> Purple and Gray > by Juru7 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > An Unexpected Invite > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was just a normal morning, the sun was raised by Celestia and the moon was lowered by Luna. The light of the beautiful sun came through the curtains right in the purple maned alicorns’ eyes. A big yawn left her mouth. As she was looking her number one assistant sleeping in his basket next to her bed. “Good morning spike” the alicorn said while stretching her hoofs and trying to come out of bed. “Argg, good morning Twilight” the little dragon also known as Spike replied grumpy of waking up so early “So what are we going to do today?” he asked, in the hope they would go to Rarity because somepony had a crush on her. “Well I planned to go to the spa with Rarity today, so I think it’s a day off for you”. The dragon watched her with a smile on his face. “No spike, you’re not going with us. Maybe another time”. “But what else can I do today?” Spike looked down still hoping he can convince Twilight. “Well. You could start making breakfast for us”. Spike always made the breakfast because most of the time Twilight was too busy reading and without him she wouldn’t eat at all. “Can I at least invite Pinkie Pie to come over today?” Pinkie Pie a perfect friend if you were bored, but still it was Pinkie Pie, the chances of a party being organized here was around 98.3%. And Spike still was a kid after all. “Only for this time, but I don’t want to see any mess when I come home” twilight replied while walking to the bathroom. “That’s a Deal!” Spike shouted back while running downstairs to make breakfast. Spike was just ready with making breakfast when twilight appears on the stairs. The purple mare walked to the table to enjoy the lovely breakfast little spike made. “You really did your best today, didn’t you?” “Well I wanted you to be good fed for your day with rarity” he said half dreaming away of the beautiful white mare called rarity, as it was him who had a crush on her. Spike was leaning on the table when suddenly a huge green flame came out his mouth, the flame almost toughing the purple mare. The force pushed Spike to the ground. Hearing a huge bump after the event. “Are you alright? “ Spike was laying on the ground, still hurt from the fall. “Yea I think so”. “What’s that?” Apparently a letter came out of the fire and was now lying next to Spike on the ground. “I didn’t expect a letter from Celestia, did you?” twilight asked in confusion. “No and especially not this early” the dragon replied while lying on the ground with his hands on his tummy. Twilight opens the letter and reads "Hemm interesting…” “What does is say?” Spike asks with concern. “She wants me to go to a Concert in Canterlot tonight, all the other princesses are coming too”. “So is Shining coming too?” spike asks still lying on the ground. “Well, she doesn’t mention him and she clearly said princesses. So I’m not sure”. Twilights’ good humor was gone after that question, she hadn’t see him after the Canterlot wedding. She thought she would see him when Cadence came to visit Ponyville for the Star Swirl the Bearded Traveling Museum. But that didn’t happen unfortunately. “I’m going to Pinkie, see you later Twilight” spike says to the half dreaming alicorn. “Bye! And don’t hurt yourself on the way!” Twilight automatically answers while still concerning if shining was coming or not. Twilight looked around for something to do. She could clean the mess Spike made for breakfast but she hadn’t the humor to do it, and Spike would do it anyway. She looked to the wooden clock hanging on the wall, 11 hour it said. That was way too early to go to Rarity. She could go to the market, but what in celestias’ name would she need to buy? Twilight walked to the fridge to get some sweet apple acres apple cider. But when she opened the door she saw nothing. “How the hell?! I bought a whole pack with cider yesterday and now it’s gone”. She closed the door and watched to the counter, “Ow, there it is” she saw the missing packs, but this time empty. “That little dragon sure was thirsty “she said to herself while picking up some bits “Well, I better go to sweet apple acres before going to Rarity”. She picked up her saddle back and left the door. On her way to sweet apple acres. The way to sweet apple acre went just how it was support to go. Derpy bumped into her, Lyra and Bon-Bon were just talking to each other near the lake and applejack was selling some apple cider. “SHE WHATNOW?!” twilight looked to the orange mare in confusing. “Howdy twilaaght, how’re you doing today? “ The earth pony said with a little bit too much enthusiastic “I’m fine. But what are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to go to Manehattan for this week?” “Well, yes I was. But I don’t think I can let mah little sys alone so I’m staying here in Ponyville so when something happens I’m there in a sec “.The orange mare replied with proud. “That kind of makes sense, I think. But I need some apple cider Spike drank it all” twilight was already taking some bits out of her bag. “Just on time sugar cube, these are the only 3 left for today” 3 was a little over what she normally buys. And tomorrow it was Spikes’ and Twilights’ market day. But the orange mare looked tiered and it was her friend after all. ”I’ll take 3 then, 3 bits right?” twilight asks while counting her bits. “3 is the normal price, but for you is it 2. You’re my friend after all” she handed the cider over to twilight and cached the bits out of the purple magic. ”What are you going to do today? Got some time left to help a hoof in the farm?” applejack asked while packing in her cart. “I’m sorry but I’m going to the spa today with Rarity and after that I’m going to Canterlot for a concert,” Twilight tiring not to feel guilty about it. “That not a problem at all sugar cube. Well, see you later I guess” the orange mare said while closing her cart “see you later applejack!” Twilight opened her door relived that she’s home, she looked to the wooden clock and saw the time. Half past twelve. Just on time, she thought. Twilight took her time to put her bag in a corner and took the cider out of her bag with her magic. Putting it in the fridge. “That’s that” she closed the door of the fridge and walked back to the door, ready to go to the spa. > From the Spa to Octavia > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight walked to Carousel Boutique to meet Rarity over there. The day was just young so they could spent a lot of time together. However they couldn’t be there to long because Twilight did need to catch the train to Canterlot soon. Twilight stood in front of Carousel Boutique and knocked on the door. - Knock, knock, knock – “I’m sorry but we’re closed!” a voice said behind the door. “It’s me Twilight!” Twilight said not knowing how she didn’t recognize her voice. Rarity opened the door her mane all dirty, “I’m sorry darling come in” “What happened to your mane?” Twilight asked while walking through the door. “Uhh, I had an order that took me like the whole night but it’s finished now” Rarity smiled “You aren’t going to the spa like that, are you?” Twilight asked the white mare “Of course not,” she replied, “I’ll be back in a moment”. Twilight sat down on the couch waiting on Rarity to come back. It was a real mess in here. The curtains were still closed all her fabric was lying on the ground, some was still in the sewing machine! It was quiet in the room. If you closed your eyes and concentrate you could hear Rarity in the bathroom and Opel snoring anywhere but that’s it. “I’m ready” Rarity said while coming out of the bathroom with a way to high voice. “Let’s going then” Twilight and Rarity walked out of Carousel Boutique on the way to the spa The spa was owned by the two earth pony sister Aloe and Lotus, they were well known in Ponyville although they were working almost every hour of every day. The spa was a moderate white building with strange purple rooftops, it did not have the same architecture style as the other buildings. But it was a one of a kind building. Twilight and Rarity stood in front of the desk of the spa waiting for aloe or lotus to come and pick them up. “Rarity, Twilight, what do you want today?” aloe said little bit shy of seeing the princess in real life. “Ah, darling, the same as usual please” Aloe took them to the mud bath, lotus was already heating the baths as if they already know Rarity and Twilight would take the usual. “So how did your morning go?” Rarity asked Twilight while she stepped in the mud bath. “Nothing special, only a letter from Celestia. She invited me to a concert in Canterlot” “A concert?! In Canterlot?!” Rarity watched her with curiously,” From who?” “A pony called, Octavia, never heard of her though,” Twilight said with the most relaxing voice ever.” She said that all the princesses are coming too”. “Hemm, Octavia,” you could hear Rarity thinking, “Nope never heard of her” Rarity said in disappointment from Twilight, “But all the princesses are coming too you said?” “Well yes that was what was written in the letter” “And how about your brother? Shining armor?” Twilight sighted and a Silence followed. “Well?” Rarity said not knowing it would hurt Twilight in any way. “She didn’t mention him, I really want him to come too but I really don’t know.” A tear began to appear under her eye. She missed him, maybe a little bit too much. “Darling are you alright?” Rarity said after seeing the tear under her eye. “I just miss him, I haven’t seen him in almost a year,” it was so bad Twilight was even half crying about it. “Doesn’t he care about me?! Doesn’t he want to see me anymore because there is nothing he can brag about?! Only because I needed to become a princess!” her grief was slowly turning into hate towards her brother. “I’m sure that’s not the case” Rarity said in the hope to comfort her. “He’s probably very busy with rebuilding the Crystal Empire” “Do you really think?” Twilight said trying to cover her tears “I am absolutely sure darling” Rarity confirmed Twilight closed her eyes, sank more in the mud, and tried to relax while not thinking about her bother. As it was for Rarity she already was in the most relaxing of her life. “Have a nice day!” aloe yelled after the two ponies. “Well, that was relaxing, wasn’t it? Rarity looked much better now compared to before the spa “It sure was, but I can’t stop thinking about Shining armor” “Can you please cut it off, you’re whining the whole day about him. You can’t change it anymore, or he will come or he won’t, worrying about it doesn’t change it” They walked further till the point their roads splits, “Thank you for the spa Rarity” Twilight hugged her to strengthen her thanks. “It’s no problem darling, we need to do this a lot more.” Twilight snorted back trying to smile. “Yes you’re right. We need to do this much more often” Both the alicorn and the unicorn went her own way. At the last moment both ponies looked back to let the other know that she liked it. --- Twilight was standing on the platform with her bags, ready to catch the train to Canterlot. The day went perfectly. After the spa Rarity went back to her home to catch up some sleep, and Twilight had just enough time to go to home, pack her bags, saying to Spike that she was disappointed that nothing was cleaned, and walk to the platform. A large colored Train came steaming from the left side of the platform, making a huge noise and letting the ground vibrate a little. Out it came large brown stallion with darkish brown heir. He looked very serious about his job, not seeing a single emotion in his face “Everypony get in for the train to Canterlot!” he yelled That was her train, the train that was going to Canterlot. Twilight stepped in the train, being careful to not bump her hoof against the step. The train was almost empty, only a few ponies were sitting on the left side, and the right side was completely empty. Twilight walked between the seats all the way to the end, ultimately to sit there. After some wiggling she finally had some comfort. She looked outside still thinking about Shining armor. I really hope he will come. > A Concert from the Heart > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I really hope he will come. That was her first and last thoughts after leaving Ponyville… “We arrived at Canterlot! This train is going to Ponyville in half an hour” the conductor yelled standing outside helping the older ponies to get out of the train. Twilight opened her eyes. Awakened by the conductor and all the other ponies moving. She looked out of the window to see the royal train station in front of her. Giant glass panes covert the front and the back of the station, with a huge timepiece in the middle. Twilight walked out of the train to see two royal guards standing in front of her. “Princess Twilight Sparkle?” they asked with a way to deep voice. Twilight stared at him with wide eyes, “Yes that’s me” she replied. “We were asked by Celestia to take you to your room, please follow us” they said again with a way too deep voice. Twilight followed them through the Royal Palace all the way to the second tower, back to her old room, from before she came to Ponyville. She opened the door and saw her room in exactly the same state as when she left. The book where still in alphabetic order, and spikes’ basket was still a mess. “Princess Celestia expects you to be at the royal concert hall within an hour” one of guards said just before leaving. Twilight waited until the other guard had closed the door. “And now I'm going to see what can be found in my books about that ‘Octavia’ “she said while walking to her bookshelf. She walked to the letter F, for a book called Famous Musicians. “Ah, here it is” she picked up a book off the shelf called ‘Famous Musicians of this time’. She opened the book and searched for the name ‘Octavia’. “Octavia Melody, could it really be her?” she saw a gray earth-pony with a mane of charcoal, she was about Twilight age and had a huge wooden cello next to her. She was just about to read the text when suddenly Luna opened her door. “Twilight, are you ready?” Luna asked not using her Royal voice. “Ow, hi Luna” Twilight replied. “Weren’t we supposed to meat each other at the concert in about an hour?” “Within an hour, and that doesn’t mean I can’t visit you, does it?” “No, no, you can always visit me” Twilight trying to not offend her. “You’ve really worked at your voice I hear” Back in the old days Luna always spoke with the Royal voice, even when she had a conversation with Twilight, Celestia and Twilight kept saying she had to talk normal because in these days the Royal voice was more… intimidating. “I certainly have” Luna said proud. Twilight gave away a little smile just before closing her book and placing it back in the shelf. Luna looked curiously to Twilight and the book, “What were you reading?” “O nothing” Twilight tried to come across as uninteresting as possible. “Are we going now?” she said quickly. “O, yes of course. Celsty will be waiting at the entrance” “Celsty” Twilight giggled. Twilight walked beside Luna on their way to the Royal concert hall, but when they arrived at entrance both ponies did not see Celestia. Luna flew a bit in the air. “Where the buck is she?” she said softly “Luna watch your words!” She heard just behind her. “You? How? What? “She was very confused that Celestia suddenly appeared behind while she just looked everywhere. “What? I’m on time right?” Celestia looked at Luna with such a facial expression that Luna Immediately knew that Celestia was teasing her. “Well, yes but how the buck did you appear behind be?!” “Watch you words Luna” Celestia repeated “and ever heart about a teleportation spell?” Twilight giggled because she saw Celestia arriving with her teleportation spell. “Well, let’s go Celsty” Luna said as revenge. Giving Celestia the same facial expression as she received earlier. “Don’t call me that! You know I hate that!” Twilight giggled again, she was just enjoying the sisters teasing each other while following Celestia to the Royal Concert hall. Once inside she saw the huge concert hall with all her beauty. Two golden statues from historical musicians on the left and the right. The one on the left was a colt with a violin, colors not visible because the statue was all gold. The one on the right was a mare with a lyre, she looked a bit like Lyra, but I wasn’t her for sure. Twilight, Luna and Celestia walked to an entrance at the right side of the concert hall, followed by a stairs leading to a small plateau at the upper left side of the concert hall. Twilight sat down on one of the chairs that were standing next to each other. The one she sat on was purple, like her kind of purple, with her cutie mark on top of it. Next to her sat Luna, followed by Celestia and Cadence. “Isn’t this place just beautiful” Celestia mention while making herself comfortable in her chair. Luna on the other hand was already bored of it, she didn’t like concerts. She finds it ‘boring’ and ‘time wasting’. Candace was more like Celesta and loved it, she thought it would be heartwarming, she had met Octavia a couple times before and she knew of what she was capable of, Unlike Twilight. She did not meet Octavia before nor went to a royal concert before. “When are we beginning?” Luna whined as a little kid. Celestia sighed… “If you keep whining it only takes longer”. She felt herself more like a mother than a sister. Cadence heard everything Luna and Celestia said, upon she whispered to Celestia “Is she always so childish?” “I AM NOT CHILDISH” Luna yelled in the royal voice. “LUNA!” Celestia whispered and yelled at the same time, feeling a bit embarrassed at the behavior of her sister. Luna grinned at the insult and looked straight forward to at least look a little bit more adult. After some time talking to each other all the ponies where in the concert hall and they were ready to begin. The curtain opened and a gray mare was standing in front of her cello and in the middle of 2 two colts, one ready to play a black pianoforte and the other ready to play a golden harp. Behind them was the rest of the band, not clearly visible because the attention had to go to the main three. She first welcomed everypony and then she called out the name of her self-made song or how other call it ‘a symphony’. Everypony was quiet and she started playing. Her symphony was very impressive it had all the key element a symphony needed to have, the low drumming, the rising figure in the strings, and the falling figure in the winds. Twilight was amazed at the sound they made, it was just perfect. Octavia leading the middle ground and the side ponies their sides. Twilight when she looked at Octavia she felt something rumbling in her belly, was she hungry? Or was it something else? She looked at her belly in concern because she knew there won’t be any food till it’s over. She stared back to Octavia, Octavia’s eyes where so beautiful, her eyes were purple just like Twilight’s but just a little bit lighter. Suddenly while Twilight was staring to Octavia’s eyes Octavia looked back at her, releasing a little spark between them. It felt magical, heartwarming and comfortable, and at the same time it felt strange. They stared to each other for like 5 minutes just observing the other mare’s eyes, Octavia still managing to play further. “Everything alright?” Luna whispered Twilight, waking her up from staring to Octavia. Twilight blinked a few times and replied “ehh, yes why wouldn’t I be alright?” “Well, you were staring intensively and you didn’t blink for like 2 minutes”. “ehh, I think the music just touched me” Twilight did not want anypony to know what just happed, not that she knew what happened, but still, it was safer to say nothing. Twilight looked back at Octavia noticing she wasn’t looking at her anymore. She looked at her for the rest of the concert but she didn’t get a single glance back, making her more confused about what just happened. After hearing applause Octavia thanked and bowed for everypony from left to right and just before the last bow she looked at Twilight just a little longer and then bowed. As she stood up and turned around she gave Twilight one last glance before disappearing behind the curtain and giving Twilight a weird feeling about what just happened. > What Just Happend? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- What just happened? Twilight thought while standing up from her chair. That feeling the pony called Octavia gave her by just staring at her was just magical, not like magical as in real magic but more like magical as ‘beautiful but still strange’. Luna stood up next to her relived it was over. Finally after more than an hour sitting she could just stand up and be free again “that was boring. Are we going home now?” she asked Celestia. Celestia Sighted. “No Luna, I want you to be at the gala with me” “A GALA?!” Luna watched Celesta with an `are you kidding me` look. “Yes Luna, a gala. But I think you are getting it wrong. This is a different kind of gala, no dancing but just talking and enjoying of the music Luna sighted. “Hey Luna,” Cadence reacted “I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you think. Octavia will be there too, and I’m sure you are going to like her” At that sentence Twilight woke up from her endless thinking about what just happened. “Oc…Oc…Octavia?!” Twilight said shocked. Cadence looked at confusingly “Yea, Octavia. Don’t you remember? She just played for us” “Yes I do, I just didn’t expect her to go to” Hemm, maybe a chance to speak to her would do well. And maybe I could find out what just happened... Cadence laughed, “Well then you expected wrong, you two need to have a talk sometime to know each other better”. “Are we going to sit here for long” Luna continued whining, Celestia watched Luna with a disappointed facial expression “Really? Celestia sort of asked” “She’s right though, we’d better go to the gala instead of only talking about it” Cadence commented and at the same time defending Luna. “Well… Let’s go then” Celestia taking the lead of the group again. They entered the gala room and the two sister immediately went their own way, Luna to the door to talk with some other ponies who were dragged to the concert by an older too and Celestia went to the southern princess to talk about politics. Leaving Cadence and Twilight alone. “And there we are, on a gala just after a concert, you like it Twilight?” Not really, I only got some stomach ache or something like that, and I didn’t even listen to the Concert because of that weird- thing? Moment? I don't really know what it was. “Of course! Spending the evening with you is something i couldn't dislike in a thousand years” “Ha-ha, don’t flirt on me. There are enough colts here” Cadence joked. didn’t mean it like that!! Argg… Twilight watched her with a disappointed look, getting more and more irritated of ponies not being serious. “Calm down Twilight, it’s just a joke. But let’s get moving or we will be too late to talk to Octavia” Oc..Octavia… Twilight felt her heart beating faster and faster while following Cadence. “HEY OCTAVIA!” Cadence shouted “OVER HERE!” She waved with her hoof to make it clearer where she was. “Well hello there Cadence, Long time no see” Octavia Greeted her with an hoof-bump “That was an amazing concert you just blew off! I want to introduce you to my friend, Twilight Sparkle. “Cadence said and looked happily to Twilight ok Twilight this is your time, don’t screw up now! “My name is Twilight Sparkle Student of Clele-“Octavia interrupted her In the middle of her sentence “Nice to meet you Twilight, i am Octavia. You probably already heard of me. ” Octavia Responded to twilight's not even finished sentence. “Come on Octavia, have a little respect for my sister-in-law “. Octavia turned her head to Cadence and rolled her eyes. “Fine, as you say so”. “I'm sorry for interrupting your sentence, let me repay you with a drink at The Pon-3's“. Twilight watched her with a little confused “The Pon-3's?” “Yea it's a super cool club just a couple blocks away” Cadence replied for Octavia. “And a super cool friend of mine owns it” Octavia added. “But we can't just leave?!” Twilight said. “Why couldn't we? I'm sure Celestia won't be mad at you if you're just making friends” Cadence Pointed out. Octavia began to walk and turned her head just on the last moment “are you coming or not?” -------------------------- WUB WUB WUB, Twilight stepped inside the club curious looking around her, seeing like 50 pony standing, talking and some half-drunk singing with the music that was way harder than necessary. Behind the bar stood a mid-aged brown colt with a beard and some black glasses shaking 5 bottles at once and pouring the liquids in multiply little glasses. The wall behind him was filled with bottles of –to Twilight unknown- bottles. “WHAT KIND OF MUSIC THIS THIS? I NEVER HEARD OF IT!” She yelled in Cadence ear. She has never been in a bar or a club before. “IT’S HOOFSTEP, YOU REALLY NEVER HEARD OF THIS?!” She yelled back, not believing anypony could not know this kind of music. Octavia, not paying attention to the other two, was already talking to some other colts at a table in the corner of the club. “GIRLS OVER HERE, I FOUND US SOME SEATS!” she yelled to Twilight and Cadence. “You already found some nice friends I see” Cadence said to Octavia while grinning towards her friends. “These are Thunderlane and Noteworthy, I’ve met them a couple time before” Octavia replied “So which one is your colt-friend?” Cadence joked with a huge grin “Stop it Cadence, you know I’m into mares” Into... mares…?! Twilight thought making herself even more confused while staring in to the floor. “Yo Twilight, everything all right?” Cadence asks Twilight concerning. “Huh” she shocked a little “of course, why couldn't I?” “Well you were staring to the floor” Octavia replied. “Something wrong? ... If you want to leave you'd say so” Octavia said concerning. “No its nothing, really” Twilight said. “I was just thinking about something” “Think fast then because where here to party!” Cadence said with a joyful voice “you two wait here, I'll get something to drink” Twilight watched Cadence disappear in the crowd and turned her Head to Octavia. Octavia turned her head too and before they knew it they were staring into each other eyes again. Twilight felt her heart beat faster and her body became heavier Am I... Is she... “I'VE GOT THE DRINKS!” Cadence shouted a little bit harder than necessary. “Ahh, finally.” Octavia picked up a glass and drank half of it in one time. Like nothing strange happened. “Easy now, we have a whole night in front of us” Cadence Reacted “What is this anyway?” Twilight asked curious, not knowing what liquid it was in her glass “Does it matter?” Cadence replied uninterested “Just drink it, I promise you won’t regret it” Twilight looked to her glass and searched her head for anything that looked like the liquid in her glass. She found nothing. She smelled a bit… Still nothing… She tasted a bit… It tasted bitter, not like anything she drank before. It was all right though. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t nice either. “And? Do you like it” Octavia said way to interested. Don’t Disappoint her now! Twilight thought. “Like it? I LOVE IT!” she said faking herself, she picked up her glass and drank it all in one time. Almost choking because of the large amount that was in the glass. “YEA!” Octavia Screamed, “That’s the way I like it!” As she imitated Twilight and drank the half she had in one time. “Don’t you girls leave me behind” Cadence said, and she too drank all she had at once. Followed by Thunderlane and Noteworthy. The night had begun. A night that was far from over. A night two mares would never forget