Taming Strange. Or: How I learned to stop worrying and make love in public

The residents of rooms 420 and 424 were having a consolation dinner at Le Calembour en Prançais. Normally reservations take weeks to get, but drop a few names from the conservatory and the staff gets real chummy. Having the latest scandal in the Orchestral world in your party doesn't hurt either.

The musical ponies cheerily chatted about various topics desperately trying to take Octavia's mind off of the events of the other day. They all realized that she didn't need the conservatory, but knew the conservatory needed her. They didn't want her to get disheartened and quit. So subjects like music, symphony, surprises, and sleep were all verboten.

The assembled ponies were disturbed to see Octavia's usual polite and open demeanor so put down. She still only answered monosyllabically. She wasn't ignoring them perse, but her thoughts were clearly elsewhere.

They thought she was depressed about the incident in class. This could not be farther from the truth. She actually found the use of the surprise symphony to be a clever touch. An outside observer would call her a glutton for punishment.

No the grey earth pony sat and stewed not because of her mortification, but because she had no clue how to politely but firmly ask them to bugger more quietly. She racked her brain but there was just no way to approach the subject that didn't make her stomach turn over.

Somehow or other the conversation turned to an anecdote of Harpo's. He was autofellating about having bedded a certain Noble unicorn from Prance. The whole party save Octavia had heard this story to death and were rolling their eyes at the recitation.

The braggart bragged. "I simply had to put my hoof over her mouth because she was going to wake up the whole palace at that rate! I learned later that it was a needless precaution. She always cast a noise cancellation spell around the entire room. I wish she had told me. That little sopranist's moaning still keeps me up at night."

The cellist's head popped off of her hoof for the first time that evening. "I'm sorry what was that?" The assembled ponies turned in shock. Of all the subjects to focus in on that's what she chose?

Harpo, who had gotten over his initial terror of the gray mare, chuckled. "Oh ho well let me tell you she could shatter glass when she crescendos!" Octavia reeled at the unwanted image.

She waved her hooves for him to stop. "What? No! Not that! The other thing. The noise spell. What was that about a noise spell?" The horrified couple exhaled in relief.

Harpo rolled his eyes in disappointment. "Oh yes a favorite of hers. Apparently it worked so well that she once entertained a stallion while her parents were around a corner in the parlour."

The cellist inhaled sharply and pinched her muzzle with both hooves. She spoke slowly in the manner one speaks to children, or the terribly dense. "There. Is a spell. That unicorns can cast. That stops the transfer of noise. Yes?" Her face was drawn in frustration.

Harpo glanced around not understanding the question. "Umm. Yes?"

The silent couple began to understand the shift in mood. "Isn't it obvious Harpo, the mare wants to find somepony to cast this spell for her." Deep Tones said waving a hoof at the harpist. Octavia grew nervous. She might not have to say it but it was just as awkward having then say it for her.

The pianist chimed in. "The poor filly was reared in the country all this city noise must be positively deafening to her. No wonder she can't sleep."

Octavia turned in surprise to Ivory Keys. "YES!" The cellist shouted causing every head in the restaurant to turn as one. She blushed and waved sheepishly before continuing in a suitable voice. "The noise! The city noise. The noise of the city is what's keeping me awake. Yes that's it."

Octavia was overjoyed. Her problem was going to be solved in a way that didn't require her to be a total cock block. She decided that the assembled ponies didn't need to know that she had spent most of her summers in her mother's native Prance. Amidst the hustle and bustle and bad accordion music, yet always managed to sleep like a baby.

So less than an hour later the musical ponies plus a certain violinist unicorn of their acquaintance were standing in Octavia's bedroom. The room filled with blue light that covered the walls, slowly sinking in and fading away. The earth ponies looked at each other in anticipation. "Did it work?" Octavia asked worriedly.

The unicorn trotted into the other bedroom. They waited for some signal but none came. The unicorn opened the bedroom doors and once again banged on the bedroom wall with her hoof. The sound could be heard only as long as the door was open.

The cellist made an absolute Pinkie Pie of herself as she grabbed the unicorn in a bear hug and spun her around wildly shouting. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Octavia realized the spectacle she was making, and dropped the almost stifled violinist. She cleared her throat, and in her usual calm voice said. "Thank you very much."

The violinist took both of the cellist's hooves in her own. "Anything to avoid another incident like the other day. You've no idea how sorry we all felt for you!" She brought Octavia into a hug.

"No, no!" Octavia said looking the unicorn in the eyes. "I'm sorry for disturbing your class time." She bowed low. The conversation was interrupted by the blast of a tuba, and the two clung to each other from the shock of the volume. Harpo came out of the bedroom grinning widely. All the other ponies had been enjoying the novel of the cessation of the laws of physics.

"Nothing! You really outdid yourself my dear!" The two parted and the violinist bowed.

"Thank you, and do let me know if I can be of service in any way." She winked and exited the room. Octavia felt better than she had in days. She said goodnight to the assembled ponies and retired.

The couple shut the door to their own room. "Well, I'm glad that's settled." The tubist said.

The pianist started kissing his mare on the side of the neck as he said. "Hmm. Yes, but If she wanted us to be quieter in bed, she should've just told us."