Octavia rushed across the Phillydelphian hills, galloping long and hard, sure to make the next train to Canterlot. With much haste, and with a newfound hope at seeing the train station, she sprang forward, almost leaping in enormous bounds.
The train was already there.
"All aboard," hollered the conductor. "All aboard for Canterlot! All aboard!"
Octavia surged forward, just as the doors were beginning to close. It looked like she was going to make it. Time slowed, and Octavia held her breath and closed her eyes, wishing to Celestia with all her might that she would make it in. She closed in on the door. Closer, closer now, she flew.
Closer, closer, andー
Well, maybe I should back this up a bit. This may be rather confusing for some, as the questions of "What's happening? What's Tavi doing? What happened?" may run through your beautiful little minds. You may be wondering who I am. For starters, I shall be known to all as "The Narrator." I doubt that should be relevant at all to this story.
Now, where shall I start? Let us rewind to Tuesday morning.
Firstly, I would like to add prior knowledge to this tale, so as to improve certain understandings of this story:
Octavia has a concert scheduled for this very afternoon, Tuesday, and she had to be at the theater at 4:45 p.m. sharp. As you may know, I personally agree with Octavia as a double bass, but for the sake of the plot, I will render my opinions void and continue on as Octavia the Cellist. Also, Octavia will be performing in the Equestrian Symphony, which is by far the most prestigious orchestral group of talented mares and gentlecolts I have ever come across in my days here in Canterlot, and I presume that everypony with a reputation surely should know them. Now, as I have stated this knowledge, let us continue the tale.
[/hr]
As I have mentioned, it was Tuesday morning around ten a.m., and Octavia knew this was her big day.
She had thought it wise to sneak in a few hours practice before going to the spa to relax herself. She was sat in her favorite chair that she always used for practicing her cello. It was a simple custom-made stool, with her cutie-mark printed on its seat.
She had her cello in front of her, and she breathed in and set her bow on the strings. As she pulled the bow across the different notes, she felt a newfound life in her, as she did every time she played the cello. The song started slow, each quarter note lengthening out, with much vibrato and soft accenting. The song progressed, and the notes became shorter, more marcato and the tempo seemed to speed. The notes quickened, and the crescendo brought the cello to a fortissimo. At the last measure, each note became sure, and filled with a vibrant joy that echoed throughout the whole house. Octavia closed her eyes, focusing, and the last note flew from the cello, and suddenlyー
Snap.
Octavia's eyes flew open, and looking down she stared dumbfounded at the cloud of rosin rising in puffs from the top plate of her cello. The bridge lay flat against the surface, and the strings hung loosely from the fingerboard. Two of her strings had snapped, and to her shock and dismay she realized that they were her two most needed ones (though, for this concert, every string was surely needed)ー her D and G strings.
"Oh, God, this can't be happening. No, no, no, no, no." Octavia sprung from her seat, holding her cello out in front of her and examining the damage. Luckily the cello's fine surface hadn't been cracked or scratched, but her bridge lay cracked in two, pressed down flat with the A string.
A million thoughts rushed through her mind;
Oh, God, please no. The concert starts in six hours, and I haven't hardly any time to run around to find new strings! Well, considering that this is Canterlot, I'm sure to find a music store somewhere. But, on top of that, I need to find a new bridge as well. I have six hoursー plenty of time.
Her eyes darted to the clock. 10:30. No time to waste, then.
[/hr]
10:41 A.M.
Octavia packed her cello in its fiber glass case trotted outside on the streets of Caterlot, almost having to drag the cello in its case, were it not for the convenient wheels. At the train station, she had waited about ten minutes for the next train to downtown Canterlot. She now sat in the plush velvet seats on the train, constantly glancing at her watch.
"Next stop, downtown Canterlot. Please watch your step while exiting the train. Thank yー."
The intercom went static, and the train screeched to a halt in a dark tunnel, and the light flickered off, save the emergency lights and the flashing red light on the wall.
Oh, please don't do this to me. In the name of Celestia, I don't have time for this!
After a while, the intercom went on and a voice was heard. "Please excuse us while we fix the power systems. The train has had a power outage, and we ask for your patience. We are very sorry for this inconvenience."
[/hr]
11:44 A.M.
You're kidding. An hour delay? I just lost a full hour inside a train! Octavia rushed through the bustling streets of downtown Canterlot, often bumping the passing ponies with her cello, which resulted in many scowls and angry yells.
She slowed to a stop in front of a small shop. In the display window sat different violins and violas, including cello and bass parts. She rushed inside, nearly smashing her cello against the doorframe.
The startled employee looked up. "Welcome to Orchestra. How can we help?"
Octavia nearly jumped onto her, her face red from exhaust. "I need replacement strings and a new bridge for a half-size cello! Now!"
The employee shook her head and said, "I-I'm sorry ma'am. W-we're out of strings and bridges for the time being. Would you like to place an order for them?"
"When's the soonest I can get them?"
"A fortnight."
Octavia nearly fainted. "A fortnight? For your information, I have only hours!" Octavia groaned. "Ugh! I don't have time for this!" And with that, she flew out the door, swift but careful with her cello. Once again, a million thoughts ran through her mind, but glancing at the clock tower, one thought stood out above them all:
Oh, crap.
[/hr]
12:14 P.M.
Back on the train Octavia sat, with her ear pressed to her phone and her whole body nearly shaking with unrest.
"Vinyl, please! Be serious!"
On the other end of the line, Vinyl spoke, laughing. "That's genius, Tavi! Haha! Fine, fine, I'm sorry. Yeah, I know a music store."
Octavia beamed. "Where?"
Vinyl paused before giving her answer. ". . . Phillydelphia."
Octavia froze. "Vinyl, stop joking. Do I sound like I have time to be traveling halfway across Equestria?"
"Would you rather go all the way across Equestria looking for a store?"
Octavia hesitated, considering this and sighed. "Fine, I understand. Thank you, cousin."
"No problem, Tavi. Listen, I gotta get back to work. Lights and I are doing an awesome gig tomorrow, so I gotta get busy. See ya'! Good luck with your hunt!"
Octavia hung up and sighed again. And she stopped dead; for, she hadn't even asked for which music store, had she? An idiotic mistake on her behalf, but as poor Octavia red isles Vinyl's number, the answering machine picked up.
Meanwhile, Vinyl Scratch and Neon Lights were working on their new joined album, Vinyl Lightz. And, as you may know, a silent phone, two disc jockeys, two subwoofers, and one big soundproof room was more than enough to restrain the desperate vibrations of a ringtone.
"Crap. I can't get a hold." Octavia groaned and rubbed her muzzle. "Whatever, I'll ask around," she mumbled. "For now, all I can do is wait. Phillydelphia is a long ride."
[/hr]
1:01 P.M.
Octavia woke to a start.
Well, she never particularly liked waking up. She would always prefer the deep, peaceful world of slumber. Sleeping was like an escape for her, but waking was like falling from heaven.
This awakening, however, was even ruder than awakenings initially were, for her alarm wasn't her small clock back in Canterlot, but the intercom pony's voice saying, "Now departing from Phillydelphia. Next stop, Baltimare." She found herself sitting in the train.
As the train doors closed, Octavia leaped across her seat towards them, slamming her face into the window just as the doors closed. No, no, no! Why, of all days should bad luck be bestowed upon my poor, miserable soul?
She watched as the train left the station, huffing and puffing further and further away. She sank back into he nearest seat, staring blankly at the floor of the empty train car.
Octavia rushed to the emergency stop lever, yanking as hard as she couldー
But nothing happened.
She pulled again, harder, panicking with each pull. After a while of pulling, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around wildly, startling the other Pegasus.
"What is it?!"
The other pony gulped and pointed to the emergency lever. Or rather, she pointed to a sign above the lever, which read Out of Order in loud, disappointing letters. "I-it's not w-working," she managed to stammer.
As Octavia was silent for a long while, staring blankly at the sign. Once again, the depressing thought of, No ran through her mind. Quietly, the other pony had snuck away slowly, careful not to disturb Octavia's depressing auras.
Octavia slumped into her seat and checked her watch, sighing. She stared at her encased cello sitting beside her, oblivious to the newfound troubles. What am I to do now? That's it; I lost my one and only chance to play in the top orchestra in all of Equestria. The second chair should replace me, and the third should promote to second, and so forth. I will be absent. My biggest dream has failed, just when I was so close. A tear rolled down Octavia's cheek.
She buried her face in her forehooves, tears streaming. Soon after she felt a hoof on her back. She looked up to see the Pegasus pony from before, smiling quietly at her. As Octavia stared at the pony with puffy eyes, she returned the smile.
"I'm Flight Strings," she said. "I play the cello, too. Well, I assume you play it, considering this,"ー she motioned to the case ー"and looking at you, you seem to be a very talented musician. I probably won't be able to match you.
"I see you're crying. Now, whatever it is, I can't tell you that it's okay, because it obviously isn't; you wouldn't be crying if it was. All I can tell you know is that it's up to you to make it okay." Flight Strings smiled. "And when you achieve that goal, you get this feeling of relief and your stress is gone. I know you can overcome this; you just gotta aim high."
Octavia stared admiringly at the Pegasus pony, a new feeling of Hope and determination surfacing in her heart. Octavia nodded, drying her tears. "Thank you. I definitely will."
Now arriving in Baltimare. Please watch your step leaving the train, and thank you for choosing the Express.
"That's my stop," Flight said. "Good luck with whatever it is you're dealing with."
When the train stopped, she stepped outside and Octavia waved her goodbye. Soon after, Octavia herself grabbed her cello and darted out the door and galloped all the way to Phillydelphia, not daring to stop.
[/hr]
2:48 P.M.
She burst inside the store, lucky enough to find it.
As before, the startled pony at the desk looked up. "Welcome to Phillydelphia Strings. How can we help?"
Octavia leapt onto the desk, swiftly but carefully putting the now uncased cello on the countertop. "I need a full string replacement and a new bridge installed for a half-size cello in the next hour tops!"
The store clerk hastily used his magic to levitate the cello into the back. "Of course! I'll get right on it!"
Exactly thirty-nine minutes and forty-three seconds later, the clerk gave the cello, in its case, back to Octavia. "Tuned and ready to go. That will be two-hundred bits."
"Send the bill to my apartment!" Octavia hastily said, slapping the counter with a piece of scrap paper with her address. With that, she sprang out the door, her eyes dilated and opened wide.
The store clerk blinked at the swinging door and looked down at the piece of paper that Octavia used to write her address on it.
It was a pamphlet to the Equestrian Symphony concert, later this afternoon.
[/hr]
3:34 P.M.
Now here is the part that we have left off on. I shall now continue from my previous spot in the very beginning of the story.
Octavia rushed across the Phillydelphian hills, galloping long and hard, sure to make the next train to Canterlot. With much haste, and with a newfound hope at seeing the train station, she sprang forward, almost leaping in enormous bounds.
The train was already there.
"All aboard," hollered the conductor. "All aboard for Canterlot! All aboard!"
Octavia surged forward, just as the doors were beginning to close. It looked like she was going to make it. Time slowed, and Octavia held her breath and closed her eyes, wishing to Celestia with all her should that she would make it in. She closed in on the door. Closer, closer now, she flew.
Closer, closer, andー
In she tumbled, just making it, and luckily enough landing beneath her cello. Even so, she checked first, opening her case and examining the surface, then testing the new bridge and the sound post. She plucked each string, checking the stability. Out of tune, possibly from all the shaking, but that could easily be fixed. Her eyes zipped to her watch.
3:42.
She sank into a seat, a wave of relief washing over her.
The train ride should take about thirty to forty minutes, so she should be at Canterlot at 4:22 at the latest.
So this is what Flight Strings was talking about. This happiness and this feeling of a weight off your shoulders. She closed her eyes, careful not to fall asleep again, and took a deep breath, thinking back to this morning, then the misfortune that piled up all until now, the stress that had built up, and the feeling of giving up.
And she sighed.
[/hr]
4:45 P.M.
She played just as practiced, each note sure and precise.
Feelings of excitement and happiness she played with, and as she finished her solo part to end the concert, the audience erupted in applause, filling the theatre with noise.
Princess Celestia and Luna stood in the V.I.P. booth, Celestia cheering and Luna nearly falling over the railing.
As Octavia went backstage to pack her cello and cool off with the miniature fan that Vinyl gave her, she laughed at herself.
All the stress, all for this.
"Awesome job out there, cousin!"
Octavia spun around to see Vinyl, trotting up to her giddily with Neon Lights following closely behind. "Vinyl! You came!"
"Of course I came! I wouldn't have missed it for the world! What, with it being the biggest concert of your career."
"Great job, Octavia. You did awesome," Neon grinned.
"Thank you both, guys!"
As Vinyl gave Octavia a sandwich, she asked, "Oh, yeah, 'Tavi. That call you gave me earlier. You sounded pretty stressed. You alright?"
Octavia giggled.
"Let's just say that things. . . got slightly out of hoof."
Author's Note
Hey everyone!
If you'd do me an awesome favor, everyone, and comment below any grammatical errors you fin here! Thanks!
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