I pulled on my blue sunglasses for two reasons. The first one being is that I wanted to hide my red eyes, I don't think many ponies like them, and two because it helped block all the light out. I've always preferred the night, because of the darkness. The reason I was going out tonight was not to perform but I needed some new ideas. I liked mine but I need new mixes. Something that just hasn't been heard but hasn't been thought of yet.
***
I made my way out of the house and into the empty streets. I didn't really have a set place so I just wandered aimlessly listening to the sounds of the night attempting to make melodies out of them. Than, I heard a faint sound like a cat's tail being yanked and the cat howling in pain but then I heard something click and the notes flowed out of the woods beautifully.
I looked around as if being able to see where the music was coming from and for a second out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw music notes floating and I followed the trail but every time I looked directly at it, but it seemed to disappear. I decided to follow it from the corner of my eye which wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do considering being in the woods with underbrush and roots poking out of the ground.
I was nearing closer because I could hear the song flowing out from a nearby clearing, but I couldn't move because of the beauty of the song. I feared that if I stepped into the clearing it would stop and I would never hear it again. I sat and listened, and I closed my eyes and let it fill my ears. I let it calm me. I let it relax me. I knew that this is what I was looking for and it was the best.
Then, it stopped and I wanted more nothing else just more of the music to relax me. I got up and burst into the clearing to find a grayish pony packing away a cello and the bow. I sat down, and realized I had never realized how beautiful the cello sounded.
"Thank you.” I whispered.
She turned around her long black mane going wild. She seemed startled.
"Uh... um you're welcome but what for?” she said.
"For showing me the music.” I whispered more softly.
She was still startled and now struggling for words.
"I didn't know uh any pony was uh listening. I thought I was alone.” she said.
"I'm sorry it's just I heard it and it was just the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.” I said trying to explain realizing how weird this must seem to her right now.
"Oh well thank you.” she said.
"Can you do me a favor and well um help me with my music?” I asked shyly.
"I don't know. What instrument do you play?” she asked.
"I don't.", I said.
"What?” she asked confounded.
"I don't play an instrument. I'm a DJ. I'm DJ PON-3 or more commonly known as Vinyl Scratch.", I said.
"Oh, well I guess I could help. I'm not good with technology but I would still love to help.” she said.
"That's great.", I said thankfully.
"Well, how about I meet you tomorrow right here as soon as Celestia's sun rises?", she asked.
"Sure.” I said thankful.
Then, she left without another word. I sat there and thought of the notes that just moments before ad swirled through the clearing the woods and the edge of the woods. If I listened hard enough I swear I could hear parts of the melody swirl in the air one last time.
***
I didn't go to sleep all night. I had stayed up messing around mixing the cello music and my DJ work. I didn't make anything particularly good but there were some things that could become better with work. I had left at 4 am since the sun rises at 5 a.m. I left my sunglasses at home finding it impossible to see with them on in the night.
***
I made my way blindly through the woods since the trees made it impossible for any light to get through. Finally, when the sun had started to rise I wasn't even close, but now that I had light I made my way quickly through the forest. I made to the clearing to find the Gray pony from yesterday tuning the cello which she had done yesterday when I had first heard it.
"You're late.” she said roughly.
"I'm sorry I got lost without any light.” I apologized.
"Well, let's jump right into things then.” she said.
"Wait, can I at least know your name?", I smiled faintly.
"Octavia, now moving on.” she said.
"Very well then.” I said.
Through the rest of the morning she helped me guiding my hoof around the bow on how to hold it right and helping me drag it long the cello softly, but I couldn't hold it correctly.
"One question, why am I learning to play this?” I asked confused.
"To make music with an instrument, you first must know how to play it.", she explained.
"Oh.", I said.
Then, she continued teaching me chords and how to drag the bow with precision and the right amount of pressure but I wasn't used to using my hooves since I was an unicorn.
"Can I use my horn instead?” I asked after many failed attempts of holding the bow right.
"Of course not.” she said appalled.
"Well, why not?” I asked confused.
"Music is made naturally not through magic. It comes from the heart not from the horn.” she said.
"Fine.", I said.
"Here I’ll show how to use the bow one more time.” she said.
She demonstrated on how to hold it and then handed it to me. I picked it up but still it slipped right from my hoof. I then set the cello down and sat on my haunches angrily.
"It just takes practice you know? Did you know it took me three months to learn how to hold the bow correctly, that might also been a part of me being stubborn and wanting to do it my own way.” she said trying to comfort me.
"Really?” I asked shocked.
"Yes, really.” she said," Now try holding it one more time."
I tried picking it up again but this time it stuck there but then I moved it closer to the cello and it slipped.
"See, you're getting better.” she encouraged.
"But, I still dropped it.", I said.
"Remember what I just said it takes practice. Practice makes perfect.” she said.
I looked up at her face and looked at her. I really looked at her for the first time and noticed she wore a pink bow-tie sort of thing around her neck and her mane and tail was wavy but rounded at the edges, her eyes were a deep grayish-purple and she had a pink treble clef for a cutie mark. She seemed like she would be arrogant but yet here she was with me teaching me to play a cello and in the middle of the woods with dirt, mud, and bugs.
"Fine if you can't hold it that way just try holding it the way I do.", she said.
She re-positioned my fore leg so now my hoof wasn't touching the bow and she told me to try to play and I finally held it steady. She looked amazed.
"Why didn't you show me this in the first place?” I asked.
"Because, this way is very advanced and hard to master.” she said,
She giggled as a triumphant look took over my facial expression. I loved the way she giggled and she looked at me.
"Maybe it's time we head home.” she suggested.
"But it's not la-", I cut off because I suddenly noticed how silent and dark the forest was.
"Oh I guess we should be heading home.” I giggled.
"How about, we meet at Sugar Cube Corner for lunch? There are things we need to discuss.” she said.
"Okay, boss.” I said mockingly.
She raised her eyebrow at me then trotted off with her cello in tow. I turned and headed home but then changed course for the library.
***
I arrived to the odd structure of a library but every structure in Ponyville was odd. I entered hoping Twilight hadn't gone to bed, yet, but I found her studying n the middle of the room.
"Twilight?” I said.
She turned around and looked shocked that some pony was here so late.
"I need to borrow a couple of books.” I explained.
"Go ahead just when you're down picking them out, you can sign them out in that book by the door.” she explained.
"Sure and thanks Twilight.” I said.
"No problem.” she said dismissing me to get books.
I was getting books on magic to see if I could find any spells to help me do tricks when DJing. I also got one on simple spells to see if I could find a light spell so that when I have my meetings with Octavia in the morning, I can see.
I went meet her at the exact time she said at Sugar Cube Corner, but she was no where to be found. I asked Pinkie if she had come in but she no she hadn't. I just meandered around the shop looking at all the deserts playing a hame with myself.
The games was trying to figure out that deserts Octavia would like. The only think I could think she would like was cupcakes.
I had been waiting for over an hour when I finally stormed out. She had told me to meet her there but she couldn't even show up. I decided to see if she was in the forest.
***
I followed the path that I had only trekked twice before but felt so much like a part of me. Something that went deeper than a path through the woods. I followed it feeling panic well in my chest and I ran. Why was I panicking and running? I tried to slow but my hooves didn't respond the urgency grew and my breaths quickened burning my nose from the intensity of it all and suddenly I felt light-headed.
I jumped over a fallen tree that I could have sworn was not there last time I came walking through here. I burst into the clearing. I looked wildly around as I stood tall and my tail flicked slightly behind me. I let out a sigh of relief and moved to slump against a tree to catch my breath but then I heard a blood- curdling scream that pierced my ears and made a shrill sound through the quiet forest as all the birds fluttered out of the trees and as fast away as possible.
I flattened my ears against my head as the scream grew louder but then the urgency returned and I was up and running. My instincts took over and I was jumping and swaying and moving with grace I never knew I had. I jumped over another tree trunk and found what had made my heart race.
Right there in front of me was Octavia, bloody, broken, faintly breathing, and with an object that pierced through her heart. I stood there still not comprehending as the gears in my head finally started to move and I was again taken over by instincts.
I threw her on my back and ran back to Ponyville making my way to the hospital. I weaved my way through a crowd in the square and ran into the hospital as the nurses crowded around and rushed down the hall and all I could do was stare a she was rushed down the hall as she looked up at me for a final time before her eyes rolled back and her chest stopped rising.
***
A nurse stepped out from behind the desk and herded me into the waiting room while I was still in a blank stare. She sat me down on the bench and whispered something that I didn't quite understand. I looked up at her and stared back. Then, it played in my ears over and over. It was Octavia's song that I had first heard that had compelled me to go into those woods that day.
I let the song soothe and relax me like it had that first day. I let it take my worries away with the rush of the notes and I sat and waited.
***
The doctor came out and my heart skipped a beat for a second.
"You're the pony who brought...",he said as he checked his chart,"the uh Octavia pony in?"
"Yes.", I whispered worriedly.
"She's going to be okay, but I need to ask you a couple of questions.", he said.
"Go ahead.", I said.
"What happened to her?", he asked.
"I don't know, I just found her like that.", I answered.
"Where did you find her?", he asked.
"In the woods.", I replied.
"Why were you in the woods?", he raised his eyebrow questioningly.
"I don't know, I had this felling I should go there. She was supposed to meet me at Sugar Cube Corner but when she didn't show I up, I got a little angry but worried at the same time.", I explained.
He nodded his head obviously deep in thought.
"Do you know any pony who could have done this to her?", he asked still deep in thought.
I shook my head now deep in thought, too. What if some pony had done this to her? Obviously, no creature besides a pony could have pierced her heart like that did. What pierced her heart? Why had they hurt her? What had she done? Had she done anything?
I couldn't stop my mind from racing.
"I have one last question.", he said.
"Go ahead.", I said still in thought.
"Did you do this to her?", he asked menacingly.
I snapped out of my train of thought and looked at him bewildered.
"Of course, I didn't", I said shocked that he dare accuse me of anything like that.
"Just calm down, we were making sure that that wasn't the case.", he said.
"You can go in and see her.", he said motioning to her door.
I got up and walked down the halls that smelled of antiseptic and small hint of death. I entered her room and I at with her, staring at her chest for hours making sure that her chest was rising and falling on pace.
