anywhere.”
“My mother was the same way Harmony.”
“Hm?” Harmony then turned towards Octavia.
“She was a strong mare too, but I remember her having the sweetest voice and the most kindest heart you could ask for in a mother.” She added.
“But of course dear, I’m certain she was. Now then…” Harmony then turns back looking at Octave. “How far have you progressed on your violin?”
“Um…well uh…”
“She hasn’t been playing it as much as she should be, her father should be teaching her whenever I am away.” Octavia then gave Maestro and Octave both a look, a look they both knew all too well.
“But I play the cello dear, you know that?”
“Yes, but a violin is just a miniature cello, that is all it is so to speak.” Octavia replied.
“But mooom?!”
“No buts young lady, as a matter of fact, you will resume on your practice first thing tomorrow. There is a youth music competition, and the grand prize is worth the effort.”
“What’s the grand prize?” Maestro wondered, with Harmony and Octave looking back at her intrigued by her statement to them.
“The grand prize winner will receive special honors from Princess Celestia herself!”
“That’s it?” Maestro was almost on the verge of chuckling.
“No, I hadn’t finished yet…aaaand, they also will receive five-thousand bits in prize money. Second place receive two thousand, and third place receive one thousand. Runner-ups shall receive just a gem-encrusted ribbon of effort I believe. But how great would that make me feel? To think, my very own daughter got to meet the princess herself?”
Maestro pans back to Octave, and then back to his lovely wife. “Okay we have to win that competition badly, that would make us famous!”
“Well, not exactly famous, though ponies would know who my daughter is now, and she would be respected throughout Canterlot that is for certain.” Octavia smiled a bit.
“But mom, I don’t like to compete in this stuff. I did this before when I was little, and you remember how that turned out.”
“Sweetie you broke a string, that’s all, and they unfortunately had to disqualify you for not having any more applicable instruments for you to continue with.” Her mother replied.
“Aw come on? Please mom, give me some slack?”
“There’s no doubt in my mind you have enough of that when you are with your father.”
“Hey!” Maestro intervened.
“You know that is a fact Maestro my darling, I know you.” Octavia leaned in closer to him giggling.
They all four carried on into their conversational topics, with Octave not really into their boring grown up news and discussion about things.
“Oh an this stuff is so boring.” She said to herself, as she sat there on the couch in the room doing nothing but looking around and making circles with her hooves on the cushions. She kept noticing the further they kept talking, granny seemed to act more and more strange as they went on. Harmony seemed to space out more and more and yet Octave didn’t know why she was acting like that? Was something about to happen that would yet be another unfortunate event or experience for her?
Maestro and Octavia paused for a moment, noticing that Harmony was acting strange as they continued talking to each other. She didn’t even realize she was doing it until it got pretty bad. Her speech seemed to be slurred and slowed down a lot more, and Octave began noticing it herself too after overhearing her struggling with her speech.
“Mother? Are you all right? Is something wrong?” Maestro asked kindly taking one of his mother’s hooves.
“I- er…I-I D-don’t fee-l-l right-t.” she replied stuttering a bit and getting progressively worse.
“Granny?” Octave then got off the couch and made her way over to her, and noticed that something started looking wrong very fast.
“O-Oct-ta-…” Harmony’s eyes then began to roll deep into the back of her head, as her head and body began to fall limp onto the bed.
“Oh dear! Get a doctor now Maestro! I’ll do the same!” Octavia stated, frivolously searching the hall for a doctor or nurse.
“Mother? What’s hap-”
“No time sweetie, leave the room now! Nuuurse! Doctooor!” Octavia managed to wave a doctor and a nurse down in the hallways talking, as they both rushed over to the room. Maestro then looked back at her mother and saw that her entire body started shaking.
“Mom!” he shouted, making his way back to her bedside, tightly gripping one of her hooves.
“She’s having a seizure, you need to leave the room sir.” The doctor stated boldly, and then looked back at the nurse next to him. “Nurse, get the team on the line immediately! I’ll stabilize her!”
“On it doctor!” The nurse then immediately locks the door and closes the blinds that allow viewing into the room.
Maestro was now in tears and worried like he had never been so worried in his life. Octave looked back up at him and began to feel his emotion reach out to her as well.
“D-dad…don’t c-cry okay? I still love you.” Octave said nearly on the verge of choking up on her tears gasping for air.
Maestro didn’t even bother to look down to her, and Octavia stood firmly by him, about to cry herself, but trying to stay strong for the two of them.
“Octave sweetie…sh-she’ll be just fine okay?” she then faced her husband. “Dear, love…I assure you they have everything under control.
“M-m-moth-ther…p-pl-lease…” He then began sobbing into the side of Octavia’s chest as they found a place to sit down just outside of the room.
“Shhh…that’s right dear…let it all out, you need this. It is okay to cry in time like these.” She caressed his soft black mane and then brought him in a tight embrace. “Oooh I love you so much sweetheart, it’s okay, please d-don’t.” Octavia now began feeling his pain, and even worse saw that her daughter stood there crying and worrying over her granny, which really finished it off.
“I-I l-love you Octav-via.” Said Maestro, trying to now clear himself up, knowing that if his mother saw him do this, she wouldn’t want him to be sad.
“I love you more than words can express at the moment.” She replied.
“Mommy?!” Octave cried making her way over to her mother.
“Yes angel?”
“I-is…is granny gonna die?”
“Good heavens no Octave! Why would you think that?” Octavia and the other two then see a team of doctors and nurses then quickly knock on the door, as the door then quickly opens up and locks once more. As she could hear was muffled low chatter within the room, nothing for her to decipher as far as what they were saying concerning the dire situation at hoof.
“She looked like she was hurting though! She couldn’t control it herself either!” Octave then made her way over to her mother and began crying into Octavia’s motherly embrace for her little girl. Maestro noticing this knew he needed to clear up his act, and be there for his daughter more than ever now it seemed. Octave loved her granny to bits, and harmony felt the same way for her, and probably even more knowing how incredibly humble and kind she was to everypony.
Harmony always seemed to have an answer to everything, after receiving a ton of advice from her own mother and grandmother both when she was a filly and then a grown mare herself.
“H-hey…what’s my little girl up to?” Maestro spoke out to Octave, trying to lighten the mood, despite how badly he was worried as well. He knew that him showing signs of worry would just get her stirred up even worse, and would get her absolutely nowhere on getting herself out of it. Octave then slowly looked back at him with one eye looking out from Octavia’s fur on her chest covered in tears, and her other eye still embedded into her mother’s fur. “Granny’s not gonna be okay.” She cried. Maestro noticed how red her eyes had gotten now, as she must have been crying pretty hard.
“U-uh…sure she um…is Octave.” Maestro began wiping his face clean of any tears and such, and trying to be positive for her.
“Th-then why did sh-she act so weird in there?!”
“She just um…had a problem with her…” he then looks over to Octavia then back down to his daughter. “A problem with her health, that’s all.” He then takes hold of one of Octave’s forelegs and tries to bring her around to him to show that cute face of hers he loved to see so much, but she denied it.
“No! I wanna be with mom!” she cried, putting her face back into her mother’s chest.
“Shhh, there-there my little angel.” Octavia stroked Octave’s mane softly and slowly, and began humming to her a tune she herself recalled from when she was a little filly herself. Octave thought her mother had the most beautifully crafted voice. So mellow, smooth, and angelic, it was in Octave’s opinion the best voice a pony could possibly ask for in a mother as loving and appreciative as she was. She then nearly seemed to stop her crying altogether…and it seemed to work wonders for her when she got to her favorite part of the tune.
Octavia kept humming the tune, as Octave looked back up to her mother with her red eyes smiling a bit, managing to recognize the tune. She knew that Octavia sung the tune to her in troubling time for her, or whenever she got sick or something. The tune even helped to calm Maestro nonetheless, as he simply stood there and took in her heavenly sounding voice. She sung no words, just managing to hum the recognizable tune in a near flawless manner. Once Octavia had then finished, Octave’s tears had managed to stop flowing down those cute little light gray cheeks of hers, still a bit red from crying.
“I love you mom.” She hugged her mother tightly.
“I love you too Octave, and don’t let anypony else tell you otherwise.” Octavia replied.
Octave then looked a little bit back over to her father, and she wasn’t the filly to leave somepony out of a special picture. She then made her way over to Maestro with those little legs of hers, and gave him a big hug too.
“I love you daddy.” She said hugging directly into his chest.
“Daddy loves you too sweetheart.” A small smile then steadily crept back onto his face.
“We will get through this together, okay?” said Octavia placing a hoof on Maestro’s shoulder, as they both then look back at her from her statement.
“So…granny will be fine?”
“Absolutely dear, there’s no doubt she will be. Now then, why don’t we all make our way back down to the waiting lobby and give the doctors and nurses some space, hm? I shall be down in the waiting lobby should you two wish to catch up then.”
“Wait! I wanna stay with you mom!” Octave then takes a brief gallop up to her mother, as they both make their way back down some levels. The elevator door then opens as Octavia presses the button to head down, and looks back to the site of Maestro looking back at his mother’s door…he didn’t hear anymore chatter.
“Maestro dear? You coming along now?”
“No…I will…remain here…” he replied, not even to bother with looking back at them both as the elevator door then closes making its way down to the ground level.
Maestro looks away, then back to the room once more as the silence coming from it now did not sound like good news, but he knew that they may have stabilized her now, and he left it at that.
“Maybe I should…I should probably meet up with her down there after all.” Maestro thought to himself out loud before making his way over to the second elevator, taking it down to the same floor as the other two were on.
“I love you mom…stay safe.” The elevator door then closes, like a temporary shutoff from his mother for the next coming hours.
Just minutes after Maestro decides to be with his family, the three of them end up waiting patiently together, and for a few seemingly endless hours.
After those few hours, and Octave was now peacefully lying still and asleep next to her mother. She soon then eventually woke herself up from a dream of herself falling from a great height, and woke up as soon as she hit the bottom of it.
Octavia felt her daughter’s little body give off a big jerk, and eventually her eyes and face came to life.
“Is everything okay?” Octavia asked softly. Octave quickly looked around the entire waiting lobby to gather her surroundings from the unusual dream she had.
“I guess so…I uh, fell or something like that.” She replied, as she proceeded to then rub her eyes with her hooves to help clear herself up more.
“Oh my, you had one of those dreams where you felt like you were falling didn’t you?” Octavia wondered.
“Uh-huh.” Octave nodded.
“Oh I have had those dreams myself too dear, and they are no fun to have. I believe your father has had some of those himself as well, right sweetie?” Octavia looked back over to Maestro but he wasn’t paying attention to a word the two of them were saying.
“Um…Maestro sweetie? Hellooo?”
“Dad!” Octave exclaimed, eventually catching onto him and he perked his head and ears up a bit more, and looked back at the two of them.
“Hm? Oh what? Yes?! Did something happen?”
“No dad, you just uh-”
“You just seemed to be a bit too worried about your mother.” Said Octavia cutting her daughter off.
“Of course I am, what else do you think I would be? How else do you want me to feel? She’s my one and only mother for goodness sake! Of course I would be acting like this!” Maestro seemed to show frustration to further he got into his response, as it seemed to startle the both of them, but Octave the most. It made her feel frightened, but just barely.
Minutes later, a doctor came out from view to them around the corner from one of the elevators from the looks of it. The family then got up out of their seats and rose up in anticipation of what he was going to say.
“Sir, you are Ms. Harmony’s son, correct?”
“Yes sir.” Maestro nodded, as they both then shared a brief hoofshake with each other, but then getting on down to business for the matter at hoof.
“Yes of course, and this must be your family I assume?”
“Yes sir, and she is our daughter.” Octavia pointed down to Octave blinking back at the doctor.
“Ah, well a pleasure to meet you little filly!” The doctor smiled, in hopes of lightening the subject for her young mind. The doctor then immediately straightens back up, adjusting his glasses while he is at it, and proceeds to inform them of the news that they had been anticipating for a long time now.
“I have…some news regarding your mother sir.”
“Yes? Is she okay?” Maestro asked.
“She is fine, we did manage to stabilize her in a matter of moments after the first doctor and nurse arrived on the scene in there.” He then looked over at Octavia. “Were it not for your wife here calling for help in such a swift manner, we fear your mother may have had suffered even some brain injury, or internal injury to herself by chance.” The doctor gestured lightly with his hoof back to Octavia. He then looks back at Maestro once more, keeping them both to his full attention rather than talking to one of them.
“So…she didn’t suffer any injury or anything of any kind?”
The doctor then inhales, and then exhales with some relief. “Thankfully no, she is just fine now, and just needs her rest is all. However…we found something disturbing on our scans of her brain.”
“But you just said she was fine though doctor?” Maestro replied.
“I did yes, but however we still uh…managed to find something within her brain that may have caused her seizure to occur.” The doctor then noticed the emotion on their faces change drastically to looks of worrying about her once more. “Now no need for that, because though we found something, we have plans of removing it.” “Well then what is it doctor? I have a right to know!” Maestro urged him, desperate on knowing the safety of his mother.
“Well…we seemed to have found a mass…or a tumor in this case. We do not know if it is yet benign or malignant, we have just gotten underway for those results to come in to us. The current size of it is about the size of a chicken egg. Overall though, we will proceed to remove it immediately if it is malignant. If it is benign, we will keep her brain under close observation, and determine from there sir.” The doctor stated to him, continuing to keep his cool about the situation so that any other emotions might stir things up more than what they needed to be.
Maestro was caught speechless, and did nothing but look away after eye contact with him for a few more moments.
“Thank you doctor for bringing this up. We know you will do your utmost of effort to take good care of her.” Octavia added, in efforts to cover in for what Maestro perhaps might say, but in a lighter manner.
“So this means granny is gonna be fine right? You doctors won’t let this uh…”
“Tumor?”
“Yeah tumor…you won’t let this tumor hurt her or anything right? Granny will be okay if she needs surgery?”
“Absolutely, we got some of the best brain surgeons in Equestria, though the title of best brain surgeons belong to a hospital known as Equester (Erlanger).” The doctor replied to her smiling from the corner of his face.
Later on that day, Maestro figured he was out of luck if he wanted to see his mother again for a little while. They would let him know at his house if he was able to be with her again until they thought she was in the green again to accept visits from others.
Throughout days of Maestro being unable to visit his own mother, he began to grow restless as of why he couldn’t? All he wanted to do was a simple checkup on her, nothing more, and they wouldn’t even let him do that. What if they weren’t telling him the full story, and only telling him what he wanted to hear that day? What if they had discovered something that seemed worse than a chicken egg sized mass within her brain? He got letters every now and then from the hospital in Canterlot, being informed on her current condition and such. He could care less honestly, and wanted to do nothing but be right beside her the whole way. He loved his mother too much to just leave her there without her son’s love for support.
The reports kept coming to his home, and that the day they performed the surgery…he was not let known of it. He was unfortunately let known of it the day after it had happened, which made him furious. The letter then finally came in on the report as for how it went on a wet and drizzly day.
“Octavia, the letter’s finally here!” he called out to her from upstairs, as her and Octave as well made their way downstairs to hear the news as for how it went.
“Oh boy, granny made it through!”
“Y-yeah, heh…granny’s made it through it I bet!” Maestro put on a fake smile for his daughter just to keep her happy and positive about it. But he saw Octavia make her way downstairs from the corner of his eye. He noticed that she had an expression of an “I hope and pray it went well for her” sort of look.
“Open it, open it! I wanna hear what they said about her being fine and stuff!”
“Octave, that’s enough young lady…do you understand? You are making your father nervous.” Octavia addressed to her firmly, but still on a level that only a mother could deliver it well enough to make it not sound mean or intimidating.
“Sorry mother…I’ll stop now.” Octave then took a seat on the couch, looking back over the top of the piece of furniture at her father in anticipation of the self-proclaimed good results.
The letter then read: “Mr. Maestro, I hope you have had a good day sir. It has come to my very unfortunate realization and confirmation from the doctors and nurses who worked so desperately hard to have your mother pull through this procedure with flying colors-”
Maestro then stopped reading the letter, as his eyes began to tear up, already seeming to assume the terribly tragic news.
“Sweetie? Maestro please keep reading it…surely that couldn’t be it?” Octavia’s face now filled with sympathy for her husband. As the last thing she needed was, was to hear the unthinkable.
Maestro hoof began to shake a pinch, as he resumed reading off the letter he had received through the mail just several short moments ago, with Octave now looking at him curiously.
“As it is my great displeasure to inform you that Ms. Harmony, your mother, had unfortunately passed away during the surgery last night. She broke out into another seizure, as we were nearly finished. I would rather not say the rest, as it hurts me a great deal as well to tell you this. I had talked to her some before this unfortunate demise, and might I say you had an excellent mother sir.
She even treated me like I was a part of her family, so humble…so kind…oh how I will miss her as well. Our thoughts and condolences are with you, as we grieve with you on this day, and that I am sure she will continue to remain in yours, and your family’s hearts. Good day Mr. Maestro
Sincerely,
Doctor McColtie”
The letter then ended, and Maestro simply stood there, tears flowing down the sides of his face like two rivers in incomprehensible feelings of disbelief and devastation within his heart and soul. His heart literally felt like it had tore in two, and Octavia then began to have tears stream down her face along with him, as she made her way down next to him, hugging him tightly. His face still simply stood there with eyes wide open, too devastated to even move, as the letter gently floated down to the floor below him.
“M-moth-th…” Maestro stuttered and muttered words to himself, thinking that surely this was all just one big dream? His mind was on the verge of losing it, like he was about to do something drastic to himself.
Octave then herself knew that this was not good news…not good news in the least.
“G-grann…y?” Octave trailed off, not believing what she heard from the letter either. She nearly seemed to take it just as hard as her very own father, and started crying hard with her face into one of the small pillows on the couch she laid on.
“O-Octa-v-vi…” Maestro then mouthing words to himself, was far too hurt within his self to even care anymore.
“Yes dear? Please, please stay calm okay?! I love you-I love you-I love you-I love you so much Maestro!” Octavia hugging him tightly, and quietly crying hard into his chest to help keep his racing mind at bay.
Those two rivers kept flowing silently down the sides of his face, as he looked off ahead of him with red eyes, and a depressed sensation coming from his face.
Octavia then kissed him on the mouth gently, and upon both of his cheeks. “Maestro…please listen to me, hello? Please dear, you need to calm down and regain your composure.” she stated to him deeply concerned for his emotional health now.
“M-mom…”
“I’m so very sorry Maestro! She was like a mother to me too!” Octavia replied crying quietly to him. All you could hear from her was sniffling and those typical brief gasps of air when short inhaling occurs.
A few more minutes had passed, and Maestro was lying on his bed, and balling his eyes out to himself. He remained within the master bedroom, keeping the door locked to prevent anypony from interrupting him.
“I-is…granny…”
Octavia then looked down at poor little Octave, her lower lip shaking, along with both of her eyes red as they could be. She herself felt obviously devastated and deeply shaken by the sudden announcement of her deceasing.
“Well…no, not exactly…she didn’t die sweetheart.” Octavia replied, as her eyes had dried up now. She wanted to be strong for the family, and try to put it back together whenever Maestro had calmed down.
Octave then sniffled from her small snout. “Then…w-what happened then mom?”
“Well…you could say, that she is in the same place my own mother is, she is certainly not hurting anymore that is for sure.”
“B-but granny died though!” Octave raised her voice a bit.
“Octave! That is not what a lady such as you should be saying! Your father is just on the other side of this door young lady!”
“I’m sorry mom…I just miss her so much now.” Octave then put her face into her mother’s chest in a loving manner.
“Shhh, there now…take this one step at a time okay? You said when you were a little filly, that you wanted to be just like me when you grow up?” “Um…uh-huh.” Octave nodded, clearing her face up for the last time.
“Well…what is mommy trying to do then at the moment?”
“Um…” Octave then had to stop for a second to think; even despite she was a witty little filly. “Mom’s aren’t supposed to cry?”
Octavia then giggled a bit at her daughter’s efforts to try and solve it by herself. “No sweetie, mothers can certainly cry, but they need to be strong for the family too.”
“Oh…” Octave then turned her head a little away from her mother, but still keeping eye contact back with her.
“Okay then…” she added.
“Come here now…shhhh.” Octavia brought her in closer with her motherly embrace. She felt so soft and delicate to Octave, like she was an angel herself.
“Um…mom?”
“Yes dear?” Octavia wondered, continuing to keep hugging her daughter to make her feel more secure and safe about the situation for a little bit longer.
“Does that mean she’ll get to see your mom too?”
“I don’t really see why not? Why I bet the two of them are even talking about how great, and how sweet you are.” Octavia then let her go from her embrace partially, and looked straight into her eyes warmly smiling.
A few hours had actually passed now, and Octavia had sent a quick letter to Vinyl. She had to let her know about the unfortunate news, and that she might need to look after Octave due to Maestro and her needing to make the funeral arrangements down at the funeral home. It was the very same funeral home Octavia’s own mother was at when she herself was a small filly.
“Octave! I’m-…oh…” Octavia stopped herself, seeing nopony else in the living room but her daughter looking off into the fireplace quietly to herself. As the silence fell, nothing could be heard but the distinct crackling coming from the blazing pieces of firewood.
“Hey mom.”
“Hello dear.” She passed her up, kissing her on the crown of her head. “Where is your father? Is he not down here still?”
“No…he’s been pretty quiet since you left.” Octave replied, still looking off into the flames, and its smoke rising up into the chimney.
“Well did you check on him at all when I was gone?”
“No.”
“Octave, he is your father dear!” Octavia demanded to her, as she then began briskly making her way upstairs. She then had approached the locked bedroom door, knocking lightly onto the wooden surface.
“Maestro? Sweetie I have arrived back from the post office.” She spoke up, but to her surprise…nothing could be heard. She knocked lightly again, and then a third time, only with more force now.
“Dear please, talk to me okay?” She still didn’t hear anything, and then proceeded to open up the door with a spare key under a rug in front of the door. She quickly placed the key into the slot and turned the knob, unlocking the door, and leading her inside. She still continued on using only easy actions, and slowly opened up the door, with the room blackened out. A beam of light from the hallway light being cut on shined in on what appeared to be Maestro having his back towards her in the bed, with the covers draped over everything but his head.
“Maestro?” she tried speaking softly once again, fortunately a tiny movement could be seen from her vision focused on him. Thankfully that happened, otherwise then she would begin to grow worried as to something that happened to him…that she didn’t even want to go there on such a thought.
“Maestro dear, did you hear me just outside of the door?” she continued speaking softly. She kept getting no response from him, and decided to lie down next to him.
“I am so sorry this happened…but you do know that she is not dead, don’t you?” she said, luckily managing to hear at least something out of him, despite it being only a mumble.
“Of course, I understand…would you like me to let you get some rest and calm down a little more?” She asked him with soft kindness in her voice.
“No…” he mumbled, luckily being a mumble loud enough for her to catch onto this time around.
“Oh, well…alright then…” Octavia replied in a soft tone of her voice, as she put her foreleg around him.
“I love you so much…be strong with me okay? I am doing the best I can about it. Sure, yes…absolutely, it is never an easy task, but I am trying my best to do my part.” She added, before lightly kissing him on his cheek.
He then slowly looked back at her from the corner of his eye, and it was still appearing to be a bit bloodshot. Showing no emotion from his face, not even slightly, he then put the covers over him even more.
“I will let you be then, it is approaching nightfall in the first place. I shall start on dinner…feel free to join your family. I am sure daddy’s little girl would want to see her favorite father.” Octavia smiled a bit, then simply made on her way, and left the bedroom entirely, leaving the bedroom door cracked this time.
Later on that evening, it was about eight o’ clock now, and Octavia had finished preparing dinner for all of them.
“Octave sweetie, dinner is being served!” she called out to her from the kitchen. The sound of pots and skillets being rinsed could then be heard afterward. Octave then made her way into the kitchen to wash her hooves to get ready for dinner next to her mother at the kitchen sink.
“Is dad gonna join us?”
“I am unsure as of that? Maybe a little persuasion from you would do the trick?”
“Uh, okay…I’ll be right back.” Octave then made her way out of the kitchen after drying her hooves off before heading upstairs.
Several more moments later, Octave made it outside of the cracked bedroom door. She slowly opened it and called out to her father in a smaller tone than normal.
“Um…dad?” she then approached right next to the bed, but not getting up onto the bed with him.
“No…go please…”
“But mom said that you-”
“I said leave me…”
“But dad, you need to be with your fa-”
“I said go now damn it!” Maestro lashed out at her. Immediately propping himself up out of bed, and his face quickly being viewed so quickly. His expression and eyes seemed to pierce into her heart with fear and great intimidation. The volume of his voice, and the way he shouted back at her so suddenly frightened her greatly. Never had he ever treated her this way in her entire life. Maestro’s eyes and face then switched over to sympathy, realizing the terrible mistake that he had committed just then, as he saw her start backing up away from him tearing up.
“Oh…my…sweetie I-I’m so-”
“Shut up! I hate you!” Octave shouted back at him crying once more into the day, and running back downstairs to mom.
“What have I done…?” he trailed off to himself, now afraid to even approach his daughter now.
Octave ran down the stairs crying, and Octavia managed to hear her. This caused her to immediately put everything on simmer, and she was off to the source of her daughter’s crying.
“Octave, what happened sweetie?” Octavia found her crying pretty hard at the bottom of the staircase.
“Dad yelled at me! He…he said bad words to me and stuff!” Octave replied sniffling and crying, trying to keep herself together to be a strong little girl for her mother. She was only a child though, and she failed rather easily due to the fact she was only twelve.
Octavia was shocked; she had never known Maestro would ever do such a thing? Let alone it be his very own daughter? Surely that wasn’t him, it couldn’t be could it?
“W-what? Are you sure you didn’t just-”
Octave then cut in on her, letting her know that she did not misinterpret his speech. “No! He cursed at me!” Octave then went up to hug her mother, wanting to know what Octavia had to say about it.
“Well you just stay down here and I will check up on him.” Octavia replied, as she then made her way up the stairs towards the bedroom he secluded himself within.
“Maestro? Did you really say those things to her? Just who do you think you are?!”
“I didn’t mean to okay?! Do you honestly think I meant it?! It slipped out of my mouth, I swear.” Maestro replied looking away from her thereafter speaking.
“I understand that your mother’s death is awfully painful, and I am terribly sorry still about her departure from this world.” Octavia said softly, but her voiced began to grow more and more intense to him later on. “One thing I will not tolerate, is a father who curses at his own innocent daughter, understand?!” Octavia then light stomped one of her forelegs onto the luxurious wooden floor once in an assertive tone.
Maestro said nothing, and simply nodded, assuring her it wouldn’t happen again.
“I hope so…” she looked away, then back at him. “Because if you do that again to her, she just might even run off next time.” Octavia then lowered her voice back down to her typical calm and collected tone of voice to make sure she didn’t seem too brutish to him. At the same time though he and her both knew it was perfectly fine if it meant venting out frustration towards one another. Getting into arguments they knew were healthy for a relationship, but if it means one pony trying to win the argument, and then it wasn’t healthy. They simply sat down together, and discussed their troubles and issues with each other as collected as they could, then they would come to a conclusion together to solve the problem or issue, which both sides could manage to agree on.
One thing is for certain, what a Stallion needs out of a marriage or relationship more than almost anything else, is respect. They will act and respond better to their partners through their wife giving them the respect they need. What a mare needs or wants more than almost anything is security, or to feel secure. Next down the line of course for a marriage is romance, children’s needs, and so forth after that.
After a little while of talking with Maestro over things, and letting him know everything was taken care of, they both still had one more thing to take care of. It was the more painful thing Maestro had to deal with for his mother, and that was to take care of her funeral arrangements. Would she be buried or cremated? In a casket or urn? Six feet underground or guided into the wind by her ashes, as was a pony tradition…mainly a tradition commonly known among Pegasi though.
It was morning, and Octavia figured she would just drop Octave off at school, and then she would meet Maestro over there at the funeral home to help him out with any funeral preparations. Hours into the business at hoof, and Octave’s school was nearly finished for the day. She still didn’t care for her dad to yell at her and curse at her like that. Slowly though, she maybe came to a consensus with herself that maybe he didn’t really mean to do that?
“Okay then Mr. Maestro sir, all the preparations have been made. We shall take care of everything, and make this as good as it can possibly be for her.” Said the male usher pony, he even had some age added to him as well. He looked to be in his sixties at least judging from their view as Maestro and Octavia began making their way out of the building.
“Oh, one more thing sir!” the usher called out to him as they exited the place.
“Yes?” Maestro turned his head back to him.
“Will you have a eulogy for your mother by chance? Of course it is perfectly fine if you choose not to have one, I understand..”
“No…it’s…it’s just fine, I will be fine with making a eulogy for my mother.”
“Well that certainly sounds splendid of you sir!” the usher smiled. “Why, I bet she is even smiling down at you right as we speak here!”
“Yes sir…of course…good day.” Maestro then nodded once back to him, as him and Octavia began making their way over to Octave’s school to pick her up on their way home.
After the news had reached out to all of Maestro’s family, Octave had finally come in through the funeral home’s entrance with her best friend Stardust. Octave had managed to get over what her father had said to her that one time a couple of days ago, and was even sat down with her father and mother for him apologizing to her. As for Maestro’s foster parents, they had moved all the way into Germaney, and could not receive the information in time by the time the burial would have taken place. They just lived now so far away from him, it almost seemed ridiculous, and Maestro certainly wanted his foster mother to be there for him, kind and proper as even she herself was.
Octavia noticed that she had brought her friend Stardust along, which was actually somewhat rude of her to invite an uninvited guest.
“Octave sweetie, may I speak with you for just one moment?” Octavia then looked back at Stardust. “If you would like to, you can wait out here for her in the lobby.” She added.
“Um, thank you Mrs. Octavia.” Stardust replied, complying with her statement, as Stardust decided to find herself a seat out in the lobby while her friend was beign talked to regarding something.
“What in Equestria do you think you are doing young lady?” Octavia spoke to her softly, but the firmness in her voice could still be made out from Octave’s ears.
“I was just bringing Stardust with me, that’s all.” Octave replied.
“Well she was not really invited, so you need to tell her she must head back home, understood? Yes, I am sure you find this a bit boring, but you need to respect our wishes for this family matter…do I make myself clear?”
Octave then let out a sigh of disappointment. “Yes mother.” She then makes her way out into the lobby, noticing Octavia wave to Stardust before she went back into the room her resting mother-in-law was.
“Okay, so that it?”
“Yeah, you have to go…it sucks I know.”
“Oh…” Stardust trailed off looking down to the red carpet. “So I guess uh…”
“Yeah, mom said it was a family matter, and that anypony who was not invited needed to leave.” Octave replied.
“You mean I can’t see your grandma at least once?” Stardust wondered. This caused Octave to stop and think for a second or two.
“Hmm…wait here.” Said Octave, making her way into the room.
“So is she on her way back?”
“No, she said she wanted to see her at least once, since she has never got to meet my grandmother.”
Octavia then realized that maybe she seemed a pinch on the rude side, so she reconsidered.
“Okay…she may pay her respects to her, but then she needs to go understand?”
“Thanks!” Octave then hugged her mother.
“You are quite welcome…now then, go on now…go ahead and bring her in.” Octavia gestured to her to go out into the lobby and fetch up her friend if she wanted to.
Octave then lightly waved to her friend, signaling that she could go inside the room with her. Stardust was a little thrilled to get to do this, though at the same time she knew she needed to use her manners, and be proper on paying her respects to her friend’s grandmother.
So Octave and Stardust approached Harmony’s open casket, and she seemed to look so pretty, just as she always was.
“Wow…she was your grandma? She’s really pretty.”
“Thanks, my dad said that before he was born, she used to model, but she quit it after he was born, and wanted to just be as good of a mother to him as she could be.” Octave replied.
“Whoa, no wonder. So um…how did she, you know?”
Octave then looked back at Stardust, and then back down to her grandmother, not wanting to really think about it.
“Eh…I’d uh…rather not say.”
“It’s fine, and I’m really sorry. I bet she was so fun to be with.”
“The sweetest mare you’d ever meet in my opinion.” Octave added.
“Yeah, I guess she was.” Stardust replied.
Octave’s father then approached the two of them with a fairly quiet voice.
“Well I haven’t seen you in quite some time now, Stardust.” Said Maestro.
“Hello Mr. Maestro sir.” Stardust replied. “I’m sorry for your loss.” She added.
“She’s only asleep, remember that fro one of your own relatives too.”
“My grandmother passed away about a year ago, and was really sad about it.” Said Stardust.
“Oh, my condolences then. By the way where is your mother?”
“She couldn’t make it, she was too busy to bring me over here herself.”
“Ah, of course.”
Stardust then looks back at Octave. “Well hey, I think I better be on my way back home now, again I’m sorry.” She then hugs Octave, making her feel a bit embarrassed for it happening right in front of her father.
“Yeah uh…I’ll be fine I guess.”
“Well it’s nice to meet you again Mr. Maestro.” Said Stardust making her way out of the room waving back to the two of them.
“It’s been good seeing you too.” Maestro waved back, with Octave next to him but behind him at the same time, waving back at her best friend.
“You have a great friend, I hope your friendship with her lasts for life.” Said Maestro.
“I hope so too…” Octave mumbled under her breath, knowing that something at her friend’s household was not good. Something with her mother wasn’t turning out well either. Stardust’s mother had gotten into prescription medication, and used it excessively in big amounts. The doctors said that if she wouldn’t stop, she would die soon.
Several minutes later, the usher then came into the room, and everypony within the room then stood up.
“Good evening everypony.” Said the usher. “I appreciate all of you coming out here to pay your respects for this fine young mare here, but it is now time to pay your final dues to her. So if pallbearers could stand over here with me please, we will commence the proceeding into the chapel.”
All of the pallbearers made their way next to the usher, with Maestro obviously being the main one. Octavia and some of Maestros other family members he never knew stood with Octavia in a comforting manner. Maestro looked over at her from across the portion of the room, noticing she was fighting back tears awfully hard.
“I love you.” Maestro called out to her, causing Octave to look in her direction. A tear on each side silently crept its way down her cheek, and she did nothing more then merely reflect a soft smile back to him from that gorgeous face of hers.
“I love you too.” She managed to speak up back to him, with the entire room being silent thereafter.
“Okay…now that everypony has dealt with everything they need to take care of, we will now let the pallbearers pay their final respects first.” Said the usher.
Moments later, a line of several ponies slowly and steadily went by Harmony’s casket, and Maestro was struggling to keep his composure as the last one to pass by her.
He then found himself in front of his mother for one last time, and then he began to breakdown and cry. He cried hard onto his mother’s cold chest, and looked back up at her emotionless state. He could have sworn he saw a very slight smile form on her face as he looked back up to her. He then looked back down to her body, and his eyes were playing tricks on him once more. It even appeared to him like her chest was just barely rising and falling very slowly. He knew it was his mind, since his eyes were trained to see such things for anypony that appeared to be sleeping.
“I-I l-love you mom!” he cried out to her, and Octavia then approaching next to him. A painful sight to her was mainly him crying or trying to hold back things from her.
“Shhh…” Octavia whispered to him, as tears beginning to quietly flow down the sides of her face. She gently stroked up and down his back, and then hugged his neck.
“I love you so, so much.” She whispered to him once more, kissing him. “This is not the end for her, and it is not the end for you.” She then gently brought his face over to hers, being just inches away from their noses touching each other.
One thing Maestro could not find pain in, was those breathtaking purple eyes of hers. He could manage to find solitude and peace within her very aura it seemed. Octavia seemed calm and collected about the situation, but she was still in a good bit of pain herself. Maestro could still see her tears coming down her face, but saw in her eyes that she was not truly hurt or sad about it. Rather he knew that she knew her presence seemed to soothe him, and calm him down.
He then began lightly crying into her, as the rest of the room quietly watched, and began grieving themselves in a light manner.
About a minute or so passed, and with Octavia helping Maestro through a tragic time in his life, she then made her way back onto the other side of the room, and left him and his mother once more to each other.
“You…look so pretty.” He said under his breath, looking at her seemingly flawless complexion and her gorgeous mane and well-groomed coat. His eyes still seemed to play tricks on him, making him notice a slight smile on her face that was not there. He noticed it once more, and couldn’t help but smile back at her.
“Sweet dreams mom…I love you.” He added softly to her, before kissing her forehead. As Maestro made his way out of the room to meet the other pallbearers out in the lobby, he looked back at his mother one last time, thinking of all the priceless memories he and her had shared together. It almost made him begin crying once more with just the thought of it, but he wanted to fulfill his end of the part for Octavia.
Several moments later, the rest of them went by Harmony’s casket to pay their final respect before it would be closed for the short service within the chapel.
Octave wanted to be the last one like her dad, and she had to stand up on her two hind legs in order to comfortably see her. She as well couldn’t keep her composure, and began to then cry to the best granny a filly could have ever asked for.
“I can’t leave her!” Octave cried to her mother standing next to her.
“There’s nothing we can-”
“I know there’s nothing we…” Octave then stopped herself after interrupting her mother, and crying replaced the rest of her sentence. “I love her too much too, I don’t want her to go!”
Octavia felt terrible for her one and only daughter, even giving her the most amounts of love and sympathy for her daughter even didn’t seem to be enough. Octave must have been really tore up about it, even despite most ponies her age still not fully understanding those kinds of feelings yet. Though if she received so much unconditional love within the twelve years of her life, she may have known what real love felt and seemed like to her. No doubt Octave loved Harmony to bits, and to no end, almost like a second mother to her.
As everypony then paid their final respects, and with Octave being guided away by her mother, she quickly then broke free from her mother guiding her, and went back to her granny, kissing her on the cheek and forehead. “I love you very much.” Octave lightly rubbed her nose onto her granny’s, and then went back to Octavia’s side.
“So everypony has paid their respects, and for all of our things have been said. We will now ask all of you to please proceed within the chapel down the hallway, as we will commence the ceremony in just a few minutes from now.” Stated the usher. Soon then, everypony did as the usher insisted, and from then on out, everything seemed to run smoothly all the way through.
A year had passed since Octave’s grandmother had passed, and Maestro had seemingly never been able to get over it. Despite all of the effort his wife and his daughter put into helping him out, it was just never enough. His heart was still broken, and if it kept being this way for too much longer…he could die of a broken heart.
Octave was a teenager now, and still the sweet little filly she promised her dad she would always be. She was more obedient to her mother and father than ever before, due to the fact that her father always seemed to feel very sick emotionally most of the time now. He had been in a deep state of depression the first few months of the tragic loss, and then particles of it just seemed to linger within him, topped off with a sea of sadness. He had still continued working and being manager at his music shop, but it just wasn’t the same anymore, nothing ever was to him since his mother died.
“Maestro please, you haven’t eaten in days?” Octavia spoke up to him concerned, watching him play with his food and not even take a nibble at his vegetable plate.
“I’m not hungry.” He looked off, pushing the plate off towards the middle of the table, and catching glimpse of Octave staring back at him with food in her mouth.
“Be uh…be daddy’s…little…g-” he then sighed deeply. “Never mind…I’m off to bed.”
“Dad, I just got home from school, don’t you wanna know what I’ve been up to?”
“Tell…me…l-” he couldn’t finish, and continued proceeding up the staircase, and closed the bedroom door.
“Mom…I’m worried about him.”
“I know sweetie, I know…and he has been acting this way for months. He has not been able to get over the loss of his mother, even despite my efforts to get your father some help with a psychologist.”
“Didn’t the psychologist say he didn’t know what else to do?” Octave wondered.
“That’s right…and that is the scary part…and that is never good news.” Octavia replied.
A little while later, Octave made her way into the bed with her father, and snuggled up to him, as he loosely brought his foreleg around her in a sort of “I don’t really care either way” sort of action.
“Dad, please be with your family, I’m worried about you. I don’t like seeing you so sad all the time.” Said Octave, nuzzling the side of his face but no positive result coming from it. He didn’t even bother to respond, and almost seemed to act like she didn’t even exist.
“Dad?” she asked him, and yet still no answer for a second time. With that, she simply kissed his cheek, and looked back at him as she got off the bed. Making her way over to the bedroom’s entrance, she looks back at him before heading back downstairs to start on her homework.
“I love you dad.” Octave then faced down towards the ground, and slowly made off with herself down the stairs thereafter.
“Dad…loves…y-” he stopped himself again, feeling like the very speech and energy had been sucked out of him by his depression. The depression for him was unlike anything the doctors had ever seen from a pony that had experienced a broken heart as bad as it was to him. It was like an emotional vampire lived within his heart, and fed upon the blood of his positive emotions, which left him powerless and his mind greatly aloof for him to really do anything about it at all.
Another week had passed, and Maestro’s health now began going into a good amount of decline. He was brought to a doctor and told that he needed to find a way to get over his depression, or he would die.
Octave prayed in her bedroom every night before she went to bed for her father she cared for and loved too much for words to describe it. She wouldn’t know what to do if she had lost her father to his own heartbreak bringing his untimely demise, and yet at such a young age despite all of the rest of his life he still had ahead of him. She couldn’t even bare the thought of thinking about such a terrible loss; such as her father’s own death. The thought alone would keep her up for hours on end it seemed, and would even occasionally get in the way of her schoolwork, which would concern her teacher as far as how her personal life might have been a factor?
Octave makes her way out after the school bell rings, and many colts and fillies rush out of the building’s double-doored entrance. She waited for Stardust to catch up to her, but noticed off into the distance galloping her way home. She didn’t understand why though? Only knew that something was not right with her best friend, since she couldn’t hang out at Stardust’s home anymore.
She sighed lowering her head a bit, and made her way back home with her saddlebags. They contained her homework: a book and some worksheets on one side, and her notebook in the other. No need for bringing a pencil with her, since she had plenty of them stored away at home.
She made her way through her front door with a quick turn of the lock, and swift twist of the doorknob. She placed her saddlebags down at the foot of the coat rack that was next to the front door, and noticed that her mother was taking it easy on the couch.
“How was school dear?” Octavia asked in a kind tone.
“It was good, but I still got homework.
“Home work is not always bad you know?” said her mother.
“I know…but still it’s dumb.” Octave replied.
“Hey where’s dad?”
“Oh he will not be back home until later on tonight. He said he thought the shop might need some changes made to it…have honestly no idea what he’s meaning by that. But why don’t you go over there and pay him a visit?” Octavia insisted, figuring that even though he seemed to not really care at all now on the outside, deep down inside, she thought he always enjoyed having his little girl spend time with him.
“I don’t really know if that’s a good idea…plus it doesn’t really interest me anymore.”
Octavia gasped at her response. “Octave, that is your father though?!” she spoke up shocked.
“He’s not the same, he never has been for a really long time. I don’t feel the same either…” Octave then cuddles up against her mother, rubbing the side of her face against her mother’s neck.
“Aww, I know sweetie I know. He isn’t the same, but I have still not given up on him just yet. I have one more thing I want to try, although it seems awfully farfetched.” Said Octavia.
“What is it?”
“If psychology cannot destroy that barrier, then I think divine help can get rid of it altogether.”
Octave then looked back up at her with curiosity written all over her face. “Um…what?”
“I will write a letter to the princess, and see if she might be able to help…and yes I am that desperate sweetie. Your father is in terrible shape, and he needs help immediately.”
“But mom, doest he princess do that kind of stuff?”
“Yes, she loves the citizens of Equestria, and she listens to them if they ever call on her aid. She may not be able to attend to all of their needs, but she certainly tries her best I am sure of that.” Octavia replied.
“You need to start on that homework young lady, understood?”
“Yes ma’am.” Octave then kissed her mother’s cheek ever so sweetly, and then got off the couch bringing her saddlebags up with her upstairs to her bedroom.
“Don’t come out of that room until you have finished everything!”
“Awwww! But whyyy?!” Octave wondered whining from her cracked bedroom door before she closed it.
“Just do as you are told! Honor your father and mother!” her mother commanded to her from downstairs.
Half and hour had passed since Octavia had heard anything from her daughter upstairs? She must have been studying and focusing on some interesting work.
“Should I check on her?” she wondered. “Well…hm, I think she will be fine. It doesn’t seem like she needs my help on anything, or she would call out to me like she always has.”
The house had been quiet for over an hour now, and Octavia had managed to finish writing the letter to the princess within that hour. She went outside to place the letter within the mailbox, and head back indoors to settle into her soft spot on the couch once more for the evening.
“Octave sweetie, is everything alright up there?!”
“Yes mom, I’m studying!” she replied back in a slightly muffled tone of her voice, as it passed through the floor and walls.
“Maestro won’t be back until nine tonight, which is still a little under four hours away from now?” Octavia wondered to herself. “This is going to certainly be a long four hours then…let the fun begin.” She sarcastically thinks to herself. She then decides to grab some catalogs from a basket placed under one of the nightstands, and begins riding her boredom off with images of stylish clothing and so forth until he returns.
It was early in the morning, and now Octavia and her daughter were worried sick over Maestro. Octave was heading out of the house, and off to school any minute now. Octavia however was going to wait a bit longer for her daughter to make it further down the road, so she could make her move over to his music store, to reduce the worry within her daughter’s mind.
“I haven’t seen dad at all since yesterday afternoon? Is he okay?”
“I’m sure he’s fine…I bet he probably fell asleep in his shop back in his office.” Octavia replied.
“What if he’s not there? What will we do then?” her daughter wondered again.
“One thing at a time little lady, just try your best, and stay calm and collected as much as you can.”
Octave had finally left out the front door of her house for school, as her mother continued watching her, making sure she was out of sight entirely from her vision.
“Okay, now I need to make my way over to the store.” But then Octavia realized she didn’t remember where the spare key he kept for the shop was.
“Confound it!” she facehoofed herself before running back up to the bedroom, assuming it might be in the nightstand on his side of the bed.
A minute or two of searching through his nightstand, and luckily she had managed to find it. “Thank Celestia, now I am out of here!” she said to herself relieved. Octavia makes her way back downstairs, and then quickly out the front door, hoping that he decided to merely sleep in his office that night.
Arriving just outside of his music shop that wouldn’t even open for about another hour or a little less, she gave the key a turn into the keyhole. It clicked, and she managed to open the shop entrance, but accidentally forgetting the hanging bell the door had struck. It gave off a gentle ring, as she entered, which still startled her greatly. Octavia hoped that Maestro hadn’t heard that or had been awoken from the noise.
Within several moments of silence, and hiding behind a double-bass at the store’s front window, she crept out from behind it, and made her way into the back of the store, and towards his office in a steady pace. She noticed a few desks that had frames and skeletons of instruments being hoof made, and currently in the works. Octavia then turned her head, and saw a single light bulb shine on the golden plaque that decorated his office door. She gulped, and knew that if he wasn’t in his office, something terribly wrong had happened to him. It was now the moment of truth, as she managed to slowly turn the knob, relieved it was unlocked still. She managed to almost silently open hid office door the entire way.
To Octavia’s enormous relief, she had noticed him out of it with an entire bottle of wine at his desk, as a faint light bulb shined on him from above in the corner of the room. It was certainly no prestigious office, as he preferred to keep things very basic. All he wanted was enough light to work with, some nice touches for the floor and walls, and that was it. No fancy paintings adorned his walls, no fancy accents or crown molding along his ceiling or around his room. It was as basic as you could get for an office.
Octavia slowly approached him, standing eventually right beside him with his upper half sleeping on his desk. A pool of drool had been around his entire cheek, which made Octavia shiver a bit at that moment, just looking at a sight as bad as that was. She then lightly touched him with her hoof, knowing he needed to wake up.
“Dear…?” she lightly shook him, but no answer. “Maestro sweetie, hello? Is anypony there? It’s time to get up okay?” she continued whispering into his ear, and luckily a twitch was followed from his ear, so luckily he was alive at least.
“Oh thank goodness you are okay.”
“Mmmmm…” he moaned.
“What now?” she wondered.
“Uhhhh…” he moaned once more, almost sounding like he felt a bit sick.
“Are you alright? Octavia asked him. She was unfortunately however, met by a sight of him immediately waking up with his eyes wide open, and grabbing a garbage can next to him to puke in.
“Oh gosh…no…no wonder.” She shook her head turning away from the terrible sight. As Octavia looked away, letting him take care of business, she noticed a lot of other empty wine bottles in a darkened corner of his office.
“Is…is this what you had been drinking? Have you been drinking your depression away?” Octavia then grabbed another empty wine bottle and shook the bottle in front of his face.
“N-n-” he then covers his mouth again, and then takes it out once more on the garbage can, hugely relieved there was a garbage bag within it rather than it being bare.
“Then would you care to explain to me, or prove me wrong why I do not think you are becoming an alcoholic?!” Octavia’s voice was becoming to sound more and more frustrated with him as the questions kept coming.
“Octave was worried sick about you last night, and this morning too! I was worried…well I don’t even have to explain myself to you now do I?”
“N-…no…” he replied back in a nauseated and sick sounding tone of his voice.
“Well I want you to stop this madness, understand? You are not going to be drinking your sadness and depression away, and expect yourself to feel good afterward. I will forbid any further toxins getting into your body.” She stated firmly to him.
“Y-you can’t make me.” He replied.
“Don’t think I can? Maestro…you know me when I am determined to get something done.”
Maestro then sat silent for several moments, and knew she was right. She won nearly everytime when it all came down to it. “Um…yeah…I uh-…I do.”
“Thank you for clearing this up…this is the most you have spoken to me all week dear, I am worried to no end for you. I have also seeked divine help from you know who.” Said Octavia.
“Oh joy…I can’t wait.” Maestro replied in a smart tone, and then puking once again into his garbage can.
“Ugh!” Octavia was disgusted at him for doing such a brutish thing as finding tranquility at the bottom of a bottle of wine. “If you are continuing to do this…you leave me no choice.” She then makes her way over to his office’s doorway, before she closes the door.
“If you will no longer clarify me as your wife, and you never speak to your daughter anymore…you are no longer welcome home, understand? You can go ahead and drink your sorrows away in this mockery of yours you claim to be apparently working for you from the looks of it. You reek of booze first off, and I will not have my daughter be with her father in such poor shape as this. Either accept my offer and stop this drinking immediately, and come with me for divine assistance. Or you will be living by yourself until you do. Either that or you will drink yourself to death if I know you now!” Octavia then slammed his door shut and briskly made her way out of the shop.
Hearing those harsh words come from his very wife made his heart break in two, but he still knew that it was the cold truth…a very cold truth. He looked back up at his empty wine bottle that she had shown him, and the other one he had finished just last night, and threw them away into the puddle of puke that was now his trash bag within the garbage can.
With the school bell letting off a final ring from itself, everypony throughout the entire school building was now in class. Octave and Stardust still continued sitting next to each other, as they have always done since they were little fillies in kindergarten. Their teacher now, surprisingly enough, happened to be their kindergarten teacher’s own daughter, which she looked awfully young to be a teacher. Though look at Cheerilee down in Ponyville? She practically radiated incredible complexion. She seemed to have learned even a lot from her own mother, as she happened to act like Octave and Stardust’s former teacher, Mrs. Jewel, years ago in some ways.
“Okay my little ponies, get out your textbooks and turn to page eighty-five. Because today we are going to be-” the teacher’s voice then grew muffled, and unable to make out to Octave. She still continued looking at her textbook along with the rest of the class, but her mind was having trouble focusing, due to the fact she still had not seen her father, even since last night.
Her mind then snapped back to reality once more; as she was called on to answer a question.
“Octave?”
“Hm?” she flipped her head back up after leaning it on one of her hooves.
“Would you like to tell me and the class, one main export of Trottingham?” the teacher asked nicely.
“Um…uh…”
“I think that’s her answer.” A voice spoke up in the class, causing most of the room to snicker.
“I will have none of that in my class, understood?” the teacher slapped a ruler on her desk, making everypony straighten up in an instant. She then asks Octave once more the same question.
“All I need is one main export from Trottingham, we went over this in last week’s quiz, remember?”
“Um…cheese?”
“Yes, good job Octave! Now then…cheese is one of their main exports as you see in the chart on the next page.” The teacher’s voice then mutes out of her mind once again, as she started daydreaming off out the window she sat next to.
“Dad…I hope you’re okay, wherever you are right now. You…you didn’t do anything bad did you?” Octave wonders to herself.
Meanwhile as she daydreams, the class continues resuming their learning process in reality.
“Stardust, can you tell me what other nation has its own successful export business?”
“Saddle Arabia?”
“Precisely…and do you know what some of their main exports are?”
“Uh…high quality textiles and uh…gold?”
“Excellent work Stardust! Hm…Octave? Your friend just gave me two main exports from Saddle Arabia. Would you like to add another from that country?” she waited for a few moments, but then received no response from her. “Octave?” she asked once more, and yet still the same thing, as she then approached the daydreaming pony.
“Mom didn’t walk with me to school like she always did? So why would she-”
“Octave?” the teacher managed to speak up standing right in front of her desk, snapping her back into reality once again.
“Oh! Um…what?”
“Is everything okay Octave? You seem to be distracted by something the past few days?”
This caused Stardust to peek over at her best friend, making sure she was officially fine.
“Uh…I suppose I am a little bit.”
“Well would you like to talk to a counselor about it? Because we have a test this week.” The teacher then gets down closer to her face whispering, making sure that the others in the class didn’t hear her. “Plus, I don’t want one of my favorite students in the class getting a bad grade on a test I know she can ace this time, okay? So why don’t you make your way down to the counselor’s office, hm?”
Octaves simply looked at her blinking a time or two, looking out the window, and then back at her teacher. “Well…I guess so.” She replied straight-faced.
“Great, okay then, be sure and take the hall pass with you.” “Yes Ms. Soul.” Octave replied, as she grabbed the hall pass on her teacher’s desk, Emerald Soul, before making her way out into the hallway, and down towards the guidance office.
Octave continued talking to the counselor for an awfully long time, part of the reason was to avoid as much class as she could, until she ran out of things entirely to say to her counselor about it.
After about a good block and a half of class had been wasted, the bell for the ending of fourth block had arrived. Seemingly hundreds of ponies scurried off and out of the school exit. Octave was now trying to meet up with Stardust again, and luckily managed to catch her.
“Hey Stardust, wait a second.” Stardust froze in place after hearing that. Worried something making her uncomfortable might follow…which it would eventually to her.
“Uh…h-hey, where were you all last block? I didn’t even have a partner for some science project thingy we had to do.”
“I was in the counselor’s office.” Octave replied.
“You were in there too long, I know how you are Octave.”
Octave gave off a little chuckle, and simply walked beside Stardust, as they both head down the street together.
“Um, why are you following me home? You know I-”
“Well why not? Why can’t I hang out with you at your place anymore? That’s not fair to me.”
“Look…my mother’s not in good shape, and I don’t want you to get involved in it.” Said Stardust. Octave’s eyes then widened more, sparking her interest, but she knew it would be rude to ask “why” still.
“Oh…okay…sorry. It’s just that…it doesn’t seem like the same friendship we’ve always had ever since we were little. What’s going on?” Octave wanted to know the answer to that question that had been burning in her mind for a while about her and Stardust.
“I know, and I’m really sorry about this. I’ve just had to grow up a bit more than others I guess, since I have to help mom take care of herself. I have to help her with medication she’s taking for her…illness you could say. Plus, it’s just a whole lot of other stuff that’s been in my way too…but again I’m really sorry Octave. I promise it’ll stop soon, and she’ll be all better in not too long I’d say, okay?”
Octave still wanting to hear more from her, but she still sighed, and gave off a nod of approval. “Yeah, well…okay I guess. I’ve got to get home too, so I’ll see you tomorrow at school.” Octave replied, as she then steadily walked her way around the street corner back to her house, not even bothering to look back at Stardust.
“Yeah…see you.” Stardust sighed, saying to herself as she turned back into the direction of where her house was.
Octave had finally arrived home, and didn’t seem too thrilled to see her mom after a day of school like normally she was.
“Well look at who’s back home.” Octavia spoke up to her, greeting her at the front door as it closed behind her daughter.
“Dad’s still not home is he…?” she trailed off, and started making her way up to her bedroom.
“No…he’s unfortunately not, but…but I am sure he will be home…” Octavia then looked back out from the living room window just next to the front door. “Soon.”
She would hope he would seek help immediately somehow, otherwise she told him upfront that she would not raise her child in front of a depressed drunk that could not get through his grieving yet, surprisingly enough to her. It seemed like that to her, but it was more to that for Maestro. For him, it was a broken heart, a literal broken heart. His soul had lost one of its most important fragments, which was a mother’s undying love for her son. He for some odd reason did not feel that love from his mother anymore. This wasn’t implying he was a momma’s boy, no; rather he was anything but that. He just had lost as good of a mother as you could ask for to be a mother in Equestria it seemed. He was more hurt about the situation than Octavia portrayed it out to be from herself.
She was a strong mare when she needed to be about this stuff, since she had dealt with a lot of great loss throughout her own lifetime, starting with her very own mother. It was then her grandfather, then father, and then her grandmother years before she met Maestro taking his first Canterlot waltz through town.
“Perhaps I may have been a bit too straightforward by putting him on the spot like that. That was rather rude of me I suppose?” Octavia thought to herself.
“But I know that he is a strong stallion himself as well, though. Surely he didn’t take it too seriously…did he?” She continued thinking over, before noticing that Octave was already in her bedroom, and didn’t seem too thrilled.
Octavia then made her way upstairs to her daughter’s bedroom, knocking on it in a gentle fashion, cautious as to disturbing her if she was studying by chance.
“What…?” a voice could be heard from within the room.
“Are you busy?” Octavia asks.
“No.”
Octavia then opened up the door and found Octave lying on the bed curled up in front of her pillow.
“I’m sorry you don’t seem to feel so well.”
“How did you even know that?” Octave wondered, still not fully bothering to acknowledge her mother lying next to her now on the bed.
“I could see it written all over your face, you are like your father sometimes on things like that.” Octavia replied with a slight giggle.
Whatever she said to her, Octave didn’t care very much, she just wanted to be with her dad.
“I miss dad, where is he? Can’t you tell me where he is?”
“I…I don’t really-” Octavia then stopped herself just then. Surely she wasn’t about to lie to her own daughter? This isn’t what she would ever want to do to her.
“Octave.”
“What…”
“He is back in his music store…I checked if he was there in his office, and he was.”
“Then why doesn’t he come back home?! What’s wrong with him?! Doesn’t he know that he has a family to be with, and take care of?!” Octave exclaimed, before hopping off of her bed, with her mother still laying on the bed looking down at her. Octavia had been caught off guard at that very moment. She had never seen Octave state such a mature thing for her age?
“You are so bright for your age Octave, I love you so much.” Octavia said bringing her in for a hug after getting off of the bed herself as well.
“I shall trust you enough for you to go down to his music store, and pay him a visit. Do not under any circumstances enter his office though…do I make myself clear young lady?”
“Yes mom, I promise I won’t enter his office.”
“Good…well then…off you go, before he perhaps- oh!”
Octave then met her mother once again with a forceful hug.
“Thanks mom…I love you.”
“I love you too dear…now hurry off over there okay?”
“Yeah!” Octave gave a nod, and was out of her room, and out of the house faster than a pony in an oil slick.
A good while later, before Octave had reached her father’s store, she had to go back into the house, only to get the key to the place from her mother. Otherwise, she would have wasted her time getting down there. So she simply went back into the house, got the key from mom, and was back and now standing in front of his music shop.
She turns the door after unlocking the front entrance, even though the sign said, “closed” on the front of it. She didn’t care, and continued heading on in.
“Nothing’s gonna stop me from seeing dad.” She thought to herself with determination.
She stopped and looked up at the door that led to his office, and thought back to what her mother said.
“She said to not go into his office under any circumstances…hmm…okay then.”
She eventually wound up in front of her father’s office door, and gave it a knock.
“Dad?” she knocked speaking up a little more. “Uh…it’s me…can I come in?”
She then heard some hoofsteps approaching the door, making her instinctively back up a few steps to be a little cautious about whoever was going to reveal themselves to her from behind that door. She then saw the office door crack open a bit, and could see a blue eye look out from it, and look down at her with interest.
“Uh…dad? Is…is that you?” she asked with some of the niceness she could muster up in her voice at the unknown sight.
“M-my…my girl…my precious little girl.” The door swung open, as she immediately then knew who it was then hugging her.
“Daddy!” she replied happily with a hug back to him.
“I’m so sorry for those terrible things I did a while back. I have been a terrible father for quite some time now!” Maestro having one of his eyes begin to water.
“Why did you act so sad for such a long time? Why didn’t you get over it? The doctor said you could have died from that heart being broken he said if it kept going.” Said Octave.
“I know sweetie, I know, and I am so so sorry.” Maestro then broke the hug and began looking directly into her eyes, making her sparkle a bit after wiping his watering eye.
“Why did you change so fast? I thought you were uh…really sad still?”
“Your mother talked uh…some sense into me I suppose you could say. I am just glad to see you finally have some positivity of yourself.”
“Whenever my daddy’s feeling better, I feel better too.” Octave smiles big, as she then pecked him on the tip of his nose.
A few more years have passed, and Octave was now in her junior year of high school, and was honored a scholarship to play in a college orchestra of her choice anywhere in Equestria that had an orchestra for their school. Her schooling would be paid in full by the college as well, as she was nearly a straight A student in her high school years so far. She was a pro in her music class, and even taught her own music teacher a thing or two on music and composition. Many colts asked her out for the prom, but she honorably declined all of their offers. She even in a good way, managed to let them know that her not taking up their offer was not the end of the world or anything.
Along with all of this, Octavia managed to give birth to another foal, and she was only three years of age by the time Octave was a junior. Her name was Sonata, and her interesting tale was something to remember within her family for the rest of their lives. Maestro had gone along with seeking divine help from the princess of Equestria, Princess Celestia, about treatment for his depression and his alleged “soul sickness”. After about a few days, he was cured of his depression, thanks to her, and even some other divine help even she herself had to honor and respect. Was it by chance even her very own father and mother? Or was it something even higher on the scale by chance?
Sonata had a light gray coat, just like her father and sister. However her mane was white, and her eyes was a much lighter shade of blue than her father’s was by far. Her mane being white is something intriguing nonetheless. When Sonata was born, she did not cry, which was a sign of good health, was she to actually cry. She unfortunately did not cry when she was born, and she appeared to be asleep almost all of the time. The doctors said she was very sick and would probably die. However, the princess of the night heard about this news as it spread beyond, and onward into the royal castle walls.
Soon then, Princess Luna had arrived one day at their front doorstep, insisting she pay a visit to their daughter. Luna had managed to recall of such a thing happening to other families within the past, and that it was a very rare occurrence. The princess asked if they would like to bring her to a certain special location, one location that would cleanse her of her sickness, but would cause some unusual changes in her appearance. Maestro and Octavia agreed with the princess and her offer, as they then made their way over to a mysterious pool of water deep within the bowels of the castle. It was a room bathed in the moon’s delicate light, as it brightly shined in on the pool of water.
As Octavia placed her daughter, Sonata, partially under the water, leaving nothing but her face above it to breath, everypony but Luna was shocked within the room. Sonata’s mane then slowly transitioned over to white, and her eyes began to open up, as she started to cry thereafter revealing her adorable light blue eyes. Princess Luna simply smiled, as Octavia and Maestro could not seem to find a way to repay her. Octave came along with them and even witnessed it herself, not believing what she was seeing. It seemed as if the magical and mystical healing forces of the night, along with Luna’s own addition of magic to the effect, saved the little foal’s life.
Octave, being the filly she still was, didn’t think twice to be more proper, and went on hugging Luna directly into her chest. Luna stood there with her eyes opened up a bit more after the miracle. Octavia commanded Octave to not do such an insulting thing to the princess of the night, but Luna simply raised a hoof stopping her for that moment. She let her know it was fine about Octave’s actions, as it was not like it had happened to her before. Along with saying that, she recalls many other occurrences, and one in particular from a certain colt by the name of Pipsqueak hugging her as well, which she even found to be a pleasant experience.
So now the story has forwarded three more years into the future, as Octave was looking after her baby sister playing and fooling around on the floor in front of the couch. Her parents had been gone a day or two, since they still enjoyed having a little romance here and there, and they both knew how important it was to keep that romantic spark within their marriage. Whenever Octave had to go school that day, she decided to stay home obviously. She didn’t care whether or not she would get extra homework or not, she would still finish it anyway.
She then looked down to notice her well-groomed, long tail was over the edge, and being chewed on by her baby sister, as she simply looked back at the innocent little foal. Those light blue eyes of hers looking back at her big sister just added on to the potent amounts of cuteness within her.
“I don’t think I have ever seen a baby as cute as you are you little angel, and I mean that literally. Look at you? You even have the mane to prove it at your age.” She giggled, pulling her tail out of Sonata’s mouth, causing her to start whining a bit.
“Oh fine…nom away you little rascal.” Octave added, before looking back into the magazine that she was reading in front of her on the couch cushion.
“Sissy?” the cute voice spoke up, before she let her sister’s mane out of her mouth.
“What is it?”
“I’m hungwy.”
“You have such a big appetite don’t you?” Octave then gasped with a smile, as she got down on the ground lying flat in front of Sonata. “Are you a big girl?!” she asked her playfully.
“Yeah!” Sonata smiled playfully giggling, as she then placed her tiny hoof across her older sister’s muzzle and kissed her nose. “I wuv you sissy.” “Sissy loves you too.” Octave kissed her in return. “So now…lets see what we have for you to eat okay?”
“Yay, snackies!” the small voice called out, as Sonata moved those short little legs across the wooden floor, desperate to keep up with her sister despite her rapid leg movement.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Cookies!” Sonata then pointed up to the cookie jar resting on the kitchen counter.
“No, we can’t have cookies for lunch.”
“Awww!” Sonata then sat her butt down flat on the kitchen tiling, and looked back at Octave giving her a pouting face.
“No Sonata, mommy said that sweets before lunch is not good.”
“But I want cookies now!” Sonata then got back up and started hopping up and down repeatedly in place begging her for just one cookie, but her sister was smarter than that.
“I’m not falling for it. Look, if you want something to eat, I can make you a sandwich or something?
“I want toast!” Sonata spoke up again.
“That sounds yummy, sure you can!” Octave then got out a loaf of bread from within one of the kitchen cabinets, and placed them into the toaster.
“Sissy?”
“Yes?”
“Am I pwetty…?” Sonata asked, catching Octave totally off guard by such a question.
“What made you ask that?”
“I wook diffewent dan all da west of da famiwy. Daddy says I have da pwettiest eyes.”
“You have very pretty eyes Sonata, and yes you are very special, and very pwet- I mean pretty.”
“Okay den…um…sissy?”
“Yes? What is it now?” Octave wondered again.
“I wanna be da pwettiest of evewywhere!” Sonata smiled real big, pointing a hoof in the air dramatically in the most adorable fashion a foal could possibly manage to pull off. Octave couldn’t help but laugh at her adorable acting, and her baby sister was being dead serious about it, she had no reason to laugh, which made it even funnier to her big sister.
“Stop waughing! I gonna be pwettier dan even mommy!” Sonata stated boldly with her little voice.
“Well aren’t we just fancy here?” Octave giggled, as the sound of the toaster was then heard with a very distinct ‘ding’ noise.
The two of them sat at the kitchen table together with each other pieces of toast. Since Sonata wondered if other pieces tasted better than some other piece of toast perhaps? This wasn’t the case, as they all seemed to have tasted the same. She had a big appetite for such a small foal her age. She was even born smaller than the normal foal size she was expected to be. No doubt though, she got all of her mother’s attention now, and Octave at times even seemed jealous. Octave knew she would always be daddy’s little girl, but Sonata on the other hoof was mommy’s little girl.
Time would now press onward for the family, as Maestro, Octavia, their first daughter, Octave, and their final daughter, Sonata, would continue from then on out as a loving family to each other. Sticking to their promises to the best of their abilities as they could for each other, and becoming one of the best families the prestigious city of Canterlot could ever ask for.
Making sure to teach a child how to love is one of the most, if not the most important thing you could ever do to a child, or even your own child when that day comes. I personally look forward to the future of being a great father myself, and teach my daughter how to love first of all, smother her in hugs and kisses…you get the picture. Yes though, if you can do that, then teach them logical right from wrong along with that, it is, and will be humbling experience, should any guy become a father.
