The blue pegasus awoke with a start. “Ah… hmmm… what?” Rainbow Dash groaned as she stretched her wings. “Dang. What time is it?” She sleepily looked above the clouds to see that the sun had already begun its descent. “Whoa! There’s no way I slept in for that long.” The mare stood up slowly as she worked the kinks out of her back. Shaking off the last of her grogginess she took wing. She would need to fly faster than she wanted to now since she was already running late. It was a long way to Canterlot, and there was another mare that she had promised to talk to today. Celestia herself wouldn’t stop her from being there.
“I can’t believe this. The one day I decide to sleep in later than usual had to be today.” As the pegasus weaved in and around the clouds, she stared to slip into reminiscence. “I can’t believe that it has already been two weeks since I was changed back. Two weeks since I first saw her at the Prime Pegasus.” Rainbow Dash continued to fly toward Canterlot, but found herself falling deeper and deeper into her memories. It was as though she was dreaming while in flight.
She remembered how he had sat on the bed in the middle of his room that night. Although his body was stronger than he was used to, Rainbow Blitz felt amazingly weak.
This is not good. I have no idea what I'll say or what she wants. Not only that, she's coming to my room, and she's going to be incredibly drunk on top of that. Oh, Celestia help me.
Blitz grabbed a pillow and buried his face.
I don't understand this body yet. What if I can't control myself? What I saw on the floor at home wasn't too encouraging. I just don't know… this is going to be really hard.
He let out a nervous chuckle.
I'm really starting to think that I need help...
Blitz set the pillow back in place and started to pace around the room.
It's alright, don't panic. You can handle this. You're one of the toughest ponies in Equestria. It's all under control. She only said that she might come to my room. Oh, but the look in her eyes… I'm so confused… I don't even know how I could be this confused. I've been a mare for my entire life. At least up to this point, anyway.
He went back to sitting on the bed.
Alright, focus. You've been through tougher situations. Just keep yourself together.
It was then that Blitz heard a knock on the door. He slowly walked over to it and gave one final sigh.
Here we go.
He opened the door to find not the mare he was expecting, but a stallion. Blitz recognized his kind demeanor immediately. "Hey, Butterscotch. What's going on?"
"Oh," he began somewhat shyly, "I just wanted to see how you were doing…"
"What? Why?"
"Well, you looked kind of worried earlier, and well... we didn't really help all that much by teasing you about it."
"Nah, don't worry about that. I can take it."
"Well, yeah, I know that… It's just…"
"It's what?"
"Well… "
"C'mon, just spit it out."
"Alright, then… I don't know what you're feeling right now, but… um… I..." Blitz sometimes wished that Butterscotch would just say what needed to be said. It was really starting to annoy him that he had to consider his words for so long, tonight especially.
"Butterscotch, I really can't talk to you for very long. I'm expecting… you know… company."
"That's just what I want to talk to you about."
"Alright, what about it?"
"Well… Just be careful, okay?" Blitz felt a surge of nervous energy at this remark. His face started to turn red.
"Careful? W-what do you mean?"
"It's just that… we haven't been stallions for very long, but… I've already noticed… changes in thinking, I guess…"
"What kind of changes?" Butterscotch gave Blitz a look that got the point across immediately. He obviously didn't want to talk about it aloud. "Oh… yeah. That." It was astounding to Blitz how a simple change in gender changed certain attitudes toward ponies so substantially. He could only imagine how Butterscotch felt about it.
"So you understand what I'm talking about then?" Blitz rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah, I think so. What does that have to do with me though?"
"Just don't do anything, you know… impulsive…"
"What?" Blitz asked, knowing fully that the request was justified.
"It's just that… even when we were fillies you would always… um… say and do things without thinking them through." Blitz was annoyed at the accuracy of the statement and looked the other way. Butterscotch noted this when he continued his thought. "Not that it's bad to do things with speed. I just think that, well… this is one thing that you shouldn't try to rush through." Blitz glanced back at Butterscotch. "Sometimes you have to do things slowly so that you don't make mistakes. I know that you can be true to yourself and do the right thing, but you have to consider the situation first." Blitz was silent for a moment. He had forgotten how wise Butterscotch could be.
"Yeah. Yeah, I will."
"So you're going to be alright?"
"Of course." Blitz felt like he was telling the truth. After hearing what his friend had to say, everything seemed so much clearer than before.
"Well then… um… I'll go ahead and get back to bed. We have a long journey ahead of us, don't we?" Butterscotch flashed a smile and started walking back to his room.
"Alright, see you tomorrow…” Blitz was about to close the door, but reconsidered. “Oh, and Butterscotch…" The gentle stallion was already half-way down the hallway when he heard his name.
"Yes?"
"Thanks. You have always been a really good friend." Butterscotch smiled bashfully as he accepted the complement. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Rainbow." At that they went their separate ways for the night. Blitz closed the door to his room and sat down on the bed once more.
Now let's just hope nothing crazy happens when she visits me tonight…
The cyan stallion sat for a long time, although it escaped him how much time had truly elapsed. All he could do was run over scenarios in his mind. It was as though this mare visiting him in the night was a test, but for what he was unsure. All he knew was that he needed to be ready.
He looked down at his hooves. They were much larger than he remembered. He realized suddenly that his sturdy hooves led into an even sturdier set of forelegs. The pegasus began to wonder what other ponies saw when he went past them on the street. He spied a mirror on the inside of a closet door and quickly flew over to it. Blitz was amazed at what he saw. Not only was he built, he was also attractive. He knew that he was being a narcissist, but he didn’t care. Although he had acquired musculature, he found he was still as sleek and aerodynamic as he was before. He opened his wings and found that his wingspan had increased. Folding the plumage back at his sides, his eyes fell upon his mane. It was shorter, but still held the colors and hues he was used to. His tail was similar to what he remembered, but seemed more block-like in appearance. Although he had already seen himself in pictures, it was not the same as the confirmation of a mirror. He really was a stallion now. It was all too real.
A knock at the door released him from his reverie. Somehow, he knew exactly who was behind it. He closed the closet door behind him as he calmly walked over to greet his guest. Blitz opened the door to see the same mare that he had talked to at the bar that night. She appeared upset; not with him, but the world. The moment of truth was at hoof.
"Hey, what's wro..?" Before Blitz could even finish his question the mare practically fell into his forelegs. He felt slightly uncomfortable, yet peaceful all at once as he held her in the doorway. "You alright Octavia? Maybe we should sit down."
"Y-yeah…"
Just stay calm… be confident...
"So," Blitz began after the two sat on the bed, "what's going on?"
"W-well…" she began, "I-I just really need somepony to talk to r-right now." Blitz saw that she was on the verge of tears, so he tried to be sensitive.
"Yeah, I'm here for you... You can tell me anything." He took Octavia’s hooves in his as she looked soulfully into his eyes.
"Well, you see…" the cellist began, the quiver in her voice slowly dissipating, "I take pride in my work, you know? It's my calling... my life. The only problem is...is that...no one seems to appreciate it, and I don't know why… It's just… I practice every day...put on countless performances, and still…" Octavia supported her face on her free hoof. "I-I just don't understand why I'm not even given so much as a ‘thank you’ from anypony at the end of the night. It's all just… really disappointing..."
"How many were you performing for tonight?" Octavia covered her face with both hooves as her emotion overcame her.
"There were at least fifty, but I might as well have been playing in an empty room... Sometimes I... I wonder whether or not anypony would notice if... if I wasn't there..." Blitz waited for a moment while Octavia collected herself before responding somewhat bluntly.
"You’re kidding right?" Octavia looked over at the stallion as he continued, "Of course they would notice. A song doesn't sound the same if an instrument is missing. You told me earlier that you play cello, right? "
"Yes, I guess I did. Why?"
"Well an instrument like that would be pretty hard to miss…" Octavia looked at him inquisitively, with a hint of injury on her face. "Oh, uh, in a, what’s it called… an ensemble, I mean…" Blitz did not know how that word made it into his vocabulary, but was thankful that it found him when it did.
"...that’s sweet of you to say." Blitz relaxed some and hoped he didn't look as relieved as he felt. "I appreciate that you're trying to understand what I'm going through, but I don't see how you could. It’s just that… all of my talent seems to go unnoticed. It’s as though I’m stuck in the background. It’s... It’s not fair..." It was at this point that Blitz made a connection that now seemed so obvious to him.
"Music is your life, right?”
“Yeah…” She said, nodding somewhat subdued.
"Well, flying is mine." Octavia looked at Blitz, curious as to what he would say next. "I couldn't imagine living without being able to do the tricks and stunts that I love. It's what makes life worth living for me. It's the reason I have my cutie mark. It's who I am." Octavia's features softened. "Lately I haven't been able to do the things that I usually can. My stunts have become lame. I can't even pull off my best trick anymore." Blitz clenched his teeth as he remembered his last attempt at the Sonic Rainboom, which sent him flying backwards across the sky. "I don't know...I'm not sure what I would do if I could never recognize and distinguish myself as one of the best fliers in Equestria. It's why I wake up in the morning. It's what I live for. I...I know what it's like to not be recognized for what you do… to not be appreciated.” Blitz was quiet for a moment before continuing more slowly, but with a voice resolute.
“There have been times in the past where I have almost lost friends because I got a big head. I've been too proud in my abilities as a flier. I got resentful when anyone else outdid me." Octavia looked knowingly at Blitz. "It was only after those experiences that I learned that I need to accept that I'm going to be outshone occasionally...” Blitz thought of his friends and the lesson behind his words. The experience still resonated strongly within him. “At the same time, though, I don't know if I would ever be able to accept anything less than what I know I'm capable of."
Blitz looked back at Octavia who was looking into his eyes once more. "I know that I will be the best flier in all of Equestria. It's not just a dream, it's my destiny. Just because I'm not recognized sometimes doesn't mean that I don’t deserve to be. It doesn’t mean that I'll never be appreciated for what I can do.” Blitz could see the realization dawn on Octavia's face, as well as what he thought was the hint of a smile. "The same goes for you Octavia. Just because they don't recognize you now doesn't mean that they never will. A player as amazing as you has no reason to worry. It'll come with time... I’m sure of it.”
Octavia's eyes started to tear as she took in the last of Blitz's words. What was once the hint of a smile was now genuine. She embraced him so suddenly that it caused Blitz to jump slightly as they fell backward onto the bed, side by side.
"Thank you, so much… I… I don't even remember your name. I feel so bad for it…"
"It's Rainbow... My name is Rainbow Blitz..."
"Rainbow... Blitz? Hmmm… Rainbow Blitz… That's a handsome name…" Octavia released Blitz slowly but still held him fondly at the shoulders. He held her in turn as she gazed once more into his eyes. This time, though, it was different. Blitz noticed for the first time the light purple hues of her eyes. He could feel her gaze penetrate him; felt his stomach muscles grow tight. His feathers started to spread as he felt the sensation he knew would find him.
This is it…
She seemed to hesitate, but then Blitz felt Octavia begin to pull him closer to her. He watched as her lips begin to purse.
This isn't right. She isn't in the same state of mind as she was earlier…
It was harder for him to breathe, but he accepted it fully.
Why do I want to do this? I don't want to do this. But it feels right…
Octavia closed her eyes as she pulled him closer. Time seemed to slow.
I can't do this, I wouldn't do this…
His stomach began to burn with the turbulence of emotion. He loved it. He wanted more.
I can't stop… I don’t want to stop…
The smell of alcohol seduced his nostrils as he took in her breath. Their lips were but inches away. His eyes began to close as his hooves slowly caressed the curves of her body. It was thrilling.
Octavia…
His mind was racing not with thoughts, but with desire. Giving in was the last thing that he wanted to do, but it felt so natural. The drive ruled him; he was going to fulfill himself.
"Just don't do anything, you know… impulsive…"
Butterscotch?
“I know that you can be true to yourself and do the right thing…”
Blitz took a mental double-take.
“...but you have to consider the situation first...”
As though a fog had been cleared from in front of him, Rainbow knew what would happen if he didn’t control himself; this kiss would be the tipping point. His desires would consume him. The trust between him and Octavia would be destroyed. He slowly opened his eyes and turned away.
"Wait…" Octavia opened her eyes, and began to lean back. “This…this isn’t right. Octavia, I… I couldn’t do this to you…” The musician looked at Rainbow as though she were lost. "You told me that this is what all the other stallions wanted. The ones that don't appreciate what you do. Well, I don't want to be like them…" Octavia looked down at the floor. "As hard as it is to say no… I wouldn't be able to live with myself if this happened…" The room fell silent.
"You're right…" she replied in a sorrowful tone. "I'm sorry… I… I just… I should go..." Octavia started rolling off of the bed.
“No…” Rainbow grabbed her foreleg.
“Don’t go…” Rainbow let out a quick sigh. “It’s okay… We both got caught up in the moment just now. It could happen to anypony...” The pegasus wore a soft and sympathetic smile. “I'm just glad we didn't act on impulse."
"It's just… I'm… I'm so drunk right now…"
"I know…" He gently pulled her back onto the bed. They laid down together, Rainbow putting his arm around her. It was quiet for some time after that, both ponies finding comfort in each other. The mare found it in the strength of the arm around her, and the stallion in the beauty of what he was holding onto so dearly. It was only after this long silence that Octavia spoke up softly.
"Rainbow? Would... would it be alright it I stayed with you tonight?... If we just… laid here like this?" The stallion smiled.
"Of course… I wouldn't want it any other way..." He was telling the truth. Although they hadn’t spent very much time with each other, he knew that there was something between them now. A connection had formed; a bond.
Maybe being a stallion isn’t so bad after all… I know that I’m going to get heck for this tomorrow morning, but… I think I… that I...
Rainbow’s thought trailed off as he listened to Octavia’s breathing. It was slow and soft, almost musical in its tempo and pitch. He lost himself in the melody and soon found himself drifting off towards sleep.
“Goodnight... Octavia...”
“Goodnight...”
He opened his eyes not expecting the world to be so bright. What he thought was just a momentary resting of the eyes was really one of the most peaceful nights he had ever known. He awoke to find the grey mare still in his arms, her breathing just as musical and calming as the night before. Her hair was glowing in the sunlight that shone through the window, and she was holding his arm as though it were a stuffed animal. Blitz smiled. He quickly glanced at the clock, expecting the morning to still be young.
Wait, it’s nine o’ seven? We were supposed to leave for the castle at nine!
He slowly pulled his arm out of the sleeping mare’s grasp, and was surprised that he got it back without a fight. He was just about to go downstairs to the bar when a realization dawned on him.
I need to wake her up. She probably has questions about last night since she was so emotional and drunk on top of that…
The stallion nudged his guest. “Octavia… Octavia. C’mon, you need to wake up.” Sure enough, her eyes began to open. It was when Blitz could just see her light purple eyes that she shut them tightly out of pain.
“Ah, my head…” Blitz gave a sympathetic grin.
“You drank a lot last night. I’m not sure how much, but…”
“Wait…” Octavia looked around the room, realizing she was not in her own. “Last night… we…” Her face morphed into an expression of slight embarrassment. “I’m sorry if…”
“Sorry?” Blitz interrupted, “Sorry for what?”
“Well, wasn’t last night a little…”
“Awesome?” the pegasus cutting her off again before she could finish. “Yeah, it was.”
“I guess that I wasn’t the only pony who enjoyed herself, then.” The two exchanged modest smiles. “The only question though,” she continued, “is where we go from here. Am I ever going to see you again?” Blitz was hit with pang of longing that he knew would never be fulfilled. This was most likely the last time he would see her as a stallion.
“Actually, I… I don’t really know.”
“Will you ever be in Canterlot again?”
“I’m not sure… maybe…” Octavia thought to herself for a moment.
“I’m too busy here to travel for a while, but if you could visit me… maybe we can talk more than we did last night. We could talk about, you know, other things…”
“Yeah. I would like that.” Octavia smiled sweetly.
“So I can expect to see you again sometime soon?”
“You will if I can help it.” Blitz only wondered whether she would be willing to speak with him after Dusk Shine and the rest of them finished reversing the spell they were under.
“I guess that will have to be good enough for me.” Octavia dismounted the bed and walked up to Blitz. “You know, you should probably get going. I’m sure that your friends are waiting for you.”
She’s right. They’re all probably waiting for me right now. But that doesn’t mean that I have to say goodbye just yet…
“Feel like saying good morning to them with me?” Octavia giggled in her own classy way.
“I would love to.” Blitz knew that his friends would have a laugh over him and Octavia coming to breakfast together. He didn’t care though; he made another friend that night. Or perhaps she was more than that now. It didn’t matter. The only thing that really mattered to Rainbow was that they walked side by side as they descended the stairs that morning.
The couple descended the stairs to the jeers of five familiar stallions. Rainbow Blitz recalled there was a feeling of slight embarrassment, but no shame to be found within him. It annoyed him at the time that his friends did not have as much faith in him as he had thought they did. Then again, he knew that he would have succumbed to his instincts had it not been for Butterscotch, who gave him a knowing wink that morning as the others were drilling him on what had happened with the musician the night before.
And then there was the kiss. That morning brought with it many promises, but what Octavia left on his cheek was completely unexpected. Rainbow remembered the warmth of the mare's lips upon her face, practically feeling them all over again. It was when the warmth became most tangible that the pegasus broke out of her trance and had a sudden realization. She was lost.
Rainbow Dash had overshot Canterlot while absorbed within her memories, but by how far she was unsure. She turned around and surveyed the area, trying to find landmarks. All that was visible were shadows as far as the eye could see, none of which she could distinguish from the sky.
"Yeah, I totally need this right now…"
The sun had almost fully set and twilight had begun to fade. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the pegasus to find her destination as Equestria was swallowed by the ever growing darkness of evening. The terrain below began to merge together, becoming an abyss of unknown shapes and proportions. As if this were not enough, she had been flying for a long time and her wings were almost spent. She was just about to vocalize her frustration when she spotted a glimmer of light in the distance between what she assumed to be the crests of mountains.
"Ah ha! Found you…"
She took off, attracted to the illumination which hinted at civilization. There was only one city in Equestria she knew of that was built into a mountain, and that was where she wanted to be. Sure enough, the mountainous shadows began to part, revealing the city that was the capital of Equestria. Rainbow knew she was going in the right direction now. All she needed to do was find the place where she had promised to meet Octavia. Although every feather on her back was screaming to her in agony, the pegasus stayed airborne. She could rest her wings when she got there.
Memories began to flow through her mind once more. Rainbow began to remember the last time she had seen Octavia. She recalled how the meeting was completely unexpected by the both of them. The pegasus continued to rush through the wind of the evening sky, which aided her recollection in numbing the pain in her wings.
She visualized the grey mare walking with him through the street that day. Although he knew that he shouldn't be nervous, he felt like he was. Or maybe he was excited; he couldn't tell the difference. All he knew was that he was now going on a date with a very attractive mare that he thought he would never see again.
"So," Octavia began as the pair trotted down the street, "what have you been doing here in Canterlot? You know, besides window shopping?" She flashed a sly grin as Blitz chuckled in response.
"Nothing much... I've just been waiting for my friends to finish some preparations before we leave."
"Really? It’s taking you all a pretty long time to leave.” Octavia took a playful tone. “You weren’t lying to me the other night, were you?”
“No, no, I wasn’t lying. We should have been out of here by now. It’s just that we have had… delays. There was some unfinished business that we had to take care of.” Octavia considered the stallion’s words.
“Alright, I know how that can be. Do you know how long it will be until you’re done preparing?" Blitz wracked his mind for an approximate figure.
"I’m all ready to go, but I really couldn’t tell you about my friends. It’ll probably only take them a few hours."
"Then we better not waste any time. We still have to get you back to your friend in an hour or so, anyway. Ah, this is the place." It was at that moment that Blitz noticed that they had reached their destination. The pegasus found himself standing in front of a coffee shop. It was a smaller building that seemed almost out of place in the big city. The exterior seemed slightly worn by the elements as far as texture, but was covered by a fresh coat of slightly brown, off-white paint. Not delaying for him to finish his observation, the gray mare opened the door and let the pegasus inside. The scent of coffee immediately began to fill the air.
“Oh, thanks Octavia.” Although he appreciated the gesture, Blitz began kicking himself for the fact that he should have held the door for her.
“No problem.” As Blitz entered the shop he noticed how deceiving the café’s outside appearance was. Although the room inside still seemed bland by his standards, it put forth a calming atmosphere. The walls were an interesting alternation of light brown and pale green, which would have looked horrid were it not for the light brown of the wooden floors.
I’m sure that Elusive would be proud of the choice in colors. Wait, which store was I supposed to meet him at again?
The rainbow-maned stallion then noted that two sides of the store were taken up almost entirely by large, rectangular windows that looked out at the streets that had led them in. While the whole experience was a lot for the cyan stallion to take in, his attention suddenly shifted to a friendly looking barista who had begun to approach him.
“Good morning, sir. Would you like a table or a b-” It was then that the welcoming unicorn noticed that the handsome stallion she was serving was with one of her most loyal patrons. “Octavia! How are you doing this morning, dear?” It was obvious to Blitz that the two mares had been friends for a while now.
“I’m doing well Vienna, yourself?”
“I can’t complain. Business has been as good as it usually is. But enough of that; I didn’t know you had a stallion friend.” Blitz felt his face begin to grow red at the comment.
“Oh, stop it you.” Octavia gave a playful glance at the increasingly anxious stallion as she smiled back at her friend. “Could I get my usual booth?”
“Of course dear, follow me.” The couple followed the white unicorn through the maze of tables and booths. Blitz felt out of place as he met the gaze of the other patrons as they watched him file down the aisle. He wasn’t entirely sure if they were shocked that he was in the café, or if they were surprised that he was with Octavia.
Maybe she doesn’t give herself enough credit. It looks like everypony in here recognizes her…
Vienna stopped at a booth situated next to a window on the far side of the shop. Blitz found that the transparent pane of glass held a wondrous view. One could see to the horizon through the plainly visible Canterlot streets. The transformation of the mountains into the outlying region was visible, and Blitz could swear that he saw Ponyville in the distance.
“Well then, I’ll just let you two get settled in. I’ll be back in a moment to take your order.” The two sat down on opposite sides of the booth. Octavia noticed how the stallion was entranced by the view.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Octavia’s voice broke the rainbow-maned stallion out of his trance and stole his attention. “This coffee shop is a hidden treasure in Canterlot. Not only is the coffee here the best I have ever had, it also has this amazing view.” Blitz nodded in agreement. “I sometimes wonder if I would stay here in Canterlot if I didn’t know about this place.”
“Why? Do you not like it here in Canterlot?”
“Canterlot is nice; it just feels like I’m stuck in a rut sometimes. The view here reminds me that there is more to Equestria than this big city. I told you the other night that…” Octavia began to trail off as a new thought came to mind.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s just… I almost forgot to thank you again for the other night.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not worried about it… It’s just that… I wanted to thank you again for putting up with my drunken rambling and not taking advantage of the situation. You were very noble and I appreciate it.” Before the stallion could reply, the waitress returned to their table.
“Hey there you two, are you ready to order?” Vienna stood beside their table, holding a pad of paper and a pen in a light brown glow reminiscent of another unicorn Blitz vaguely remembered.
Wait, was I supposed to meet Dusk Shine after this?
"I'll have the usual." Blitz had completely forgotten to look at the menu on the table, and so decided to take a leap of faith.
"I'll have what she's having." Octavia wore an amused look on her face. The unicorn quickly penned the order down before placing both pen and paper into her apron.
“Alright, I’ll have your drinks in just a moment.” It was after the waitress had left that Blitz picked the conversation back up, using the cheesiest voice he could.
"So, you come here often?"
Octavia giggled. "Probably more than I should.” She pointed to an item on the menu. “I didn’t know that you liked your coffee so strong, though…” Blitz looked at the words that she was pointing at.
‘Canterlot Kick-start: House Blend with crème and 5 shots Espresso'
“What does all that mean? I don’t come to these places often.”
“All you need to know is that you’re going to be awake for a while.” The two looked at each other lightheartedly until Blitz spoke up again with an observation.
“You seem to go to the same places a lot.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you asked for ‘the usual’ at the bar the other night too.” Octavia became pensive.
“You remember that, huh?”
“Why don’t you branch out and meet some new ponies? I’m sure there are other nice places in Canterlot.”
“I guess I just find sanctuary in these places. I mean, I see so many faces in a day that it’s nice to see a familiar one before it ends.” Blitz responded in a gentle voice.
“I’m not saying that you should abandon these places and the ponies you know, just that it might be nice to go somewhere different for a change. You could get yourself out of your rut that way.”
“I appreciate that you want to help, but I don’t want to be the focus of our chat today. I want to learn more about who you are. What do you do?” Blitz quickly adjusted to being the new topic of conversation.
“Oh, well I’m on the weather patrol in Ponyville.”
“Hmmm, what does that entail?”
“Eh, just moving around clouds and keeping the weather on time. Not exactly what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.”
“What do you want to do?” Blitz let a confident smirk spread across his face.
“I’m going to join the Wonderbolts.” Octavia inquisitively raised an eyebrow.
“That’s interesting. I have never seen them in action, but I’ve heard enough about them to know that they’re very selective as far as recruitment. Do you think that you have what it takes?”
“I know that I do.” Octavia’s admiration for the stallion shone through in her expression and in how she responded.
“So do I.” Blitz watched as the mare looked into his eyes in the same way she had the night they first met. The vulnerability they shared in that moment was balanced only by the confidence they found in each other’s gaze.
“So sorry to interrupt...” Both ponies jumped slightly as Vienna approached the table. “Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you two. I just thought that I would bring you your coffee.” The pair watched as their drinks levitated through the air and were placed gently onto the table in front of them. “Just let me know if there is anything else I can get for you.”
“Thank you, Vienna.” Octavia picked up her cup and took a sip of the brew held within. Blitz hesitantly picked up the drink he had ordered and took in a whiff. It smelt heavenly; the aroma of morning incarnate. He took a sip and was immediately immersed in an experience unlike any he had ever had. The drink was sweet and relatively smooth, yet offered a somewhat bitter aftertaste. It soothed him as it travelled to his stomach where it happily radiated a feeling of energy throughout his entire body. He would have gulped the whole thing down were it not so hot.
“How is it?” Blitz looked up from his drink, which he now held with a slight sense of reverence.
“I have never had coffee before, but… this is good.”
“Glad you like it.” The pegasus looked out the window for a brief moment as he took another sip. He now understood why Octavia came to this exact booth every time. The drink and the view complemented each other perfectly. It was very peaceful. Looking back at his date, he picked up the conversation once more.
“So, uh, why do you do what you do? Play the cello, I mean? It seems like it would be difficult to have to stand on your hind legs for hours on end while you play.”
Octavia smiled and gave a knowing nod.
"It's the same reason that you are able to fly for hours on end without giving in to exhaustion. I love what I do." Blitz took a quick gulp of his drink. "I know that the cello seems like a strange instrument to most ponies. There are very few who try to learn it, and even fewer who are able to master it." The pegasus leaned toward his date as she took a quick sip before starting again. "I remember choosing to play cello back when I was a filly. I have always loved music; the fluidity of it. I love how it can express emotion and beauty without words or visual cues. That was why I dove into music at a relatively early age."
"I practiced numerous instruments at first. There were so many to choose from, and I didn't know where to start. My parents decided to start me on an easier instrument, so I began by trying to learn the piano. Actually, that's an understatement because I did learn the piano. I just got bored with it after a while. While it taught me how to read music, it just didn't feel right." Blitz leaned closer, expressing his increasing curiosity.
"From there I tried out other instruments that I thought I would like. There was the flute. I tried the trumpet. At one point I even got desperate and tried to learn the recorder."
Blitz chuckled. "Are you sure that you weren't just forced to try that in school?"
Octavia laughed at having been found out. "Alright, I was, but I'm pretty sure that I was the only one who actually tried to learn it."
The two exchanged empathetic smiles. Blitz knew that she was probably right.
"The strange thing is that I enjoyed playing all of those instruments. It just felt like there was something missing. I didn't connect with them. At this point my parents were getting tired of buying instruments that I would never learn how to play. When they asked me why I never practiced with any of them for more than a week, I told them that they weren't challenging enough." Octavia started to snicker, "When they looked at each other after I said that, I thought that I had made a mistake." Her snicker had become contagious, and Blitz started to chuckle with her.
"They were out to challenge you now, huh?"
"Oh, in the best way." Octavia gained control of her laughter and began to turn meditative once more as she continued her recollection. "They took me back to the store with them and brought me to a section I had never seen before. It was filled with string instruments. I had never imagined playing one of these instruments, since they are the instruments that are the hardest to learn. Only true masters could ever hope to sound competent with them. I knew that my parents wouldn't set me up to fail, though, so I went along with it.
Although there were so many instruments to choose from, my eyes fell on the violins. They seemed manageable to me since, as a filly, there was no way in my mind that I would be able to play some of the other, larger instruments. Back then they all just seemed so unwieldy.
When I told my parents that I wanted to learn violin, they looked skeptical. They told me that if I wanted to learn how to play violin, I would also have to learn how to stand on my hind legs for extended periods of time. I knew that I could manage to stand like that for a few seconds, but anything longer than that and I would collapse.” Blitz nodded sympathetically. There were very few ponies who could stand like that for long. "I think they saw the hesitation in my eyes, because they asked the store clerk if there were any string instruments that would be easier for me to learn. It took her a while, but she eventually came back with a cello. She explained that it was like a violin, except I could use it for balance while I played. It would still be difficult to play until I built some strength in my hind-legs and learned the technique but, after I did, I would be able to play any string instrument, even the violin. That's what she said at least. I still don't know if she was right or not." Blitz understood the meaning behind these ominous words.
"You connected with the cello, huh?"
"I never wanted to move on. Just like the clerk said, it was difficult to learn how to balance with it, and it was almost harder to learn how to play it. Once I learned how to do both, though, there was no way that I would ever think about playing anything else." Octavia took another quick sip of her drink. "I fell in love with the instrument. It holds so much grace, yet there is power behind it. For all of its size and intimidating features, it has a calming sound to it. I have also found that its versatility is almost unmatched as far as range is concerned."
“I guess that makes sense…” Blitz hesitated momentarily before continuing to say, “…it actually kinda sounds like you’re describing yourself when you talk about the cello like that.” Octavia looked at Blitz, slightly confused at what he meant.
Great. Where am I going with this?
“What I mean is that, well… um, you are an attractive mare.” The couple blushed in the awkward silence that was Blitz thinking of what next to say. “At the same time, though, I know that you have an amazing sense of… resolve. You’re music is your life and nothing will stop you from living it.” Octavia smiled modestly.
“What about the rest of what I said? Do you find me intimidating?”
“No, I don’t think you’re intimidating, it’s just… I don’t always know what I should say around you. You remember how nervous I was when we first met.” The mare giggled at the memory. “But I’m not as nervous now. I feel as though I’m at peace when we talk like this.” Blitz pushed himself to say the next sentence. “I guess that what I’m trying to say is that, well… I like you.”
Wait, what did I just say?
He watched as Octavia’s face changed into one that would have told him exactly how she felt had his mind not been too busy running over what he had just said. The stallion felt his heart throb violently as he waited for the musician to voice her thoughts.
“Rainbow, I… feel the same way about you.” The pounding in the stallion’s chest began to lessen. “I knew that you cared about me from the moment we met, no matter how much my attitude may have thrown you off.” This statement confused Blitz.
“Really? How?” The mare stared intently into the stallion’s gaze.
“It was your eyes, Rainbow.”
“My… eyes?”
“I saw something in them that I haven’t seen in a long time.” Again, Blitz was at a loss for what she meant.
“What was it?”
“Compassion.”
“Compassion?”
“That’s what I felt when we met that night. It was after I saw it in your eyes that I wanted to learn more about you. I wanted to see where the night would go.” Blitz didn’t know what to feel. “I know that I can trust you now, and that you understand me. It’s nice to know that you feel the same way.” Octavia looked submissively at the pegasus. “Sorry, I’ve been rambling again haven’t I?” Rainbow gave a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry about it. I like listening to what you have to say.” Both ponies smiled with their eyes as they took sips of their coffee. The truth was out, and neither pony could be happier.
The two talked for a long time after that. Rainbow told her humorous stories about stallions he knew in the weather patrol. Octavia told him about random things that had happened when she was younger and performed across Equestria. Although both delighted in the regaling of tales, it was not long before Octavia noticed a quick streak of purple in her peripheral vision. She recognized the unicorn who quickly darted out of the café. It was Rainbow’s friend. They didn’t have much time left to talk if they were searching for him.
“…and then he dropped a piano out of the sky! Can you believe it? I’m surprised he’s still on the postal service…”
“Rainbow, I want to see you again after today.” Blitz straightened his back, somewhat confused by the conversation’s sudden change in direction. "I have a performance in two weeks here in Canterlot. It’s going to be huge for me. It's the first time that I have played with an orchestra with as much renown as this. They gave me some tickets to give to friends, and I have this one left over." The pegasus looked at the purple slip of paper in Octavia’s hoof. "I want you to take it." The mare reached toward him and placed the ticket in his hoof, holding his in hers. "If I'm going to play for all of Caterlot, I want there to be at least one pony in the crowd who I know is there for me. Can you make it?"
"I'll be there"
"You promise?" Rainbow looked into the purple eyes he had come to adore.
"I promise" The mare let go of his hoof.
Rainbow Dash descended onto the cold streets of Canterlot. As she folded her aching wings back toward her body, the pegasus determined where she was. Before her stood the Canterlot Concert Hall, a massive building toward the edge of the city. It was a giant silhouette only slightly illuminated by the light coming from within its interior.
“I hope I haven’t missed too much…”
As she walked toward the entrance, Rainbow remembered the more unfortunate parts of her last meeting with Octavia. She remembered Octavia’s response to Elusive telling her who she was; how she was really a mare in a stallion’s body. Just remembering the facial expressions the musician produced made Rainbow cringe. The pegasus now stood but inches from the door. Octavia’s words still resonated within her.
“Blitz... you should go and have that spell cast…”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, savoring the cool air of the night.
“…you shouldn’t try and be somepony you aren’t…”
She reached out and grabbed the handle of the door before her. As she held the ticket she had been carrying since her journey began, the pegasus remembered the last thing that Octavia had said to her. The thing that she knew meant there was something left between them.
“When you change back, Rainbow... come and find me in Canterlot…”
“I’m here, Octavia.” As she pulled the door open, Rainbow Dash was bathed in both melody and light. It had been two weeks since they had last met, and now it was time for Rainbow Dash to face the past. She only hoped that she was ready.
