A Night to Remember
A single cloud drifted across the starry night sky as a former first-chair cellist walked through the city park. All night long, she could’ve sworn that cloud was following her. But that’s not possible unless a pegasus was up there guiding it, Octavia thought. The only pegasus she knew that would follow her in such a manner was out of town on weather pony business, and not supposed to be back until next month.
Oh, how Octavia missed her marefriend. It had been a couple weeks since they were last together, enjoying one another’s company under a starry night sky, such as the one this evening. A great void filled her stomach at the thought of her beloved marefriend. She was in Canterlot to prevent a wild thunderstorm from assaulting the majestic capital.
Every night since Raindrops left, Octavia has been plagued with nightmares about all the horrific things that could have befallen her marefriend. Being blown off course only to be impaled by a branch. Her body being sent into shock by a violent lightning strike, leaving her unable to prevent herself from plummeting to her demise. Octavia knew these were only dreams, but they just simply felt too real.
The fact that very few on-the-job casualties ever happened did nothing to help calm her worried mind. What if her last night with Raindrop really was her last? Giving herself a violent shake, Octavia pushed the thought aside. She promised she would come back, Octavia reminded herself. It wasn’t like Raindrops to go back on a promise, for the only pony who could match her in loyalty was the Element of Loyalty herself.
Looking back up at the lone cloud, Octavia couldn’t help but to let a wistful thought pop into her mind. What if her Raindrops was up on that cloud, stalking her like all those many months ago. A searing needle pierced Octavia’s heart at the thought of her that horrible evening. The night they destroyed her cello; the same night she meet Raindrop. Both the best yet worst night of her entire life.
Shaking her head solemnly, Octavia turned her attention back to her surroundings, continuing on her midnight journey to The Fillies Delight.The only club with a halfway decent glass of wine in town, Octavia mused. Filled with both happy and sad memories of the past, it was also home to an old friend. Every week, Octavia visited his club and a letter from Raindrops would be waiting with him. Octavia always found it amusing how her marefriend could somehow remember the address of a club, but not the one for her own home.
Last time Octavia visited the club, the owner, Royal Crescent, said his mother was supposed to be visiting tonight. She had tried her best to wheedle the information out of him about who she was, what she was like, and that sort of nonsense, but he never gave away a word about her. It only made Octavia more curious as to her identity, and gave her all the more reason to attend tonight's events.
Branches of the park’s grand oak trees clattered together in the gentle breeze as the evening cries of one of the parks many owls cooed into the night air. The symphony of nature always amazed Octavia. Never did it grow old, for it was never the same. Yet it was ever peaceful, capable of weaving emotion into its masterpieces better than the most legendary composers ever to live. Even the great composer Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata cannot create the same feeling of despair as nature.
Octavia could stay there all night listening, but she had another place to be at the moment. Picking up her pace, Octavia hurried towards her destination under the light of the full moon. It used to be said if the full moon is shining above, then Nightmare Moon is not far off. But those are nothing more than bedtime stories to keep foals in their beds at night. It’s all just a silly fairy tale. Either way, the moonlight illuminated the small dirt paths of the park.
Within twenty minutes, Octavia was standing in front of The Fillies Delight. Electronic music was blaring into the once-peaceful night air. Tonight must be a busy night, Octavia thought as she saw a line of ponies rounding the block, all waiting to be granted entrance into the club. Since Octavia was granted V.I.P. status because she knows the owner of the club, she got to skip to the front of the line. As she walked past the mares and stallions waiting in line, several hissed at her to get to the back of the line, but Octavia ignored them and went on her way.
Stopping in front of a huge white mammoth of a bouncer, Octavia told him her name. After checking the list, the stallion stepped aside and opened the door for her.
"You're letting that wash up in before us?" came a snotty remark from a mare in the back of the line, causing Octavia to look over her shoulder to find the mare who spoke up. "She's nothing more than a filthy commoner!"
"Well dearest, I guess you're right." Octavia said calmly, after spotting the mare in the back of the line. "But this filthy commoner has V.I.P. status, while you do not. So I’m afraid social rank isn't everything.”
After seeing the flustered look on the mares face, Octavia gave a polite smile and trotted off through the open door only to be hit by an invisible wall of sound. Caught unprepared, it merely stunned her, but she got over it quickly enough. The music was louder than normal, almost deafening. How Royal Crescent still has his hearing was beyond Octavia. Ear plugs perhaps, but it doesn't matter. Octavia would be out of here after checking in with Royal Crescent and grabbing a bottle of wine to go.
Walking down the wall of fame leading to the club itself, Octavia noticed a new portrait hanging from the walls. Stopping to look at it, Octavia took in the wild blue mane, the snowy body, and the royal purple sun glasses resting upon a short horn. But the feature that struck Octavia the most was the mares ruby red eyes. They were oddly captivating. Forcing herself to look away, Octavia pushed her way through the doors to the club.
If it wasn't for the blaring electronic music, the place would have been able to be a jazz club with its dark hardwood floors, maroon wallpaper, fabric hanging from the ceiling, and portraits of famous ponies who had visited the club in the past. While this attracted the upper-class ponies of the city, it also repelled most of the working class ponies. Maybe it's because the club sold mostly costly alcohol, or perhaps because the word "beer" or anything of its sorts wasn't allowed to be spoken of without being removed from the premises.
Whatever the reason, every pony wanted in tonight, seeing how Octavia had to force her way through a sea of bodies to get to the bar. Normally, Royal Crescent could be found helping the bartenders, if he wasn't introducing the next performer. Tonight shouldn't be an exception and it wasn't. The only thing Octavia found odd was a cello in a soft case sitting behind the counter beside a grinning Royal Crescent.
His short, deep purple mane spiked up in the front, a pair of black metal rimmed sunglasses resting on him handsome face, and a vest just a shade lighter than his own tan pelt. Octavia couldn't deny she was somewhat sexually attracted to Royal Crescent, but his personality threw her off. While he is a thoughtful stallion at times, he is also prone to being an asshat.
"Good evening Royal Crescent." Octavia said, as she took a seat at the bar. "Business seems to be well and good tonight."
"Very, very well," Royal Crescent agreed with childish glee.
"Got any new wines in?" Octavia asked, as she looked towards the stage to see the same mare she had noticed from the hall of fame in control.
"I believe we’ve got a couple bottles of clover wine left," Royal Crescent said, reaching down under the counter to grab something.
“That will do fine,” Octavia replied, stifling a yawn.
“Getting tired?” Royal Crescent asked, before disappearing under the counter.
“Possibly.” Octavia said, letting her eyes wandering back towards the cello.
“I suppose you’re here to see if a new letter came in,” Royal Crescent stated, coming out from under the counter, a single vanilla envelope in his mouth.
“Thank you.” Octavia said, gratefully, taking the letter from Crescent and opening.
“I have to go greet my mother when she arrives in town, pretty soon here I gotta go here,” Royal Crescent said, gesturing towards a yellow mare that was wiping the counter with a washcloth to come over. “This fine mare will see to your needs while I’m gone.”
Looking inside the envelope all Octavia saw was a piece of paper folded in half. Tipping the contents of the envelope onto the counter, Octavia quickly snatched up the piece of paper and hastily unfolded. She looked upon the unfolded paper to find a drawing.
Smiling to herself, Octavia flipped the drawing to see if anything was written on the back, and indeed there was. Three simple words: “Look up dear”.
Looking up at the bartender, Octavia could see the slightest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. The rest of her face was cast in shadows as she poured two glasses of wine. Her heart pounding, Octavia reached up to take off the mare’s hat.
To Octavia, movement seemed to slow to nonexistence. What normally would’ve gone by in the blink of an eye, seemed to take an eternity. Her hoof trembled as she reached out to knock the hat off of the bartender's head.
The loud electronic music slowly dissipated, the soft sound of a haunting, yet romantic piano piece taking its place. The guests were baffled about the change in atmosphere until one stallion told them all to hush. Following his gaze, the crowd noticed Octavia’s trembling hoof as it hovered mere millimeters away from the bartender's hat. Swallowing lightly, Octavia gently pushed the hat off the bartender's head.
A moment of disbelief overtook Octavia as she stared up into the smiling face of her marefriend. Tears of joy welled up in the corners of her eyes as she flung her forelegs around her precious Raindrops. Hugging her tightly, as if she would disappear, silent tears of joy trickled down her cheeks onto Raindrops soft, yellow chest.
Their hair blew gently around them as it was buffeted by the soft breeze of Raindrops’ wings as she was gently lifting both ponies into the air. Tears began to fall from the eyes of both mares and stallions alike as they watched Raindrops whisper soft words of affirmation into Octavia's ear. Telling her this was not a dream, that this is really happening, she hugged the grey cellist closer to her chest.
Pulling her head back, Octavia looked up at her marefriend through blurry eyes and laid a gentle kiss upon her soft lips, but what began as a simple gesture quickly turned into a display of deep emotion. As Raindrops pulled from the kiss, she filled with emotion that none but Octavia and Raindrops would understand to its fullest extent.
Pulling away from the kiss, Raindrops gently touched her nose to Octavia's as she gradually lowered them to the ground. For a mere second, Octavia forgot all about where she was, and the ponies around her. A light chuckle escaped her throat when she saw Royal Crescent playing the piano with his eyes closed, smiling to himself. Octavia had no idea he could play the piano, let alone so beautifully.