In a Cello Mood

Dear Diary,

Today sucked. It sucked so much. It sucked donkey balls. No offence to donkeys. You won’t believe what happened!

And yes, it is connected with Beauty Brass. It all began with her. With her, discussing Frederic! My best friend! I still don’t get how he can date her… I need to talk to him, seriously and soon.

And to think, that he would buy her a necklace!

***

“And Frederic bought me this lovely necklace!”

Several mares gasped as Beauty Brass took out a silver necklace from her saddlebags and put it on. “Lovely, don’t you think?” She spun round, much to the awe of the aforementioned mares, who were standing in a circle around her in the corner of the classroom.

Octavia groaned and, squinting her eyes, huffed. “Is it bad that I want to murder her?” the cellist asked Lyra, who was not paying attention to the showing-off of the jewellery. “Just a little,” Octavia clarified. “Not murder her much, just… a little.” The little pony in Octavia’s head put on a wig: According to the Shadow Proclamation- Octavia told that little pony to shut the hell up.

“You’re being biased,” Lyra offered, scribbling doodles in her notebook, much to the joy of Bon-Bon, who was sitting nearby. “She’s just chatting about her coltfriend doing something good for her - and you’re making a scene.”

“I’m making a scene?” Octavia put her hoof to her chest in an offended manner. “I am not the one who put her evil charms on my best friend. I am not the one, who, who - who dares sleep with him!” the cellist said a little louder, slamming her hoof against the desk.

Beauty turned to the source of the sound and turned to Octavia slowly with a grin. “What? You jealous I am the one who rules over Freddie’s cock?”

Lyra grabbed the grey mare in time. “Let me go!” Octavia hissed, trying to free herself from the unicorn’s grasp. “I will kill her! I will her dead and bury her body in a-!”

However, the exact location of the burial would forever remain a mystery, for at that exact moment in came a middle-aged earth pony, beige in colour, and with an already greying mane. Every sound ceased, and everypony stood up as the beige stallion took his place at the teacher’s desk. He chewed on his lip and looked over the ponies. “First years, right?”

Some ponies nodded meekly, some whispered, “Yes” - and only Beauty smiled diamondly and offered a, “Yes, Mr Dean, Sir.”

The dean of the classical faculty chewed on his lips again and began speaking very quietly. “You all know you have to do a project for the end of the semester.” A perfect silence enveloped the room, with silent nods all around. “Well, I am afraid that we cannot give you the freedom to choose your partner.” Several gasps, a small whisper, then silence again. “You must understand that it is crucial for a classical musician to be able to play in any ensemble, with any orchestra.” Octavia immediately imagined herself as the soloist and smiled dreamily. “We also believe that teamwork is essential even for future soloists…” Octavia gulped. “This is why we’ve decided not to give you a chance to perform solo.” At the hushed whispers, the dean smiled. “Don’t worry, you’ll all get a chance to prove yourself solo at the practical exam at the end of the course.” Sour winces all around.

The dean stood up and took out a paper from his leather saddlebag. “We’ve chosen pairs based on how your instruments can benefit each other. I will not read it out, but you can all come up to my desk and see it for yourselves. The list will be on at my office, visible to everypony.” Octavia’s eyes shone for a moment. Maybe they’ve paired me with Vinyl? I mean, cello and turntables would make a peculiar mix… “Naturally, you have all been paired within the classical faculty.” Octavia’s ears fell. Well damn.

Lyra had already walked towards the exit. “Come on, Bonnie, they’ve paired us up.”

The dean’s ears perked up. “How did you-” He cast a glance at the lyrist’s cutie mark. “Ah. Yes. Lyra Heartstrings.” He chewed on his lips again. “Remarkable. Just remarkable.”

But Octavia did not hear what Lyra had to reply. She could only stare at the list and stare and stare and read and read again and not believe her own eyes. “I’m sorry, sir,” she addressed the dean boldly - or, rather, without thinking. “There must be a mistake here. It says that I, Octavia Philarmonica, have been paired with a Beauty Brass.”

“What?” Beauty shifted towards the desk, elbowing her way ruthlessly. She glanced at the list. “Yes, sir, there is definitely a mistake here. I cannot be paired with, with…” A sour expression appeared on her face, as if she’d just chewed on a lemon. “With her.”

“I share the sentiment.” Octavia squinted her eyes. “Regarding her.” The little pony in her head took up a stick and glared violently at the pony next to her.

“Ladies,” the dean said calmly after chewing on his lips some more. “The list is set in stone. Octavia’s masterful cello play will be complemented with Beauty’s vocal skill.” It felt weird, hearing a professor address the students by their first names, but he was the dean, and, from what the older students were saying, had a fatherly compassion for all his students. “I didn’t make the list. Your professors and assistant professors did. So please, put aside whatever differences you might have, and focus on the project instead.”

The two mares just stood there before Beauty huffed and, tossing her mane, walked out of the classroom in a dignified trot. “Unbelievable!”

“Unbelievable…” Octavia whispered as well and gave her place to the ponies queuing up to see with whom they’d been paired up. Just as she walked out of the classroom, a smiling and cheerful Vinyl appeared, side by side with a weird blue stallion, with a strange mane, his eyes completely shielded by purple shades. Octavia winced at his spiked mane. “Hi, love.” She reached out to hug her mare, but Vinyl escaped the hug enthusiastically:

“Tavi, you won’t believe it!” She elbowed the stallion and giggled. “I’ve been paired up with one of the coolest DJs around!” The white mare wrapped her hoof around the stallion, making Octavia wince and glare. Triggered! the little pony in her head cooed merrily. Octavia took up the mental stick. “Neon Lights! He’s a prodigy, been DJing since forever!” Vinyl chirped on and on, making Octavia feel tenser and tenser. “Of course, we were given a say, and he chose me and I chose him and it’s a match made in Heaven!”

Octavia felt her eye twitching. “Very. Nice. Dear. Very. Nice.” She almost spat through her teeth. “And I’ve been paired with Beauty Brass.”

“Oh…” Vinyl looked said for a moment, then shrugged it off. “Well.” She smiled. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out. You’re a smart pony.” She tapped Octavia’s forehead. “I’m going to Neon’s to shift through some samples, will be home late.” With that, she pecked the cellist on the forehead and ran off, followed by the grinning stallion, who hadn’t taken off his shades for a moment - or said a word. Though, Octavia felt that he had mumbled something as he walked away.

Something painfully close to, “Cakewalk.”

***

Urgh!

I can’t sleep! It’s ten already and Vinyl’s not home yet. Should I be worried? Because I am worried! That- that brat! What is he doing with my marefriend? And Vinyl is so happy to work with him! It seemed like she didn’t even pay attention to my predicament! Now I have both Beauty and Neon to worry about!

Unbelievable! Just unbelievable!

What an ill-rotten week. And it’s just begun…

a very irritated Octavia, October 19th