A Not-So-Brief Interlude

A bow was gently drawn across the strings of a graceful cello, as the ivory keys of a piano were pressed with a sense of reverence. A soft sequence of melodious notes drifted from a gilded harp, while a deep breath was taken.

The bow skidded, and a quick curse burst from a gray mare’s lips.

“Octavia, really!” The pianist’s reprimand was underscored by a harsh chord, leaping out of the keys that had not long ago produced an air to melt the hardest heart.

“Oh, hush. You’ve said worse when you skip notes.” Octavia retorted.

“Stop it. Both of you.” The harpist, standing up, towered over the squabbling musicians. Directing a steady glare at the bickering pair, he sat down again slowly. “Now, from the third movement…”

The bow was once again drawn across the strings, as the bipolar keys turned back to the beautiful melody. Strings housed in a glorious harp relinquished a song to rival that of any swan, and moistened lips were placed upon the mouthpiece of a gleaming sousaphone.

The doors flew out of their hinges with a resounding crack, interrupting the quartet once again.

“What now?!” Ludwig screamed, as a group of crystal ponies quietly trotted into the room. “Try knocking! Try yelling! Try anything but beating the door down! Don’t you know that we have a performance in two hours? Don’t you know how tired we are? What in Equestria are you doing here?!”

A crystal stallion stepped up. Brawny, tall, and irritated, he was obviously the one who bucked the doors down. “We tried knocking, and yelling, and banging on drums, and everything short of letting Discord loose. You musicians are so wrapped up in ‘practice’, that you didn’t get the news.”

Beauty Brass stepped out of her sousaphone. “What news?” She asked mildly.

“The news that your performance is postponed.”

“What.” Octavia stated, apparently calm.

The stallion rolled his eyes. “Due to a…situation, the auditorium is occupied.

“Situation? Like, a Changeling invasion and everybody’s hiding in the theater situation, or like the weather’s too bad for a show and the theater roof is leaking situation?” Octavia probed.

“Like, a confidential situation. It’s personal to the Princess.” He replied, copying the form of her inquiry.

“Great. Thanks. You’ve been oh so helpful”, Octavia said, drenching the room in sarcasm.

The stallion nodded his head, ignoring the mare’s snarky words, and walked out with the group of ponies.

“Well… I guess we’re done for tonight.” Beauty said with a sigh. She and the others began packing up their instruments.

The cream curtains, hung around the walls to reduce the echo, parted. A white head peeped out. Sea-colored eyes scanned the room, taking in the annoyed musicians, the now empty coffee machines, the sheet music scattered about, and the sense of confusion pervading the scene.

Nopony noticed her. Nopony saw her glide across the room, tidy up the floor, trail her hooves across the instruments, and walk through the doorway. Nopony needed to.

To the usual inhabitants of the room, Viridian Blossom was a welcome sight.

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Octavia’s hooves, normally clicking across floors, full of energy, now dragged against the crystal floor, producing a sound more akin to a broom swishing over a floor than the hooves of a noblepony. Her head drooping, she meandered through the castle, only vaguely knowing her destination. As tired as she was, she didn’t want to retire to her rooms yet. Her mind was full of tumbling, twisting, turbulent thoughts, about the performance, about the ‘situation’, about the tea mare and the unsuccessful search earlier, about anything and everything. She hardly realized that her hooves had stopped propelling forward, stuck as she was in a corner.

Do you need help, miss?” A bright voice pierced through the swirling thoughts of the gray mare.

“Hm? Oh, yes, that would be lovely. I’m with the…Quartet…”Her voice trailed off. Standing in front of her was Ludwig’s mysterious pony, the tea mare with the secrets.

“Excuse me? Miss, are you okay?” the crystal mare asked, her voice filled with concern. “Miss, I think you should go to bed.”

“Oh yes! Bed! What a lovely idea…You know, I could swear I know you.” Octavia was determined to figure out this mare and the secret, no matter what.

“Oh, I’m Viridian Blossom. You’ve probably seen me working around the castle, although I mostly take care of the plants.”

“Plants? What plants?” Octavia mumbled as Viridian Blossom bean guiding her back to her suite.

“The crystal plants. Crystal ponies help crystals grow, and some can make them grow like flowers. Some just in the shape, but the really skilled ones can make them bear fruit, and seeds, and things like that.” The explanation left Octavia drowsily nodding her head.

“Oh…here we are, um, Viridian. Thanks for the help…”The short sentences left Octavia breathless, and the second the door closed, she collapsed in a heap. The cool floor would suffice for a mattress tonight.