Octavia’s light bulb
By:Pandapony
It had been a normal day for Octavia, at least by her standards. She had two symphony concerts in which she performed beautifully. Even the princess, who attended it, personally congratulated her on her performance as well as other Canterlot royalty. She was extremely relieved when she stood by and heard the applause and saw flowers being thrown on stage. Her friends have told her before that she should not be nervous before performing, but she can’t help it. In fact, it may be the reason why she is great at what she does. But now she was back home in Ponyville with her marefriend Vinyl.
It was half past five and the sun was still up, but it was getting kind of dark though. Octavia liked the summer time for its long days. It wasn’t the idea that it looked nice, which it did of course, but rather the idea that good things can last for a while and could come back the next day in a unpredictable form. Octavia and Vinyl had just finished eating a wonderful dinner.
“I can’t believe that you made this!” said Octavia. “You never cook anything, and this is wonderful.”
“Thanks, I thought that I could do something nice for you for once ya know?” responded Vinyl.
“Well, let me just say that you have really out done yourself.” She finished the last of her lettuce and placed her napkin on the table. “Well, I should start on the dishes.” Octavia got up and off the table. Vinyl placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“Here, lemme do it this night. My treat.” Octavia smiled and hugged her.
“You are tremendous.”
“Aww, thanks babe.” Octavia giggled a little when she said that. Being a high class pony, she never used to being called that. In fact, it was a little annoying at first. But, when she understood the meaning better, she didn’t mind it. She even started to welcome it. Vinyl put on an apron and started working on the dishes. Octavia left the kitchen and went upstairs.
She went into the bathroom and began brushing her teeth.
As she brushed her teeth she began to wonder how unicorn magic feels. She lives with a unicorn, though she never asked her how it felt. Unicorns and Pegasi are lucky ponies. Earth Ponies don’t really have that much of a grip or anything to grab anything really. She loves playing her violin, and she plays it very well. The thing is that it is takes a lot of work for her to do so. Maybe someday they can invent a different way to play musical instruments.
Remembering her musical instruments reminded her that she needed new string from the supply room for her violin. She played so well earlier that day that one of the strings wore out. She rinsed her mouth and left the bathroom. She took a left and came to the supply room door and turned the nob with both of her hooves and flicked the switch to turn on the lights. But it was still dark.
She flicked the switch a couple of more times while staring at the spot on the ceiling where the light bulb would be connected to its socket. She sighed. In all of the five years that they have been in this house together no light bulbs ever needed to be replaced. It was also a rain on her parade. The room was too dark to, well, get anything really. She grabbed a stool that stood outside the door and grabbed a replacement light bulb from one of the boxes that she was able to see thanks to the light in the hallway. She moved the stool under the area where the light socket would supposedly be with the bulb being held with her teeth. She got on the stool and stood on her two back hooves and tried to screw in the light bulb in the socket. After a couple of moments though, she could not find it! It was starting to get a bit irritating. Soon Vinyl walked in the open door.
“Hey Octavia, I was wondering where my . . . what are you doing? Why is it dark in here?” Octavia stayed standing on the stool but relaxed her forelegs.
“I need to replace the light bulb because I needed some string from the violin in the supply room.” She grunted sounds of failure as she missed the socket many times.
“Uhh, need help?”
“Thanks, can you hold the stool for me? I think I need balance in order to get it.”
“Right.” Vinyl grabbed the bottom of the stool with her hooves. Luckily there was enough light to see the stool and Octavia’s back hooves standing on it. There was still no luck though. The light bulb refused to go in the socket as if it was actually pushing it out. “Want me to do it?”
“I can do it.”
“Oh yeah by the way, Bon Bon is here.” Octavia raised an eyebrow.
“Hey Octavia.” Octavia was slightly startled hearing her voice.
“Oh hey there Bon Bon. What brings you here?” She didn’t mind that Bon Bon was here. Everyone was friends with one another in Ponyville.
“I came to drop off some candy for your performance earlier! What are you doing?” Octavia was still up there trying to get the light bulb in.
“I was trying to replace this old light bulb but something is blocking it.”
“Here I will help. Hey Lyra!”
“Lyra?”
“Octavia.”
“Vinyl!?” Octavia jumped. She needed Vinyl to explain what Lyra was doing here.
“Bon Bon?” Vinyl wanted to ask Bon Bon why Lyra was here.
“Vinyl?”
“Lyra.” Octavia repeated.
“Bon Bon.” said Lyra.
“No, Lyra when did you get in here!?”
“I came here after Pinkie pie came.”
“Pinkie Pie?”
“Octavia.” Pinkie Pie excitedly said.
“Gah! Pinkie? Why are you here!?”
“I wanted to help you silly! Why is it dark in here?” asked Pinkie in glee.
“I am trying to fix that.”
“Want me to bring my party cannon!?”
“No, I don’t think that will be necessary.” Octavia was about to ask why she was here.
“Maybe we need a Pegasus here.” said Lyra. “Hey Derpy!”
“Derpy?” Octavia heard a series of objects breaking and falling down until, finally, the grey Pegasus came into view through the door frame.
“uhh, that hole in the wall downstairs was like that when I got here.” Octavia stared into the nervous face of the cross eyes Pegasus and sighed.
“We will deal with that later; can you help me with this light bulb?”
“I wish I could, but I can’t see. Turns on the lights first.” Octavia let out a frustrated grunt.
“That is what I am trying to fix!”
“You should use sparkling fireflies instead. They are much more satisfying and don’t require all this work.” Said Bon Bon.
“Did somepony call my name?” asked Twilight.
“Gah! Twilight!? Why are you here!?” Octavia was able to recognize her voice instantly.
“Somepony called me. What are you doing?”
“We are trying to screw in this light bulb.” answered Vinyl.
“You should paint your walls white. That way you can see the inside of the room with only the light in the hallway because white reflects other colors. Plus, it’s bright.”
“I will remember that next time.” Octavia said in between her teeth.
“Good idea Twilight!” said Pinkie Pie.
“Oh. Hey Pinkie Pie!”
“Pinkie Pie!”
“Rarity?”
“Rarity?” asked Twilight.
“Twilight?” answered Rarity.
“Rarity!?” exclaimed Octavia.
“Octavia.”
“Rarity!” shouted Derpy.
“Hi Derpy!”
“Rarity.” Said Pinkie.
“Pinkie, you left the spa without me!”
“Oh sorry, I had to help Octavia here screw in this light bulb.”
“When did YOU get in here!?” Octavia asked frantically.
“I followed Pinkie.”
“And I followed Rarity.” Octavia jumped again.
“Who is THAT!?” It took a while for anyone to answer but it became clear, by the sound of her sweet voice that it was Fluttershy.
“Oh sorry I just thought that I could help.” She said in an innocent kind voice. Octavia was quite irritated now, but Fluttershy calmed her down a little. She let out another sigh though.
“I don’t need help. Where are all you ponies coming from anyway?”
“The door. Duh!” said Rainbow Dash.
“Rainbow!? Wha-?”
“Y’all having a party?” asked Applejack.
“Hey Applejack!” said Vinyl. Before everyone started to go off another tangent, Octavia burst out.
“STOP! Just hold on. Why are you all here!? Sweet Celestia I . . .”
“Yes?” interrupted Celestia
.
“Princess? What are you doing here?” asked Twilight.
“Octavia called for me.”
“NO I DIDN’T!” She realized that she just yelled at the Princess of Equestria, but none of that really mattered to her anymore.
“This night is gonna be amazing! The Princess joined in on the party!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. She had yet to realize that this was anything but a party.
“THIS IS NOT A PARTY!” hissed Octavia. Nobody seemed to listen to her anymore. Instead, they all side tracked in to the weather outside.
“Hey can anypony tell me if it got dark outside?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Ah think the moon is out RD.” answered Applejack.
“What about me?” asked Luna.
“Sister, what are you doing here? I said I’d be back momentarily.” Celestia asked. They were having dinner before the two came to Octavia’s house.
“I heard someone call my name. Did you know that Humans used to call the moon Luna?” Lately, Luna and Lyra were spending some time with each other as friends. You could imagine some of the things that Lyra would tell Luna during these meets.
“So you got to that part of the book I gave you huh?” said Lyra.
“I think I read that book.” said Twilight.
“I don’t like books.” Added Derpy. She never really was able to get around those things. Pretty soon everyone started going on about their favorite books. Rainbow Dash was asking Twilight if there was a new Daring Do book out yet, Fluttershy was talking to Rarity about some wrinkling remedy, and Celestia was talking about cake with Pinkie pie.
“STOOOOP!” yelled Octavia. “Will somepony just please help me with this light bulb!?” A series of hooves tapped on the floor.
“The Cutie Mark Crusaders will help!” said Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetiebelle all at once.
“If a light bulb won’t go in, show it the trash bin!” yelled Iron will.
“Wait, how are you all able to fit in here anyway!? This room is 5 by 7! That doesn’t make any sense!” There was a moment of silence. Nobody was able to answer that question because it really did not make any sense. Though, sure enough another character that was an expert in this joined the paradox.
“Make sense? Oh what fun is there in making sense?” asked Discord. Everyone in the room gasped in surprise. “How rude, is that how you invite guests?” The whole room was in uproar now. Everyone was now either yelling or physically shoving each other. Still no vision though.
Octavia was now on the verge of erupting in pure rage. She was grinding her teeth her teeth now and pushing the bulb in harder and harder until it clicked loudly and the bright light illuminated the small windowless room with a white wave of warmth. The room had gone quiet and everyone was staring at the light in happiness. Octavia was smiling ecstatically over this accomplishment.
“Huh . . . will you look at that.” She said. “It just needed a little push.” She looked around the room and saw everypony cramped in there. It no longer mattered to her how they got there or why, she was just relieved to have gotten that over with. “Well since everyone is here, would anyone care for some Cider?” They cheered “woo!” and left the room in a frenzy
.
“Wait wait hold on a second everypony.” The crowd stopped and turned to scootaloo. “We all came in here to help fix this light bulb right?” They murmured in agreement. “And Octavia couldn’t fix it because she couldn’t see right?” They agreed again. “Well why didn’t any of the unicorns use their magic as light so that we could’ve avoided this whole situation and paradox?” Silence had befallen the room.
“. . . Shut up Scootaloo.” said Rainbow Dash. The crowd yelled out in agreement as they left. Scootaloo sighed and left the room in shame. Before she left the young filly turned off the light in the room and closed the door.
