Major Octaviaby KnightGaleChaptersPromotionFamilyFriendsPromotionLieutenant Octavia Melody stood at attention outside the Royal Hall wearing her Dress Uniform and carrying her cello on her back. She had been standing there unmoving for about 10 minutes before the doors opened and she was led inside. Where normally a stream of ponies with all manner of complaints and requests were the Hall was empty save for Celestia and Luna on their twin thrones and a formation of the three leaders of the guard stood stone-faced and unwavering a few steps below them. There was Captain of the Guard, a rather unwholesome Pegasus stallion by the name of Knight Gale who replaced Shining Armor after his departure to the Crystal Kingdoms, he wore his Dress Uniform well and actually looked like a member of the guard for a change. Next to him was the Colonel of the Long Patrol. A very stern Earth mare her name was Woody Jaunt but most under her just called her Colonel, her uniform was pristine, the scars from her battles at the borders of Equestria the only blemishes to be seen but those were more a medal of service and source of pride for the ones from the Long Patrol. Finally there was Octavia's Commanding Officer or CO. Major Dulcette Note, a Unicorn mare of EXQUISITE image and unparalleled skill with a piano. She was a very old mare but it did not show as age normally would on a pony. Octavia compared her to a fine wine where each year goes by the wine only gets more refined. Octavia made her way so she stood in front of the group never showing her back to them, standing before them she saluted but did not bring her hoof down. The three leaders did not move as they waited for the proper response from the Princesses. After a minute Princess Celestia coughed and Princess Luna looked confused, finally Knight Gale broke his vigil and rolled his eyes, he backed up a few steps and whispered to the Princesses. "Beggin' your pardons M'ams but as the highest ranking in the room you have to salute her back before we can proceed," Celestia and Luna suddenly blushed and went to quickly salute with Celestia offering her apologies. "Terribly sorry, its been a long while since we have done a true Changing of Command. Most of the time something has come up to warrant a quicker change of station." Celestia spoke with grace and a warm smile as Octavia lowered her hoof after the Princesses. Celestia sighed inwardly thinking to herself 'And this would have also been the case for this if Luna was not so adamant to have it happen, I had a great "diplomatic emergency" lined up and everything.' Octavia for her part remained impassive through it all as Knight Gale returned to his post and put on his professional expression again. Dulcette moved down three steps and stopped once Knight Gale was in place. She then spoke in a very powerful but not overbearing voice. One that could be heard to the back of the Hall while not overpowering those near her. "Lieutenant Melody. Through the performance and diligence you have shown in your service. With the recommendations of not only myself but all present in this Hall. I, Major Note step down from my post to retirement. I remove your rank of Lieutenant and give onto you the rank of Major. From this point on you will lead the Musical Corp of Equestria." Her voice echoed in the rafters a bit before Octavia replied in that same strong voice. "Retired Major Note. I accept this new rank and wish you the best in your retirement. Please allow me to play you one final piece as your subordinate." Octavia waited for Dulcette to nod before removing her cello case and preparing it. The Changing of the Command had different traditions depending one which corps was getting a new leader. For the Guard it was a recitation of old Command's Distinguished Service, the Long Patrol had the new command tell their favorite story about the old command, but the music corps had the tradition of playing a unique piece made by the new command specifically for the old one. Octavia had begun writing and preparing it ever since she was made Lieutenant 4 years ago. Having researched, now Retired, Major Note's career Octavia closed her eyes and started to play a somber tone. Dulcette came into the Music Corps during a rather large scandal involving taking money for side performances that were not condoned by the Current Major of the time. After she joined they cracked down on everyone and made examples of any who stepped out of line. As she rose in the ranks of this more hostile time she distinguished herself with her high moral character and caring for her peers and subordinates. The somber tone moved to a light and hopeful one. Dulcette then moved to make the Music Corps the Premier Music Source in Equestria pushing to make sure they did not get replaced by civilian interests in the Court. The tone took a more strong and powerful tone. She then led the Music Corps to adapt to the changing music traditions and pulled in more influences to allow a greater range of styles in the Corps itself. The tone came to a high speed, medium tone flurry. Her last few years were uneventful for the most part other than some small issues however her welcoming parade and choir organization for Princess Twilight was the talk of the Corps even today. Octavia ended with a small homage to that beautiful and final piece she made while in the Corps. When Octavia opened her eyes to look up Dulcette was stone faced but tears streamed down her face. Princess Celestia was beaming, deciding maybe she can start trying to hold these changing of the Commands more instead of avoiding them. Princess Luna had her face buried in her wing to hide her tears. Knight Gale was sobbing and crying while nodding furiously. Even the hard edged Colonel had a small trail of tears on her left side. Octavia packed up and returned to attention. Knight Gale took some time but finally composed himself. Dulcette took a deep breath to steady her emotions before speaking, though her previous projection was hindered slightly. "I thoroughly appreciate the level of skill you have shown. I thank you for being such an outstanding subordinate and am glad to hail you as my equal. The Changing of Command is now complete!" The last bit she said more as a yell right before rushing to Octavia and hugging her fiercely. "My word darling that was beautiful. I was so moved by it!" Luna and Celestia both cheered and clacked their hooves on the ground in appreciation. Knight Gale took flight and dive bombed the two. "Damn right it was a beauty! Had me sobbing. Captured this old mare to a 'T' with those shifts." He prodded Dulcette who blushed and swatted him away while detangling herself from Octavia and the Captain in a huff. Octavia only rolled her eyes and stood brushing herself off. As crass as the Captain was he was a good Stallion and besides an old friend acted much the same so Octavia was used to it. Woody Jaunt walked forward and put a hoof onto Octavia's shoulder before speaking in her gruff and commanding way. "I have rarely been so moved. This promotion is well-deserved indeed." Celestia and Luna were next walking down and shaking Octavia's hoof. After the congratulations were done they all moved and went back to their duties, however, all who attended hummed Octavia's song for the rest of the day. Author's Note So an explanation of the way I organized the military in Equestria. From basic observations most of what we have seen would be more considered Honor Guard more than any other function. The Long Patrol is a completely fan made idea that I LOVE so I am including it. I made a small diagram to show HOW big this promotion really is. This guide shows that each section reports DIRECTLY to the Princesses. However each one also has one or two of the other commands that can take command of their section. For the most part this is never done and each section is allowed to operate independently of each other. Under each Corps leader is a Lieutenant that is next in line for the leader's position. Under the LT is the enlisted. Starting with Sergeant Major and going down to Private. If you want a better idea of naming the Guard follow the naming conventions of the US ARMY. The Long Patrol follow the naming Conventions of the US MARINES while the music corps has a slightly unigue but more in line with US AIRFORCE or US NAVY. Ie instead of Airman or Seaman the lowest rank is Musician. With enlisted squad leaders being called Composing Sergeant and each squad called a Troupe. Below details what I mean to a degree. Basically Long Patrol are the top dogs. They have the power to override any and all orders from any other section. This is because the other sections pertain to guard duty and musical performances. If the Long Patrol leader finds a threat to be worthy enough they will initiate a full command override and take all guard, active and reserve from all three sections into their command to better organize a defense for the citizens against said threat. In this story this has happened three times, the changeling invasion, an old griffon skirmish, and a final time under the orders of the Princess to help their allies the Zebra's from an external threat. Most of the time the Princesses do not interfere with the goings on of each branch though they can. The Princesses have a very hands off approach with the military. That being said Luna has a more direct approach with the Long Patrol. Known to accompany squads at times but never taking a leadership role instead she lets the leader of the squad give all orders. She does this to rate each squad's efficiency and effectiveness in the field. With her return Long Patrol has stepped up its performance and have taken to being a bit more in line with regulations about dress and decorum, much to Luna's disappointment. The reason the musical side is above the guard is because the guard tend to be overzealous about their duty and would hinder the purpose behind the balls and performances with their overly critical hand for security. So they are given the last word on whether a certain security measure is allowed during an event. Any disputes are handled by the Princesses. Though rarely has it ever come to that as most of the time the leaders of each section thoroughly respect the others. Any questions can be leveled at me I hope I can make the structure clear in the story. I am placing this here in case anyone wanted to know before I got to it in the story. FamilyOctavia was starting to get very tired of being congratulated. She stopped counting after the 42nd congratulation. While she truly appreciated the amount of sincerity they each held the repetition was starting to grate on her nerves. She was relieved to finally be in the locker room where she could change. She was glad to get out of her Dress Uniform and into a simple bowtie before heading back out. She was running a bit late from all the hand shaking and small talk she did on her way here and she sorely hated to be late. As she bustled down the streets of Canterlot keeping a trotting pace but not strenuous enough to make her sweat she went over the duties she would be taking over come the following work week. The ceremony had been scheduled at the end of the final day of one week so to offer a good transition point between the commands. There would be a big formation to allow her to address the troops. Luckily the Music Corps was much smaller than the other two. There were two "Orchestras", one Modern and the other Classical. Each Orchestra was then separated into "Genres", then into "Ensembles" and finally into "Troupes". The other Corps had a lot more separation with almost double the number of unit types and an astronomically higher amount of ponies. While everything above Troupe is named by tradition each Troupe is allowed to come up with its own name. Unlike the Guard the Troupes act in a much more autonomous manner. Each Troupe has a leader designated the Composing Sergeant that can sign contracts for his Troupe. Each Troupe acts more like a small musical band than a military unit, however, each member is expected to stay within a certain regulation of fitness and combat effectiveness. Basic Hoof to Hoof and anti-magic techniques are trained regularly. After all, when the small looking flute player suddenly has a Minotaur in a choke-hold it usually causes enough confusion and amazement to allow for a quick resolution of issues. That was actually why the Music Corps held the position they did. If something is gonna happen at a ball or gala the ones that will know the most of what is going on are the ones who have been setting the mood and pace of the evening. The Royal Guard are competent but unlike the musicians they won't have eyes on the ponies inside the building as they will be watching for incoming threats not internal ones. Octavia arrived at her destination at the exact time her Troupe were supposed to meet up. While she was the Major of the entire Corps she still needed a group to play with. So to allow their best to continue playing the Music Corp came up with a rather brilliant idea. Troupes are promoted as a whole. No one person can rise to the top alone. They need the support of their Troupe. In fact, her Troupe was now officially titled the Major Troupe, regarded as the most skilled in the Music Corp by all below them and outside the Corp. This meant more than mastery of an instrument. Most high-ranking members knew at least 5 instruments at master level skill and could work with others to do more than one type of music. While each Troupe had specialties, rising in rank meant mastering other instruments, genres, styles, and continued recitals and performances. Major was not an easy rank to meet, you had to be very team oriented and motivating to your troupe. Who were all currently in a drinking contest, a syrup drinking contest. By Celestia they were all foals. "Please tell me I am dreaming. Please tell me the current Major Troupe members are not downing a grotesque amount of sugary goo in the middle of a cafe."Octavia spoke to a cream-colored earth mare with two tone blue and pink mane and tail. The three wrapped candies on her flank showed she was not a musician or official member of the troupe. However, as the partner to Lyra she was considered an honorary member by all. Bon-Bon was watching with a mixture of disgust and amusement when she heard Octavia. "Octavia! Oh, sadly I can't. Lyra started egging Harpo on about who could play better. Beauty and Fredrick got into an argument about who had the better sweet tooth and next thing I knew four bottles of syrup were on the table and they started," She gestured towards them grimacing at the sickened face Harpo made at that moment,"...chugging." As she finished Lyra slammed her empty bottle on the table and wiping her lip. Fredrick followed and Beauty but Harpo finished last by about 5 seconds. Octavia grimaced at the burp Lyra released looking at Bon-Bon with a raised eyebrow and gesture. Bon-Bon just shrugged. Harpo Parish Nadermane, or just Harpo, was a dark blue coated, blue hair and mane earth colt with a Lyre on his flank. While he was exceptionally gifted in string instruments his real talent was in compositions. He could write music that truly pushed the musicians playing it and stunned audiences. Lyra Heartstrings was a light green coated, two toned pale-green and white mane and tail unicorn mare with a lyre cutie mark. Her skill came from her magic, she could actually play more than one instrument at a time and even play them differently. At most she could play the same instrument and song with up to 8 instruments but she could play up to 3 different instruments at once flawlessly. Beauty Brass was a light blue coated, brown-haired earth mare with a bass cleff as a cutie mark. Beauty had a talent rather than skill that set her far apart from others. Her lungs were unstoppable. The mare could hold her breath for a full 2.5 minutes easily. This led to her being a one of the few able to use the tuba or sousaphone for extended periods of time without much fatigue. In fact any wind instrument she could play for far longer than other musicians. With that said her skill with the instruments alone would have had her in the same position. Fredric Horseshoepin, Fredric not Fred, was a light brown coated earth colt, with white mane and tail, two Eighth notes that overlapped, one black the other a pale brown were his cutie mark. He excels on any instrument. Aside from some of the more exotic choices he has mastered all of the ones anypony could care to name. On top of that he also has a talent for spontaneous compositions, where Harpo writes one before hand that can be practiced, Fredric can start a piece on stage and give enough direction to have the rest of the troupe follow along seamlessly. "BOOYA, I WIN! I AM THE CHAMPION! MY FRIENDS!" Lyra belted out a slightly off-key and reworded rendition of the song "We are the Champions" by the band Princess. Octavia just shook her head at the display before speaking. "Alright enough of this, if I am going to be made a fool of then I would prefer we do it somewhere that I can at least be able to drink." At the mention of drinking they all perked up and nodded, quickly paying the bill and following Octavia downtown. "So what club are we gonna tear up to celebrate the big promotion? I am thinking Hoof Trot," Lyra said walking next to Bon-Bon and entwining their tails together. "Nah, that place has been getting a bit lame with the rules and they started watering their drinks down," Harpo casually mentioned as he kept running his tongue around his mouth to try and remove the taste. "How about that new place? What was its name?" Beauty Brass asked aloud as she pondered her own question. "You mean the one that features all electronic artists? Good idea. What was its name?" Bon-Bon commented. "BASS DROP! That was the name! I heard a rumor that DJ Pon3 might show up there sometime this weekend. Wouldn't it be awesome for her to come tonight?" Beauty exclaimed suddenly. Octavia slowed a bit and looked at Beauty confused before asking. "Who?" They all stopped and stared at her in disbelief. "Seriously?! You don't know DJ Pon3?! She is like the biggest name in the Electronic scene right now!" Fredric screamed at her. Octavia looked a bit surprised at his outburst. "Well that decides that. Just for the possibility of DJ Pon3 for Octavia we are going to Bass Drop!" Lyra says nudging Octavia forward. Octavia had a feeling for some strange reason tonight was not going to be as enjoyable as she had hoped. Author's Note So here is a diagram if I didn't explain it well enough. I feel my writing style is too short. Like I don't explain things I should but then I explain things I shouldn't too much. I don't know its past 5 am and I am tired. I need sleep. But hey I UPDATED!!!!! FriendsOctavia had guessed right. While she truly did try to keep an open mind about all musical advances and styles Techno was a style she could not quite get her head around. That is not to say she did not encounter the odd gem in the genre but when that is only 1 in every 20 songs one tends to stay clear of the source material. Apparently her Troupe was more into this genre than she was aware. They did talk shop a lot but many times it was classical with mixings of other genres for flair. The heavy bass of the current mix fell away as the DJ, Knee On or something, switched the tempo to a Trance melody. This genre Octavia appreciated more but honestly she still did not peruse it often. She just did not connect to the digital quality in the music. "Alright party ponies! Get some water and some food I know I need some! When I get back w4e aren't stopping until Luna sleeps!!!" The DJ said as he stepped down from the mixers and left the stage. One of the great things of being on a mountain is that there is an AMAZING amount of space to utilize under your feet. The club was carved into the mountain in a circular manner. From the center to a wall was about a quarter mile! In the center was the mixers in a full circle with a break facing away from the entrance. If you looked at it from above it would almost look like a power on symbol. Clever spells and ingenious design made this setup absolutely amazing for sound to carry and bounce around the vast room. Octavia took this all in with a practiced and masterful eye and realized that at the farthest point from the entrance would be the best place to not be completely overwhelmed by the volume this genre was usually played at. Luckily that spot also included one of the five bars of the establishment which meant sound cancelling spells to better allow the bartender to hear the customers. The other four were to the left and right of the center. Two on the walls on either side and two in the middle between the walls and the center. Between the farthest wall and the mixers were a selection of tables and chairs for those that tired themselves out from dancing or for those who preferred not to dance. Octavia headed straight for the farthest bar. Her troupe went various ways as they usually did in large social situations like this. Lyra and Bon Bon followed after Octavia, they usually started the night with drinks and conversation, letting the liquor help them get in the mood to dance the night away. Harpo headed for the closest bar possible, he liked to get drunk as fast as possible and then maintain a certain level of it through the night, rarely did he get so drunk he blackout or lost his lunch which amazed Octavia since he drank more than anypony his size should be able to. Frederick and Beauty go straight for the dance floor. After everyone does their normal rituals they usually congregate wherever Octavia has made her perch. She did dance but not to the degree Frederick and Beauty did. And she only sipped on drinks all night unlike Harpo. Generally she just sat and enjoyed the ambiance of the establishment they were visiting. Tonight she thought she would probably be drinking a bit more than usual. As she got to the tables a loud commotion from behind he gave her pause and she turned around to see two of the biggest ponies she had ever seen firmly subduing a much smaller pony from getting on the stage. The two bouncers, one was a mare and the other a stallion, had the size and strength advantage but the younger mare pony had the determination. After a bit more struggling the bouncers got control of the smaller pony before swiftly escorting her to the exit and throwing her out. The DJ from before took the stage quickly and lowered the music to make an announcement. "While rules are not always great for parties the club asks me to remind you party ponies that getting on the stage will get you wrangled by are very big and muscular guards who will not be that nice about throwing you out," A few people chuckled as the music came back on a more energetic tune as the DJ went to finish his meal he had at one of the tables. Octavia turned and made a bee line for the bar again with Lyra and Bon Bon following behind. As they got near the bar and the sound cancelling zone Lyra nudged Octavia smirking. "Already seen someone kicked out and we just got here think this night is gonna take a turn into crazy town like the Diamond Palace incident?" Octavia turned on Lyra with a glare that could freeze lava. Lyra seemed to be immune though. "We said never to talk about that again!" Octavia growled through clenched teeth. "I really am never going to hear that story am I?" Bon Bon huffed to them. "Not if Lyra knows what is good for her!" Came Octavia's growl. She signaled the bartender and ordered a Adios Mother Fucker or AMF. She was not going to chug it down like Harpo was no doubt doing to his drinks but she needed something stronger than her usual starter drinks. Lyra and Bon Bon noticed, Bon Bon admonishing Lyra silently but no words were said. Drinks in hand they made their way to a table as the DJ took the spotlight again and brought the tempo up mixing the music until it hit the Dubstep level. Octavia took a big sip from her drink but started to time the beat with her hoof as she broke down the song in her head and tried to understand the emotions and direction the song was trying to portray. The music was rather well done, even with her detachment from the genre Octavia could recognize a skilled musician when she heard one. Bon Bon and Lyra left there saddlebags and drinks to go dance, the music making their bodies rock with the rhythm. Octavia kept an eye on everything and watched the DJ mix, from her practiced ear she could hear the different tracks, there was a base rhythm and another for a deeper bass. Drops and Whirls were added as the DJ read the crowd and kept the tempo and excitement up. He would occasionally backtrack one or the other track to repeat a section. He changed the Deeper Bass track out for one with a lot of Mid tones as he built an increasing sense of anticipation. Right before he switched to a new track that Octavia knew was designed to assault the body with bass and send vibrations through it Octavia heard a voice she had not heard in a decade. "Octy?! Is that you?!" The white mare sat down in a chair next to her. Her electric two-toned blue mane, mostly hidden by the dark hoodie she wore, and magenta eyes brought on a wave of nostalgia inside Octavia. She could have done without that infernal nickname though. "Vinyl, how many times have I told you NOT to call me that?" Octavia said rather tersely maintaining a flat and level stare and a neutral expression. Vinyl looked taken aback for a second before smiling widely. "1,563 if I did not forget the count, to include the implied time just now!" She said joyfully, Octavia's expression burst into joy as she reached over and hugged her old friend. "Oh my Celestia, you actually remembered the count? I am sorry I have not been in touch more. The Royal Military is a lot more busy than I had anticipated when I joined and every time I went home to Ponyville you were at another far off locale and all the mail I sent was left unopened!" Octavia said happily but teasingly as she took her seat again. Vinyl Scratch, Octavia's hometown rival and friend from Ponyville before she joined the Royal Military just shrugged. "When you are chasing your dreams you gotta be open to going where they lead. But its no big. How has the stuffy military life treated you? Get to meet your idol Dulcette?" She asked teasingly. Octavia grinned mischievously. "Oh yes, in fact just today I took her place as Major of the Royal Music Corps," She tried to say as if it was some small thing but the pride could not be suppressed. Vinyl's eyes shot open as she seemed to be struck dumb by the news. "YOU'RE THE MAJOR?! SERIOUSLY?! Congratulations! Jeeze that makes what I have been doing seem kinda small!" Vinyl paused for a second before she looked up excitedly, "OH! That means you played a farewell song for Dulcette! In front of BOTH princesses! I bet you had them all BAWLING their eyes out!" Octavia blushed at the praise before her expression turned to curiousity. "What have you been up to by the way? Last I heard you were in Detrot and playing at several different venues." Octavia asked. Vinyl looked about to respond when the music went low and the DJ spoke up. "While I know you Part Ponies love the style of DJ Neon Lights, I have to step down and hand the mixers to the true master of them. I doubt any of you will complain though! GIVE IT UP FOR DJ PON3!!!" The entire place went crazy! Octavia looked a bit startled and confused, Vinyl shook her head smirking before yelling at Octavia. "Let me show you!" She then got up and headed for the stage, hoodie dropping showing how her hair had changed, while the color was the same the style was very different. Octavia had seen Vinyl last with long rather straight hair, now it was short and jutted in various directions wildly. The ponies near her went nuts when they saw her walking past them. 'What?' Was all Octavia could think. As she neared the stage the Bouncers from before helped keep the crowd out of her way as she entered the stage, both Bouncers beaming at her and seeming to laugh about the insanity. 'What?!' Was again the thought to run through Octavia's mind. As she got to the mic she put on these stylish Purple lensed glasses and took the mic in her magical grasp before addressing the crowd. "HELLO CANTERLOT!!! DJ PON3 IS HERE TO TAKE THIS MOUNTAIN DOWN! I GOT A LOT TO PROVE TONIGHT SINCE THE CURRENT MAJOR OF THE ROYAL MUSIC CORPS, AN OLD FRIEND AND RIVAL OF MINE, DECIDED TO SHOW UP! SO LET'S PARTY SO LOUD WE WAKE UP CELESTIA!!!!" As she spoke she had pointed right at Octavia, the spotlight hit Octavia and she cringed from the glare. Everypony was looking at her, "GET READY FOR A SHOW OCTY BABE!" Octavia's next thought was not kept in her head as she yelled out right after the music hit an unprecedented level cacophonous rhythm. "WHAAAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Author's Note This is a reference for the bar. Well I posted again. I really am horrible at writing within any time frame. But at least I keep chugging along. Wonder if anyone is gonna be excited I updated?
PromotionLieutenant Octavia Melody stood at attention outside the Royal Hall wearing her Dress Uniform and carrying her cello on her back. She had been standing there unmoving for about 10 minutes before the doors opened and she was led inside. Where normally a stream of ponies with all manner of complaints and requests were the Hall was empty save for Celestia and Luna on their twin thrones and a formation of the three leaders of the guard stood stone-faced and unwavering a few steps below them. There was Captain of the Guard, a rather unwholesome Pegasus stallion by the name of Knight Gale who replaced Shining Armor after his departure to the Crystal Kingdoms, he wore his Dress Uniform well and actually looked like a member of the guard for a change. Next to him was the Colonel of the Long Patrol. A very stern Earth mare her name was Woody Jaunt but most under her just called her Colonel, her uniform was pristine, the scars from her battles at the borders of Equestria the only blemishes to be seen but those were more a medal of service and source of pride for the ones from the Long Patrol. Finally there was Octavia's Commanding Officer or CO. Major Dulcette Note, a Unicorn mare of EXQUISITE image and unparalleled skill with a piano. She was a very old mare but it did not show as age normally would on a pony. Octavia compared her to a fine wine where each year goes by the wine only gets more refined. Octavia made her way so she stood in front of the group never showing her back to them, standing before them she saluted but did not bring her hoof down. The three leaders did not move as they waited for the proper response from the Princesses. After a minute Princess Celestia coughed and Princess Luna looked confused, finally Knight Gale broke his vigil and rolled his eyes, he backed up a few steps and whispered to the Princesses. "Beggin' your pardons M'ams but as the highest ranking in the room you have to salute her back before we can proceed," Celestia and Luna suddenly blushed and went to quickly salute with Celestia offering her apologies. "Terribly sorry, its been a long while since we have done a true Changing of Command. Most of the time something has come up to warrant a quicker change of station." Celestia spoke with grace and a warm smile as Octavia lowered her hoof after the Princesses. Celestia sighed inwardly thinking to herself 'And this would have also been the case for this if Luna was not so adamant to have it happen, I had a great "diplomatic emergency" lined up and everything.' Octavia for her part remained impassive through it all as Knight Gale returned to his post and put on his professional expression again. Dulcette moved down three steps and stopped once Knight Gale was in place. She then spoke in a very powerful but not overbearing voice. One that could be heard to the back of the Hall while not overpowering those near her. "Lieutenant Melody. Through the performance and diligence you have shown in your service. With the recommendations of not only myself but all present in this Hall. I, Major Note step down from my post to retirement. I remove your rank of Lieutenant and give onto you the rank of Major. From this point on you will lead the Musical Corp of Equestria." Her voice echoed in the rafters a bit before Octavia replied in that same strong voice. "Retired Major Note. I accept this new rank and wish you the best in your retirement. Please allow me to play you one final piece as your subordinate." Octavia waited for Dulcette to nod before removing her cello case and preparing it. The Changing of the Command had different traditions depending one which corps was getting a new leader. For the Guard it was a recitation of old Command's Distinguished Service, the Long Patrol had the new command tell their favorite story about the old command, but the music corps had the tradition of playing a unique piece made by the new command specifically for the old one. Octavia had begun writing and preparing it ever since she was made Lieutenant 4 years ago. Having researched, now Retired, Major Note's career Octavia closed her eyes and started to play a somber tone. Dulcette came into the Music Corps during a rather large scandal involving taking money for side performances that were not condoned by the Current Major of the time. After she joined they cracked down on everyone and made examples of any who stepped out of line. As she rose in the ranks of this more hostile time she distinguished herself with her high moral character and caring for her peers and subordinates. The somber tone moved to a light and hopeful one. Dulcette then moved to make the Music Corps the Premier Music Source in Equestria pushing to make sure they did not get replaced by civilian interests in the Court. The tone took a more strong and powerful tone. She then led the Music Corps to adapt to the changing music traditions and pulled in more influences to allow a greater range of styles in the Corps itself. The tone came to a high speed, medium tone flurry. Her last few years were uneventful for the most part other than some small issues however her welcoming parade and choir organization for Princess Twilight was the talk of the Corps even today. Octavia ended with a small homage to that beautiful and final piece she made while in the Corps. When Octavia opened her eyes to look up Dulcette was stone faced but tears streamed down her face. Princess Celestia was beaming, deciding maybe she can start trying to hold these changing of the Commands more instead of avoiding them. Princess Luna had her face buried in her wing to hide her tears. Knight Gale was sobbing and crying while nodding furiously. Even the hard edged Colonel had a small trail of tears on her left side. Octavia packed up and returned to attention. Knight Gale took some time but finally composed himself. Dulcette took a deep breath to steady her emotions before speaking, though her previous projection was hindered slightly. "I thoroughly appreciate the level of skill you have shown. I thank you for being such an outstanding subordinate and am glad to hail you as my equal. The Changing of Command is now complete!" The last bit she said more as a yell right before rushing to Octavia and hugging her fiercely. "My word darling that was beautiful. I was so moved by it!" Luna and Celestia both cheered and clacked their hooves on the ground in appreciation. Knight Gale took flight and dive bombed the two. "Damn right it was a beauty! Had me sobbing. Captured this old mare to a 'T' with those shifts." He prodded Dulcette who blushed and swatted him away while detangling herself from Octavia and the Captain in a huff. Octavia only rolled her eyes and stood brushing herself off. As crass as the Captain was he was a good Stallion and besides an old friend acted much the same so Octavia was used to it. Woody Jaunt walked forward and put a hoof onto Octavia's shoulder before speaking in her gruff and commanding way. "I have rarely been so moved. This promotion is well-deserved indeed." Celestia and Luna were next walking down and shaking Octavia's hoof. After the congratulations were done they all moved and went back to their duties, however, all who attended hummed Octavia's song for the rest of the day. Author's Note So an explanation of the way I organized the military in Equestria. From basic observations most of what we have seen would be more considered Honor Guard more than any other function. The Long Patrol is a completely fan made idea that I LOVE so I am including it. I made a small diagram to show HOW big this promotion really is. This guide shows that each section reports DIRECTLY to the Princesses. However each one also has one or two of the other commands that can take command of their section. For the most part this is never done and each section is allowed to operate independently of each other. Under each Corps leader is a Lieutenant that is next in line for the leader's position. Under the LT is the enlisted. Starting with Sergeant Major and going down to Private. If you want a better idea of naming the Guard follow the naming conventions of the US ARMY. The Long Patrol follow the naming Conventions of the US MARINES while the music corps has a slightly unigue but more in line with US AIRFORCE or US NAVY. Ie instead of Airman or Seaman the lowest rank is Musician. With enlisted squad leaders being called Composing Sergeant and each squad called a Troupe. Below details what I mean to a degree. Basically Long Patrol are the top dogs. They have the power to override any and all orders from any other section. This is because the other sections pertain to guard duty and musical performances. If the Long Patrol leader finds a threat to be worthy enough they will initiate a full command override and take all guard, active and reserve from all three sections into their command to better organize a defense for the citizens against said threat. In this story this has happened three times, the changeling invasion, an old griffon skirmish, and a final time under the orders of the Princess to help their allies the Zebra's from an external threat. Most of the time the Princesses do not interfere with the goings on of each branch though they can. The Princesses have a very hands off approach with the military. That being said Luna has a more direct approach with the Long Patrol. Known to accompany squads at times but never taking a leadership role instead she lets the leader of the squad give all orders. She does this to rate each squad's efficiency and effectiveness in the field. With her return Long Patrol has stepped up its performance and have taken to being a bit more in line with regulations about dress and decorum, much to Luna's disappointment. The reason the musical side is above the guard is because the guard tend to be overzealous about their duty and would hinder the purpose behind the balls and performances with their overly critical hand for security. So they are given the last word on whether a certain security measure is allowed during an event. Any disputes are handled by the Princesses. Though rarely has it ever come to that as most of the time the leaders of each section thoroughly respect the others. Any questions can be leveled at me I hope I can make the structure clear in the story. I am placing this here in case anyone wanted to know before I got to it in the story.
FamilyOctavia was starting to get very tired of being congratulated. She stopped counting after the 42nd congratulation. While she truly appreciated the amount of sincerity they each held the repetition was starting to grate on her nerves. She was relieved to finally be in the locker room where she could change. She was glad to get out of her Dress Uniform and into a simple bowtie before heading back out. She was running a bit late from all the hand shaking and small talk she did on her way here and she sorely hated to be late. As she bustled down the streets of Canterlot keeping a trotting pace but not strenuous enough to make her sweat she went over the duties she would be taking over come the following work week. The ceremony had been scheduled at the end of the final day of one week so to offer a good transition point between the commands. There would be a big formation to allow her to address the troops. Luckily the Music Corps was much smaller than the other two. There were two "Orchestras", one Modern and the other Classical. Each Orchestra was then separated into "Genres", then into "Ensembles" and finally into "Troupes". The other Corps had a lot more separation with almost double the number of unit types and an astronomically higher amount of ponies. While everything above Troupe is named by tradition each Troupe is allowed to come up with its own name. Unlike the Guard the Troupes act in a much more autonomous manner. Each Troupe has a leader designated the Composing Sergeant that can sign contracts for his Troupe. Each Troupe acts more like a small musical band than a military unit, however, each member is expected to stay within a certain regulation of fitness and combat effectiveness. Basic Hoof to Hoof and anti-magic techniques are trained regularly. After all, when the small looking flute player suddenly has a Minotaur in a choke-hold it usually causes enough confusion and amazement to allow for a quick resolution of issues. That was actually why the Music Corps held the position they did. If something is gonna happen at a ball or gala the ones that will know the most of what is going on are the ones who have been setting the mood and pace of the evening. The Royal Guard are competent but unlike the musicians they won't have eyes on the ponies inside the building as they will be watching for incoming threats not internal ones. Octavia arrived at her destination at the exact time her Troupe were supposed to meet up. While she was the Major of the entire Corps she still needed a group to play with. So to allow their best to continue playing the Music Corp came up with a rather brilliant idea. Troupes are promoted as a whole. No one person can rise to the top alone. They need the support of their Troupe. In fact, her Troupe was now officially titled the Major Troupe, regarded as the most skilled in the Music Corp by all below them and outside the Corp. This meant more than mastery of an instrument. Most high-ranking members knew at least 5 instruments at master level skill and could work with others to do more than one type of music. While each Troupe had specialties, rising in rank meant mastering other instruments, genres, styles, and continued recitals and performances. Major was not an easy rank to meet, you had to be very team oriented and motivating to your troupe. Who were all currently in a drinking contest, a syrup drinking contest. By Celestia they were all foals. "Please tell me I am dreaming. Please tell me the current Major Troupe members are not downing a grotesque amount of sugary goo in the middle of a cafe."Octavia spoke to a cream-colored earth mare with two tone blue and pink mane and tail. The three wrapped candies on her flank showed she was not a musician or official member of the troupe. However, as the partner to Lyra she was considered an honorary member by all. Bon-Bon was watching with a mixture of disgust and amusement when she heard Octavia. "Octavia! Oh, sadly I can't. Lyra started egging Harpo on about who could play better. Beauty and Fredrick got into an argument about who had the better sweet tooth and next thing I knew four bottles of syrup were on the table and they started," She gestured towards them grimacing at the sickened face Harpo made at that moment,"...chugging." As she finished Lyra slammed her empty bottle on the table and wiping her lip. Fredrick followed and Beauty but Harpo finished last by about 5 seconds. Octavia grimaced at the burp Lyra released looking at Bon-Bon with a raised eyebrow and gesture. Bon-Bon just shrugged. Harpo Parish Nadermane, or just Harpo, was a dark blue coated, blue hair and mane earth colt with a Lyre on his flank. While he was exceptionally gifted in string instruments his real talent was in compositions. He could write music that truly pushed the musicians playing it and stunned audiences. Lyra Heartstrings was a light green coated, two toned pale-green and white mane and tail unicorn mare with a lyre cutie mark. Her skill came from her magic, she could actually play more than one instrument at a time and even play them differently. At most she could play the same instrument and song with up to 8 instruments but she could play up to 3 different instruments at once flawlessly. Beauty Brass was a light blue coated, brown-haired earth mare with a bass cleff as a cutie mark. Beauty had a talent rather than skill that set her far apart from others. Her lungs were unstoppable. The mare could hold her breath for a full 2.5 minutes easily. This led to her being a one of the few able to use the tuba or sousaphone for extended periods of time without much fatigue. In fact any wind instrument she could play for far longer than other musicians. With that said her skill with the instruments alone would have had her in the same position. Fredric Horseshoepin, Fredric not Fred, was a light brown coated earth colt, with white mane and tail, two Eighth notes that overlapped, one black the other a pale brown were his cutie mark. He excels on any instrument. Aside from some of the more exotic choices he has mastered all of the ones anypony could care to name. On top of that he also has a talent for spontaneous compositions, where Harpo writes one before hand that can be practiced, Fredric can start a piece on stage and give enough direction to have the rest of the troupe follow along seamlessly. "BOOYA, I WIN! I AM THE CHAMPION! MY FRIENDS!" Lyra belted out a slightly off-key and reworded rendition of the song "We are the Champions" by the band Princess. Octavia just shook her head at the display before speaking. "Alright enough of this, if I am going to be made a fool of then I would prefer we do it somewhere that I can at least be able to drink." At the mention of drinking they all perked up and nodded, quickly paying the bill and following Octavia downtown. "So what club are we gonna tear up to celebrate the big promotion? I am thinking Hoof Trot," Lyra said walking next to Bon-Bon and entwining their tails together. "Nah, that place has been getting a bit lame with the rules and they started watering their drinks down," Harpo casually mentioned as he kept running his tongue around his mouth to try and remove the taste. "How about that new place? What was its name?" Beauty Brass asked aloud as she pondered her own question. "You mean the one that features all electronic artists? Good idea. What was its name?" Bon-Bon commented. "BASS DROP! That was the name! I heard a rumor that DJ Pon3 might show up there sometime this weekend. Wouldn't it be awesome for her to come tonight?" Beauty exclaimed suddenly. Octavia slowed a bit and looked at Beauty confused before asking. "Who?" They all stopped and stared at her in disbelief. "Seriously?! You don't know DJ Pon3?! She is like the biggest name in the Electronic scene right now!" Fredric screamed at her. Octavia looked a bit surprised at his outburst. "Well that decides that. Just for the possibility of DJ Pon3 for Octavia we are going to Bass Drop!" Lyra says nudging Octavia forward. Octavia had a feeling for some strange reason tonight was not going to be as enjoyable as she had hoped. Author's Note So here is a diagram if I didn't explain it well enough. I feel my writing style is too short. Like I don't explain things I should but then I explain things I shouldn't too much. I don't know its past 5 am and I am tired. I need sleep. But hey I UPDATED!!!!!
FriendsOctavia had guessed right. While she truly did try to keep an open mind about all musical advances and styles Techno was a style she could not quite get her head around. That is not to say she did not encounter the odd gem in the genre but when that is only 1 in every 20 songs one tends to stay clear of the source material. Apparently her Troupe was more into this genre than she was aware. They did talk shop a lot but many times it was classical with mixings of other genres for flair. The heavy bass of the current mix fell away as the DJ, Knee On or something, switched the tempo to a Trance melody. This genre Octavia appreciated more but honestly she still did not peruse it often. She just did not connect to the digital quality in the music. "Alright party ponies! Get some water and some food I know I need some! When I get back w4e aren't stopping until Luna sleeps!!!" The DJ said as he stepped down from the mixers and left the stage. One of the great things of being on a mountain is that there is an AMAZING amount of space to utilize under your feet. The club was carved into the mountain in a circular manner. From the center to a wall was about a quarter mile! In the center was the mixers in a full circle with a break facing away from the entrance. If you looked at it from above it would almost look like a power on symbol. Clever spells and ingenious design made this setup absolutely amazing for sound to carry and bounce around the vast room. Octavia took this all in with a practiced and masterful eye and realized that at the farthest point from the entrance would be the best place to not be completely overwhelmed by the volume this genre was usually played at. Luckily that spot also included one of the five bars of the establishment which meant sound cancelling spells to better allow the bartender to hear the customers. The other four were to the left and right of the center. Two on the walls on either side and two in the middle between the walls and the center. Between the farthest wall and the mixers were a selection of tables and chairs for those that tired themselves out from dancing or for those who preferred not to dance. Octavia headed straight for the farthest bar. Her troupe went various ways as they usually did in large social situations like this. Lyra and Bon Bon followed after Octavia, they usually started the night with drinks and conversation, letting the liquor help them get in the mood to dance the night away. Harpo headed for the closest bar possible, he liked to get drunk as fast as possible and then maintain a certain level of it through the night, rarely did he get so drunk he blackout or lost his lunch which amazed Octavia since he drank more than anypony his size should be able to. Frederick and Beauty go straight for the dance floor. After everyone does their normal rituals they usually congregate wherever Octavia has made her perch. She did dance but not to the degree Frederick and Beauty did. And she only sipped on drinks all night unlike Harpo. Generally she just sat and enjoyed the ambiance of the establishment they were visiting. Tonight she thought she would probably be drinking a bit more than usual. As she got to the tables a loud commotion from behind he gave her pause and she turned around to see two of the biggest ponies she had ever seen firmly subduing a much smaller pony from getting on the stage. The two bouncers, one was a mare and the other a stallion, had the size and strength advantage but the younger mare pony had the determination. After a bit more struggling the bouncers got control of the smaller pony before swiftly escorting her to the exit and throwing her out. The DJ from before took the stage quickly and lowered the music to make an announcement. "While rules are not always great for parties the club asks me to remind you party ponies that getting on the stage will get you wrangled by are very big and muscular guards who will not be that nice about throwing you out," A few people chuckled as the music came back on a more energetic tune as the DJ went to finish his meal he had at one of the tables. Octavia turned and made a bee line for the bar again with Lyra and Bon Bon following behind. As they got near the bar and the sound cancelling zone Lyra nudged Octavia smirking. "Already seen someone kicked out and we just got here think this night is gonna take a turn into crazy town like the Diamond Palace incident?" Octavia turned on Lyra with a glare that could freeze lava. Lyra seemed to be immune though. "We said never to talk about that again!" Octavia growled through clenched teeth. "I really am never going to hear that story am I?" Bon Bon huffed to them. "Not if Lyra knows what is good for her!" Came Octavia's growl. She signaled the bartender and ordered a Adios Mother Fucker or AMF. She was not going to chug it down like Harpo was no doubt doing to his drinks but she needed something stronger than her usual starter drinks. Lyra and Bon Bon noticed, Bon Bon admonishing Lyra silently but no words were said. Drinks in hand they made their way to a table as the DJ took the spotlight again and brought the tempo up mixing the music until it hit the Dubstep level. Octavia took a big sip from her drink but started to time the beat with her hoof as she broke down the song in her head and tried to understand the emotions and direction the song was trying to portray. The music was rather well done, even with her detachment from the genre Octavia could recognize a skilled musician when she heard one. Bon Bon and Lyra left there saddlebags and drinks to go dance, the music making their bodies rock with the rhythm. Octavia kept an eye on everything and watched the DJ mix, from her practiced ear she could hear the different tracks, there was a base rhythm and another for a deeper bass. Drops and Whirls were added as the DJ read the crowd and kept the tempo and excitement up. He would occasionally backtrack one or the other track to repeat a section. He changed the Deeper Bass track out for one with a lot of Mid tones as he built an increasing sense of anticipation. Right before he switched to a new track that Octavia knew was designed to assault the body with bass and send vibrations through it Octavia heard a voice she had not heard in a decade. "Octy?! Is that you?!" The white mare sat down in a chair next to her. Her electric two-toned blue mane, mostly hidden by the dark hoodie she wore, and magenta eyes brought on a wave of nostalgia inside Octavia. She could have done without that infernal nickname though. "Vinyl, how many times have I told you NOT to call me that?" Octavia said rather tersely maintaining a flat and level stare and a neutral expression. Vinyl looked taken aback for a second before smiling widely. "1,563 if I did not forget the count, to include the implied time just now!" She said joyfully, Octavia's expression burst into joy as she reached over and hugged her old friend. "Oh my Celestia, you actually remembered the count? I am sorry I have not been in touch more. The Royal Military is a lot more busy than I had anticipated when I joined and every time I went home to Ponyville you were at another far off locale and all the mail I sent was left unopened!" Octavia said happily but teasingly as she took her seat again. Vinyl Scratch, Octavia's hometown rival and friend from Ponyville before she joined the Royal Military just shrugged. "When you are chasing your dreams you gotta be open to going where they lead. But its no big. How has the stuffy military life treated you? Get to meet your idol Dulcette?" She asked teasingly. Octavia grinned mischievously. "Oh yes, in fact just today I took her place as Major of the Royal Music Corps," She tried to say as if it was some small thing but the pride could not be suppressed. Vinyl's eyes shot open as she seemed to be struck dumb by the news. "YOU'RE THE MAJOR?! SERIOUSLY?! Congratulations! Jeeze that makes what I have been doing seem kinda small!" Vinyl paused for a second before she looked up excitedly, "OH! That means you played a farewell song for Dulcette! In front of BOTH princesses! I bet you had them all BAWLING their eyes out!" Octavia blushed at the praise before her expression turned to curiousity. "What have you been up to by the way? Last I heard you were in Detrot and playing at several different venues." Octavia asked. Vinyl looked about to respond when the music went low and the DJ spoke up. "While I know you Part Ponies love the style of DJ Neon Lights, I have to step down and hand the mixers to the true master of them. I doubt any of you will complain though! GIVE IT UP FOR DJ PON3!!!" The entire place went crazy! Octavia looked a bit startled and confused, Vinyl shook her head smirking before yelling at Octavia. "Let me show you!" She then got up and headed for the stage, hoodie dropping showing how her hair had changed, while the color was the same the style was very different. Octavia had seen Vinyl last with long rather straight hair, now it was short and jutted in various directions wildly. The ponies near her went nuts when they saw her walking past them. 'What?' Was all Octavia could think. As she neared the stage the Bouncers from before helped keep the crowd out of her way as she entered the stage, both Bouncers beaming at her and seeming to laugh about the insanity. 'What?!' Was again the thought to run through Octavia's mind. As she got to the mic she put on these stylish Purple lensed glasses and took the mic in her magical grasp before addressing the crowd. "HELLO CANTERLOT!!! DJ PON3 IS HERE TO TAKE THIS MOUNTAIN DOWN! I GOT A LOT TO PROVE TONIGHT SINCE THE CURRENT MAJOR OF THE ROYAL MUSIC CORPS, AN OLD FRIEND AND RIVAL OF MINE, DECIDED TO SHOW UP! SO LET'S PARTY SO LOUD WE WAKE UP CELESTIA!!!!" As she spoke she had pointed right at Octavia, the spotlight hit Octavia and she cringed from the glare. Everypony was looking at her, "GET READY FOR A SHOW OCTY BABE!" Octavia's next thought was not kept in her head as she yelled out right after the music hit an unprecedented level cacophonous rhythm. "WHAAAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Author's Note This is a reference for the bar. Well I posted again. I really am horrible at writing within any time frame. But at least I keep chugging along. Wonder if anyone is gonna be excited I updated?
