Home sweet home?by PaladinponyTChaptersChapter 1: The listChapter 2: EncountersChapter 3: TeaChapter 4: FamilyChapter 5: Is change good?EpilogueChapter 1: The listThe sun slowly began to rise over the great city of Canterlot and all through out the capital ponies started to wake up. Shopkeepers flipped their signs from closed to open, and those who had worked all night were now free to go to bed. The sound of summer birds could be heard flying back and forth. Inside a small apartment building an earth pony mare was woken up by her brass alarm clock. With a groan, she silenced it, and got up reluctantly, she took a good look in her bedroom mirror. Her black mane was a mess and her muscles were sore. Yesterday had been very difficult, learning and practicing all the new music. All day they had been at it, and yet their harmony was still off. She shook her head once and walked over to the bathroom. Warming up the shower, Octavia hopped in and let all her troubles wash away. 15 minutes later she came back out while drying. After giving herself a good long brushing, Octavia took another look in the mirror. She looked far better than before and she gave herself a proud smile. Octavia then put on her signature bowtie and walked to her kitchen while humming one of her favorite tunes. As she was eating some oatmeal, there was a knock at the door. "Now who could that be?" she thought. She moved to the door and looked through the peephole, a dark blue pony in a post office uniform stood in the hallway. Octavia slowly opened the door and took a small letter from the mailpony. She gave him one gold coin and closed the door. Back at the table, Octavia opened the letter. Hey Octavia, I am looking forward to our meet up today. Can't wait to finally see you. Vinyl Octavia read the short message three times, and her stomach felt a little tight. After taking a few deep breaths, she relaxed and walked back into her bedroom. Sitting at her writing desk, Octavia made a list of things to do before seeing Vinyl later. Her head was starting to fog up and hurt. "It's just dinner," she thought "calm down, and focus on your errands." The list was simple, just a few things she needed to stock up on. It would be a nice distraction, also she needed to get out. The streets of Canterlot were filled with ponies as the craziness of the afternoon hit the city. Wagons moved up and down the streets, some carried ponies, others carrying supplies for the businesses. The tourist ponies looked out of place next to the rich nobles in their fancy outfits. But Octavia paid them no mind as she left the music supply store. She had needed some new strings for her cello and some cleaner for it. With four things off her list, Octavia began walking towards her favorite bakery. As she entered, the smell of freshly made cakes and pies filled her nose; she loved that. The baker mare welcomed Octavia warmly and asked her if she wanted her usual order? "No," Octavia said politely, "I am in need of something more special today." The baker mare smiled and helped to pick out a medium size cake made of chocolate with cream cheese frosting. Placing it, inside a bright pink box, Octavia gave the baker 15 bits and walked out. With the pink box on her back, Octavia made her way to the last shop on her list. The gift store was large and filled with all kinds of objects, toys for children, jewelry, gift cards, and more. Octavia walked up and down different rows of shelves, looking around and thinking hard about what to get. She finally stopped in one of the long aisles. "What am I doing?" she asked herself. Despite exchanging letters with Vinyl Scratch for a few weeks now, Octavia needed to take a step back and remember that she really knew nothing about her. Octavia really wanted to make a good first impression, but maybe she was going a little overboard. With a sigh, she walked back to the entrance and left the shop. With her list completed, Octavia began her long journey back to her apartment. Chapter 2: EncountersThe ponies of Canterlot were known far and wide as the richest and most elite citizens in Equestria. Many were part of ancient bloodlines that went back to the founding of the kingdom. Some even had royal blood inside them; however, that came from King Bullion and his daughter Princess Platinum. They were the former leaders of the unicorns, and helped in the making of Equestria. Today, very few could claim a connection to that bloodline, but these distant relations gave the ponies of Canterlot a feeling of superiority. Not only did they live in one of the kingdom's greatest cities, but they also lived close to the two rulers of the kingdom; Celestia and Luna. All this entitlement, resulted in many aristocrats turning a blind eye to the hardships of others. Although the princesses have tried to teach their subjects kindness and understanding, it has not always worked. These social problems, caused deep worry in both princesses. Thankfully, not all of the Equestrian elite were like this, there were some in other parts of the kingdom, who were kind, generous, and helpful. Ponies like Fancy Pants and his lady love Fleur De Lis are admired by aristocrats for their charm and elegance, but they are also respected by commoners because they could see the beauty and value of others. Fancy Pants often went out of his way to ensure equality and prosperity to all living in Equestria. However, it is very sad when the good is outnumbered by the bad. These were just some of the thoughts of a pony in a dark grey traveler's cloak as he slowly made his way up the busy streets of the capital. The tourists paid him no mind because they wanted to see everything that made Canterlot special. The elite of the city made a big show of turning up their noses at him. Funny enough, the face under the grey hood was smiling. The tired stallion was always amused by the uptight behavior of the nobles. Whenever something unusual happened, they would panic and duck for cover. The worst freakout to take place was during the Grand Galloping Gala, thanks to the mishaps of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Sunblade and his aunt Princess Luna had laughed themselves sore, when Celestia told them all about it. As Sunblade continued to walk, a large crowd of ponies caught his eyes. Curious, Sunblade went to see what all the commotion was about; as he got closer, the sounds of yelling hit his ears. After gently pushing through the crowd, Sunblade saw two mares in the middle. One was an earth pony with a dark grey coat and black mane; the other was a noble mare in a sea-green dress. A pink box lay on the ground with a smashed cake next to it. "You ruined my dress, you clumsy cow!" the noble mare yelled. The earth pony mare took a step back, she was trying to apologize, and even offered to pay to fix the dress. That only made the noble mare angrier. "You can't fix this!" she shouted while pointing at a small stain, "This is Star-spider silk, it is worth more then you can ever afford." Sunblade frowned under his hood, the stain was barely noticeable and yet she was acting like the other mare had hit her in the face. Cameras flashed, as tourists moved a little closer; all of them were behaving like this was the most interesting thing in the world. With a small drop of magic and a simple command, all the cameras in the crowd popped like balloons. Everypony was looking around in sudden fright, while Sunblade walked over to the earth pony mare. Up close, Sunblade suddenly recognized her, she was Octavia Melody, member of the Equestrian Orchestra and the best cello player he had ever heard. With a smile, he placed a hoof gently on her right shoulder. "There you are," he said, sounding like an old friend, "I have been looking everywhere for you." Startled, Octavia's head turned to Sunblade. The ranger kept smiling and Octavia's face relaxed as she stared into his golden eyes. "And who are you?" he heard an outraged voice say. Sunblade and Octavia both looked at the noble mare in the sea-green dress, who had remained still despite all the excitement. The ranger gave her a cool stare, "I am a friend," he told her pleasantly, "And we have some business up at the palace, if you will excuse us madam." He gave her a slight bow, and gestured for Octavia to follow. A little confused, Octavia started to move when the noble mare stepped in front of them. "Now hold it right there," she demanded, "There is no way that either of you has any business at the castle. If you think you can ruin my dress and walk away. Oho, think again!" It was at that moment when three guards showed up. They calmly asked about what was going on. The noble mare gave Sunblade and Octavia an ugly smile of satisfaction. She made a great show of puffing herself up like a fat frog, and said "Thank Celestia you are here, these two ruffians just assaulted me." She used her very best damsel voice and gave the guards a whimper. Sunblade rolled his eyes as Octavia began to tremble; the three guards approached them. "Is that true?" asked the one in the middle. Using his magic, Sunblade reached into an inner pocket of his cloak and pulled out a golden badge along with an old document. He showed both to the guards; all three suddenly stood up straight and saluted. The noble mare's eyes widened in shock. "Sorry sir," said the middle guard, "We didn't know it was you." "That's alright," answered Sunblade in his most cheerful voice, "My colleague and I were just on our way to the palace, when this mare," he pointed to the sea-green pony, "Stopped us over a little misunderstanding." All three guards nodded. Octavia stopped shaking and watched Sunblade in amazement. The ranger put a hoof around her and said, "Please disperse this crowd and make sure everypony is okay. You can find me at the castle later." Again, the guards nodded. "Oh, and this mare's complaint," he gave the noble mare a grin, "It never happened." The noble pony's jaw must have set a new record for how fast it dropped. The guards quickly carried out Sunblade's orders, and when the noble mare tried to object, the guards told her not to interfere in official business. Once they were alone, Sunblade spoke to Octavia, "Well, let's not keep the princesses waiting." And with that he teleported both of them to the palace. Chapter 3: TeaOutside the front doors to the palace, Octavia watched as the mysterious unicorn who brought her here spoke with the captain of the royal guard. She was still a little dumbstruck by everything that had just happened; one minute she was walking home, the next she was waiting to enter Canterlot Castle. She had been here before on visits with her family or when playing with the orchestra, but never as a special guest. Octavia saw the captain and his troops start to laugh at something her rescuer had said, she smiled. She owed the mysterious unicorn everything; if he had not helped her, that snooty mare would have ruined her life. As the noble yelled at her, Octavia could see where it would end. Her name on the front page of Equestria Daily and she would have had to leave the orchestra to work off the debt for that dress. Then, it all turned the other way and it was the noble who was humiliated. The look on her face was priceless, if she had not been so shocked Octavia would have laughed. "Are you ready to go in?" a voice asked her. Octavia looked up, she had been so lost in thought that she didn't notice her rescuer and the captain walk over to her. She nodded, still finding it hard to speak. The captain of the guard led them inside; he was a handsome stallion with a white coat and dark blue mane. As they walked through the large hallways, Octavia looked around admiring the pristine architecture. It was overwhelming to think of how much magic and hoof work went into building this place. Ancient spells laid atop the castle's foundations and held everything together. It was said Princess Celestia placed those spells personally. Everything inside the castle came as gifts from far off lands or most talented artists throughout Equestria. Octavia heard how new things were added year to year, but the palace never seemed to change. "You're back!" Octavia heard a beautiful mare's voice say with great excitement. A light pink mare with a slender form, flew down the hallway and stopped in front of them. Octavia's eyes widened and her mouth went dry at the sight of her. The three of them stood before Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the third and youngest of the alicorns. The princess hugged the unicorn in the grey cloak, "It's great to have you back, Sunblade." The stallion returned the hug, "I'm glad to be back, Cadence." Octavia's mouth fell open, "He's on a first name basis with one of the princesses?" she thought in surprise. At least she now knew the name of her rescuer, "Sunblade," Octavia smiled, "It suits him." "Sorry to cut this reunion short," said the captain, "But Celestia and Luna are waiting to hear your report, Sunblade." The hooded unicorn nodded, "Cadence, could you do me a favor?" The princess nodded. "Please take my friend to the dining room and get her some refreshment." Cadence smiled at Octavia, "Of course." The two stallions started to walk away, when Cadence called out, "I will see you later, Shining Armor." Octavia noticed the mischievousness in her voice; the captain suddenly stopped like somepony had just dumped cold water on him. The princess giggled and led Octavia down a hallway to the right, servants and nobles passed them as they walked. The princess hummed as they walked, her smile was warm and could melt any heart. There was a brightness to her eyes, that made Octavia relax in her presence. She found her voice at last, "Have you known Sunblade long, princess?" Cadence looked at her, "I have known him for a long time, he's like my older brother." "I see," said Octavia, not knowing what else to say. She did not want to be rude by asking too many questions. "How long have you two known each other?" The princess asked, her smile never leaving. The music mare's face felt warm as she struggled to speak, but she didn't want to lie to the princess, "To be honest, I just met him today." Octavia calmly explained everything to Cadence; the princess was a very good listener. It felt nice to let it all out and Octavia felt much better. Cadence shook her head, a smile still on her face, "That's Sunblade, he never ignores anypony in need." The old door groaned as Sunblade walked into his room. It was larger than most rooms inside the palace, but the tired unicorn rarely used it. On one side was a bookshelf filled with ancient scrolls, a large number of spell books, and history tomes on foreign lands. On the other side were two doors, the white one on the left was a bathroom, while the red one on the right was a closet filled with clothes. In a corner next to the only window, was a dark green chair for reading and a tall lamp, that was Sunblade's favorite spot. Using his magic, the ranger levitated the bed into the air, under it were stairs leading to his equipment room. Sunblade walked down and slowly lowered the bed hiding the entrance, at the bottom lights on the walls turned on. The bright gems showed everything inside the room. Suits of armor old and new, some made of metal, others made of leather. Strange smells hung in the air from all the different potions and ingredients, rare artifacts sat on shelves or were displayed on the walls. There were trophies, too, objects taken from far away places and prizes of battle. Sunblade moved past a large Timberwolf head that was now made of stone, a reminder of failure. At the round table in the middle, he took off his grey cloak and sword, placing both on the table. He then sat at his work desk and began writing his report for the princesses. On the desk were small gifts and keepsakes from close friends long gone, five photos: two in black and white the rest in color, a silver ring with a cracked black diamond, an old blacksmith hammer, a broken boar tusk, and, sitting inside a glass case was a large golden feather. The feather was Sunblade's most precious possession, it was all that was left of his father. His mother had used powerful spells to preserve the feather forever. As part of an old pegasi tradition, his father had given one of his primary feathers to his mother as a sign of love. Sunblade's mother had done the same, and it was said that his father carried it even at the end. Inside the castle dining room, Princess Cadence and Octavia sat drinking tea and enjoying some small sandwiches. The flavor and smell of the tea was strange to Octavia. It was a type of tea from Eastern Equestria; the princess explained how expensive it was. Very few markets carried it, and it was more rare to find somepony who knew how to grow it. Octavia felt humbled by this unexpected privilege. For a princess, Cadence was very easy to talk to and she had many stories that made Octavia laugh uncontrollably. The music mare enjoyed the occasional bit of gossip, but she never expected to hear how Princess Celestia would sneak into the kitchen for pieces of cake. That story had almost made tea come out of Octavia's nose. However, the two ponies Cadence loved to talk about the most were her very-special-somepony and his sister whom the princess use to foal-sit. She talked about the places they visited, the games they played together, and the special dance and rhyme they shared. "That all sounds nice," said Octavia, a tiny bit jealous, "I would have loved to have had a friend like you." The princess got a concerned look, and was about to say something when the door suddenly opened. A unicorn stallion in a black suit with gold sleeves and buttons walked in. Cadence smiled warmly at him, "Sunblade, I am glad you could finally join us." Octavia blinked, the unicorn in the doorway was far different from how he was before. Every inch of him looked amazing, it was like looking at a prince from a storybook. His mane was a silvery grey and his coat was white like clean snow, but the thing that held Octavia's attention the most were his eyes. Like when she looked into them the first time, they were a bright golden yellow. A very rare type of color, many ponies had greens, blues, purples, browns, or grey eyes. Sunblade walked to the table and gave Princess Cadence a scroll, "Could you please give this to Celestia for me?" Octavia noticed just how tired Sunblade sounded, the princess appeared to hear it too. "Sure," Cadence said, while taking the scroll, "But, I would like to see you later, after you have had some sleep." The stallion smiled a little, "I know, I know, just let me finish what I started first." The princess nodded, gave Octavia a wave, and left the dining room. Chapter 4: FamilyOctavia and Sunblade sat across from one another; the white unicorn poured himself some tea and lifted the steaming cup to his mouth. Octavia watched him let out a long sigh of relief, and she also saw some of the tension in his face disappear. She felt at ease in his presence, like with Princess Cadence. And yet, there was something odd about Sunblade, he looked younger than Octavia, but carried himself in a way that felt older. He had clearly lived in the palace for a long time; however, Octavia could not recall ever seeing him before. He was not a pony you forget easily, although there were those who worked unseen for the princesses. Often you might hear rumors about them, ponies with unknown jobs who aided Equestria in secret. If that was the case with Sunblade, it would explain some things. The white unicorn placed his teacup on the table and he looked at Octavia, "Now that we are alone Ms. Melody," he said gently, "I would like to apologize for my actions." A look of guilt and shame appeared on Sunblade's face that Octavia had not expected. "Apologize? For what?" she asked, slightly confused. "For bringing you here without your permission and for not being a good host." Now Octavia understood what Sunblade was feeling guilty about. Yes, he had saved her, but in a way he had also marenapped her. He was also feeling bad about ignoring her and dumping her into the hooves of others. Anypony might feel the same under the circumstances. Perhaps he thought she was scared or upset with him. She gave him a warm smile, "I accept your apology, and I want to thank you for helping me." she said sincerely. Sunblade bowed his head in gratitude, "Thank you and you're welcome." From a door that led to the kitchens, an earth pony in a chef's outfit walked into the room. He had a large brown box on his back; he walked around the table and stopped next to Sunblade. He thanked him and levitated the box onto the table in front of Octavia. The music mare looked at the box with curious interest, and after the chef pony left she opened it. A large yellow cake sat inside the box, it had a pleasant lemony smell. "What's this for?" asked Octavia. Sunblade drank some more tea before answering, "I had it made for you to replace the one you lost." Octavia looked at the new cake for a long moment. With everything that had happened, she had quite forgotten about her meet up later. Remembering caused her stomach some unease, Sunblade could read the look of worry on her face like a book. "Is something wrong, Ms. Melody?" She looked up at him, "No, nothing's wrong," she said forcing a smile, "Thank you for the cake, Sunblade." The white unicorn could see right through her, his face told her as much. "If there's something bothering you Ms. Melody, you can tell me," He said sincerely. Octavia closed her eyes and retreated inward for a short time. Her meet up with Vinyl weighted heavy on her mind, maybe, just maybe, talking about it might help. She opened her eyes and took a long look at Sunblade, would he understand? Could he understand? Well, she would never know unless she tried. "It's a little complicated," she began, "You see, later tonight, I am going to be meeting with somepony for the first time." Sunblade raised an eyebrow, then smiled, "Is this pony, your boyfriend?" Octavia felt her cheeks go red, "No, the one I'm meeting is a mare." Sunblade put both his forehooves up, "I am not going to judge you for liking mares, Ms. Melody." Octavia's face went even redder and she spluttered a little. Sunblade chuckled as Octavia shook her head trying to cool down her embarrassment. "No no no, you have it all wrong," she finally managed to say, "The mare I'm meeting is...." She hesitated. "Yes?" said Sunblade, now concerned. Octavia took a calming deep breath, "She's my half sister." There was a long silent pause as Sunblade's eyes widened a little as the full weight of Octavia's words sunk in. The white unicorn put his hooves together and placed his chin on them. He let out an "Ah" of understanding, "I'm guessing there's a story behind that," he said "You don't have to tell me, if it's too personal." "It is, but I want to share it," said Octavia, staring at the table. It all started with my parents, my mother was an opera mare and my father was the heir to an old noble line. They met at a Nightmare Night ball, being hosted by my grandparents. My mother wore a beautiful black dress and mask, while my father wore a dark blue suit with a bright red tie. Their eyes met through their masks and both of them smiled as they danced in the middle of everyone. Ponies talked long about how they sparkled around the dance floor. At the end of that night, both of them were deeply in love. My father never missed one of her shows and my mother send letters that smelled like roses. They were perfect together, and when they married, it felt like Happily Ever After. Or, at least it should have been. "What happened?" asked Sunblade. Octavia's face turned sad, "Me." Shock hits Sunblade's face, then his eyes turned hard with anger, "Let me guess," he said in a voice like ice, "It's because you're an earth pony." She nodded, with tears in her eyes. Sunblade knew where this was going, and it made his blood burn, some of Octavia's family members were Blood Purists. They were the worst of the pony nobles; only six of the great houses remained. They were the oldest of the nobility, and they believed that the three pony tribes should have stayed separate. Some even dared to oppose the princesses rule. If Sunblade had it his way, they would be cast out of Equestria forever. The white unicorn took a few calming breaths, "I'm so sorry, Ms. Melody, no pony should have to go through that." She gave him a small smile, "It's alright, my grandparents are more to blame than me. They pushed my father to make him leave us, but he refused. So, they cut him off." Sunblade rolled his eyes, "Typical, agree or leave. I've seen that before." "We jumped from city to city trying to find a place to belong," Octavia said sadly, "It took a toll on my parents, especially my father." Sunblade covered his eyes to hide his own tears forming, "I never knew my father, so I can't imagine how it felt to watch that." The music mare put a hoof to her mouth in surprise, "Oh Sunblade, I'm sorry, here I am going on about my family and I never considered...." Sunblade stopped her there, "I have had a long time to come to terms with it. But, the hurt never leaves, there will always be a hole." "Can you tell me about him?" asked Octavia, sympathetically. He smiled, "Everything I know about him was told to me by my mother, my father's old friends, and my grandparents. They told me that he was kind, brave, and had a smile that could light up any room. My grandpa said how the world was just a little darker without him." "He sounds amazing," encouraged Octavia. "He was, but everypony has their flaws. His was recklessness." Octavia started to feel tension growing in the room; it was clear to her that Sunblade had not talked about this for a long time. The mix of no sleep and high emotion was having a very negative effect on him. She worried that he was close to his limit. She looked out the nearest window, the sky was turning light orange as the first signs of sunset began. Sunblade turned to look out the window, too. The white unicorn sighed, "Time, there never seems to be enough," he turned back to Octavia and got up from his seat, "I have kept you long enough, Ms. Melody. As my last act of service to you, let me take you home." The music mare's heart fluttered for a moment, "A prince in appearance and spirit," she thought, "If not in title." "Very well," she said to him, "I would love to walk home with you." Sunblade lifted the cake box with his magic and placed it on his back. He walked to the doors and opened them, "Ladies first." he said with a bow of his head. Octavia walked past and Sunblade followed her out. Chapter 5: Is change good?The lights of Canterlot city slowly began to turn on as the moon appeared high in the sky. Very few businesses stayed open in the evening, so Canterlot didn't have much of a nightlife. There were few ponies around, so the streets were mostly empty and quiet. The night air felt pleasantly warm as night flowers gave off a soothing smell. It had been a long walk from the palace to the city, but Octavia was happy to be going home. She listened to Sunblade talk about the stars and his favorite constellations; he pointed out some of them when he could. The white unicorn seemed less tired as he spoke, and his eyes appeared brighter. The moon's light danced off his mane making it glow softly, then to Octavia's surprise her companion began to sing. The song was something she had never heard before, it spoke of sweet dreams and tranquility. It painted a beautiful picture of the night and all its wonders, before she knew it, she was singing too. The harmony of their two voices were perfect, as if they had done this before. When the song ended, Octavia felt lighter on her hooves, like the music had worked some restorative magic on her. All the troubles of the day seemed to melt away as they stopped in front of a large fountain. The water shimmered with color as both of them looked at all the different coins below. In that moment, Octavia wondered what she would wish for, if she had a coin. She turned her head to the stallion next to her, "Sunblade, can I ask you something?" He smiled, "Certainly." "My sister and I are going to meet in order to discuss moving in together," she began, "So we can make up for all the time we missed. But, I'm not sure it's a good idea, what do you think?" Sunblade stared into the water and frowned slightly, he watched sparkles come off the coins and answered, "I'm not really sure myself, how do you feel about it?" "Confused," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "After all, it's a big decision. Am I ready for that kind of change?" Sunblade sat down on the fountain, "No pony is ever ready for it. For me, change comes slowly, but it happens whether I like it or not." Octavia sat down too, "That's true, I was not ready for some of the ones in my life either." Sunblade looked up at the stars, "Tell me about your sister." "Her name is Vinyl Scratch," Octavia said, looking at the stars too, "She loves music, however, it's very different to mine," she chuckled a little, "You might know her by her stage name, DJ PON-3." Sunblade nodded, he had seen her once or twice, but they never met face to face. Her shows were usually too loud for him. "It's actually amazing," continued Octavia, "We both got cutie marks in music, I mean what are the odds?" "Not as big as you think, there are a few families that get similar marks. The Apple Family for example." Octavia found herself looking at Sunblade's mark, it was a golden sword standing in the middle of a crossroad. She wondered what it meant, she looked at the ground, "My father's parents had liked her because she is a unicorn like you, despite her disability." The white stallion looked at her, "Disability?" Octavia swallowed, she had spoken without thinking. She kicked herself mentally for the slip up, but there was no taking it back now. With a sigh, Octavia said, "She can't talk, my sister was born a mute." A shadow passed over Sunblade, then he too looked at the ground. He had met and made friends with many ponies who had some form of disability. However, he always admired them, because despite how hard life was for them, each one had found a way to be happy. Maybe Octavia couldn't see it yet, but Vinyl had discovered how to express herself without a voice. "Where does she live?" he asked. It took Octavia a few seconds to remember, "A town called Ponyville, I think." Sunblade smiled, he knew that town very well, "I have been there a number of times, I can honestly say it is a wonderful place to live." "Still to go from a city to a small town, I'd be leaving behind everything I knew growing up." "And is that a bad thing?" Octavia paused, then said "No, it's just not easy." The white unicorn got up and faced her, "I can understand that. How about this, is there anything about your sister that you admire?" She thought back to each letter that Vinyl send her and recalled one that she would always remember. "She rejected our grandparents," answered Octavia, "They offered her the family name and fortune, but she turned her back on them. She stood up to them in a way I never could, even though they would have given her everything." "Well then, I see no reason why you shouldn't at least try," Sunblade said with conviction, "I have never had a brother or sister, so I would be very happy to be you right now, Ms. Melody." Octavia got up from the fountain, "Then I promise to at least give her a chance." The old ranger nodded, "Good." The two then made their way to Octavia's apartment, they stopped at the stairs. Sunblade levitated the cake box off his back and gave it to Octavia. "This is as far as I go," he said with a bow, "It was very nice to meet you, Ms. Melody. I hope we can see each other again." Octavia smiled, "I would love that, thank you for today, Sunblade. And, you can call me by my first name." His horn lit up with silvery light, "Until next time then, Octavia." The music mare watched him vanish in a flash, then she picked up the box and returned home. Epilogue*One year later* At the sound of her alarm clock, Octavia slowly got out of bed. She turned off the alarm and got up to stretch, then she put on her morning robe. The smell of pancakes filled her nose as she entered the kitchen. Her sister Vinyl stood before the stove with a spatula hovering next to her. Two plates of blueberry pancakes sat on the table; sitting next to the stacks were a pair of mugs. One was pink, the other was red. "Good morning," said Octavia with a small yawn. Vinyl turned her head, smiled, and waved. She was not wearing her aquamarine headphones, but her light purple shades covered her eyes. Octavia walked over and sat at the table, "Is there coffee?" she asked. Her sister nodded and levitated a steaming coffee pot. Octavia took it by the handle and poured some of the dark liquid into the red mug. Octavia was very grateful to Vinyl for introducing her to the amazing drink. Oh, how she wished, she knew about it back in Canterlot. It warmed her right up, when she took a short sip of it. Vinyl placed the last pancake on her plate and sat down across from Octavia. The DJ moved her front hooves in a series of motions, that were meant to form words. You came in late, last night. Octavia smiled, "It was a long concert, the audience wanted us to do multiple encores." Good for you, Tavi. Vinyl signed. The music mare shook her head slightly, she didn't mind the nickname, but it was a little early for it. As they ate, both mares made mental lists of things to do today. Vinyl needed new wires, blank records, and needed to buy more fruit. Octavia wanted to go find a special book on past orchestras and earth pony musicians. She also wanted meet up with Lyra Heartstrings, before practice later today. Coming up with new music was much easier for her these days. Ponyville was a quiet town most of the time, that made it easier to think. Vinyl, Lyra, and others also helped with inspiration in their own ways. It made Octavia happy, knowing that her original music was heard and loved by many ponies in Equestria. As the two finished their breakfast, they heard a knock on the door. "Now who could that been?" wondered Octavia out loud. Vinyl shrugged. Curious, Octavia moved through the divided living room when she often practiced new material with Vinyl. They had decided to split the room, in order to gave the other sufficient space to work. Thought the front door window, Octavia could see a pegasus mare in a postal service uniform. The music mare smiled and opened the door. "Good morning Octavia," said the postmare in a sweet voice. "And to you as well, Ditzy Doo." The blond pegasus reached into her mail bag and pulled out five letters. Octavia thanked her and took the letters, she closed the door and sat on the sofa. Two of the letters were junk mail, one was for Vinyl, the next was a bill, but the last had her name on it. Octavia looked at it with interest, "A fan letter, or something else?" she thought to herself. She opened the letter carefully and read quietly. Dear Octavia, I saw your concert yesterday and it was grand. I will be passing through Ponyville today and I was wondering if you would like to meet up for lunch? Your friend Sunblade. Vinyl walked into the room and saw Octavia sitting with a big smile on her face. The DJ tapped one hoof on the floor to get her older sister's attention. She looked up from the message, "Yes, Vinyl?" Did you just got a love letter? she signed with a playful smirk. Octavia felt her cheeks flush, she shock her head and said, "No, just a letter from an old friend." She had not seen the ranger in some time and thought how nice it would be to talk to him. Well, what's it say? asked Vinyl. "He is asking if we could meet for lunch later, would you like to come?" Vinyl looked surprised, but it was hard to tell with her sunglasses on. The DJ nodded happily, and she went to her room to get ready. Octavia send a reply by messenger bird to tell Sunblade that they would meet him at the train station later. She could not wait to see him and for him to meet Vinyl. She walked over to the living room window and looked out at Ponyville; it really was a wonderful place to live. Then Octavia let out a long sigh of happiness, "Home sweet home." Author's Note Hey everypony, I hope you enjoyed this story. Unfortunately because the song my OC sings is not an MLP song I could not use it. But, if you would like to still hear it, here a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI8j3IQA5OY&list=LL&index=49 Hope you all have a nice day, bye!
Chapter 1: The listThe sun slowly began to rise over the great city of Canterlot and all through out the capital ponies started to wake up. Shopkeepers flipped their signs from closed to open, and those who had worked all night were now free to go to bed. The sound of summer birds could be heard flying back and forth. Inside a small apartment building an earth pony mare was woken up by her brass alarm clock. With a groan, she silenced it, and got up reluctantly, she took a good look in her bedroom mirror. Her black mane was a mess and her muscles were sore. Yesterday had been very difficult, learning and practicing all the new music. All day they had been at it, and yet their harmony was still off. She shook her head once and walked over to the bathroom. Warming up the shower, Octavia hopped in and let all her troubles wash away. 15 minutes later she came back out while drying. After giving herself a good long brushing, Octavia took another look in the mirror. She looked far better than before and she gave herself a proud smile. Octavia then put on her signature bowtie and walked to her kitchen while humming one of her favorite tunes. As she was eating some oatmeal, there was a knock at the door. "Now who could that be?" she thought. She moved to the door and looked through the peephole, a dark blue pony in a post office uniform stood in the hallway. Octavia slowly opened the door and took a small letter from the mailpony. She gave him one gold coin and closed the door. Back at the table, Octavia opened the letter. Hey Octavia, I am looking forward to our meet up today. Can't wait to finally see you. Vinyl Octavia read the short message three times, and her stomach felt a little tight. After taking a few deep breaths, she relaxed and walked back into her bedroom. Sitting at her writing desk, Octavia made a list of things to do before seeing Vinyl later. Her head was starting to fog up and hurt. "It's just dinner," she thought "calm down, and focus on your errands." The list was simple, just a few things she needed to stock up on. It would be a nice distraction, also she needed to get out. The streets of Canterlot were filled with ponies as the craziness of the afternoon hit the city. Wagons moved up and down the streets, some carried ponies, others carrying supplies for the businesses. The tourist ponies looked out of place next to the rich nobles in their fancy outfits. But Octavia paid them no mind as she left the music supply store. She had needed some new strings for her cello and some cleaner for it. With four things off her list, Octavia began walking towards her favorite bakery. As she entered, the smell of freshly made cakes and pies filled her nose; she loved that. The baker mare welcomed Octavia warmly and asked her if she wanted her usual order? "No," Octavia said politely, "I am in need of something more special today." The baker mare smiled and helped to pick out a medium size cake made of chocolate with cream cheese frosting. Placing it, inside a bright pink box, Octavia gave the baker 15 bits and walked out. With the pink box on her back, Octavia made her way to the last shop on her list. The gift store was large and filled with all kinds of objects, toys for children, jewelry, gift cards, and more. Octavia walked up and down different rows of shelves, looking around and thinking hard about what to get. She finally stopped in one of the long aisles. "What am I doing?" she asked herself. Despite exchanging letters with Vinyl Scratch for a few weeks now, Octavia needed to take a step back and remember that she really knew nothing about her. Octavia really wanted to make a good first impression, but maybe she was going a little overboard. With a sigh, she walked back to the entrance and left the shop. With her list completed, Octavia began her long journey back to her apartment.
Chapter 2: EncountersThe ponies of Canterlot were known far and wide as the richest and most elite citizens in Equestria. Many were part of ancient bloodlines that went back to the founding of the kingdom. Some even had royal blood inside them; however, that came from King Bullion and his daughter Princess Platinum. They were the former leaders of the unicorns, and helped in the making of Equestria. Today, very few could claim a connection to that bloodline, but these distant relations gave the ponies of Canterlot a feeling of superiority. Not only did they live in one of the kingdom's greatest cities, but they also lived close to the two rulers of the kingdom; Celestia and Luna. All this entitlement, resulted in many aristocrats turning a blind eye to the hardships of others. Although the princesses have tried to teach their subjects kindness and understanding, it has not always worked. These social problems, caused deep worry in both princesses. Thankfully, not all of the Equestrian elite were like this, there were some in other parts of the kingdom, who were kind, generous, and helpful. Ponies like Fancy Pants and his lady love Fleur De Lis are admired by aristocrats for their charm and elegance, but they are also respected by commoners because they could see the beauty and value of others. Fancy Pants often went out of his way to ensure equality and prosperity to all living in Equestria. However, it is very sad when the good is outnumbered by the bad. These were just some of the thoughts of a pony in a dark grey traveler's cloak as he slowly made his way up the busy streets of the capital. The tourists paid him no mind because they wanted to see everything that made Canterlot special. The elite of the city made a big show of turning up their noses at him. Funny enough, the face under the grey hood was smiling. The tired stallion was always amused by the uptight behavior of the nobles. Whenever something unusual happened, they would panic and duck for cover. The worst freakout to take place was during the Grand Galloping Gala, thanks to the mishaps of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Sunblade and his aunt Princess Luna had laughed themselves sore, when Celestia told them all about it. As Sunblade continued to walk, a large crowd of ponies caught his eyes. Curious, Sunblade went to see what all the commotion was about; as he got closer, the sounds of yelling hit his ears. After gently pushing through the crowd, Sunblade saw two mares in the middle. One was an earth pony with a dark grey coat and black mane; the other was a noble mare in a sea-green dress. A pink box lay on the ground with a smashed cake next to it. "You ruined my dress, you clumsy cow!" the noble mare yelled. The earth pony mare took a step back, she was trying to apologize, and even offered to pay to fix the dress. That only made the noble mare angrier. "You can't fix this!" she shouted while pointing at a small stain, "This is Star-spider silk, it is worth more then you can ever afford." Sunblade frowned under his hood, the stain was barely noticeable and yet she was acting like the other mare had hit her in the face. Cameras flashed, as tourists moved a little closer; all of them were behaving like this was the most interesting thing in the world. With a small drop of magic and a simple command, all the cameras in the crowd popped like balloons. Everypony was looking around in sudden fright, while Sunblade walked over to the earth pony mare. Up close, Sunblade suddenly recognized her, she was Octavia Melody, member of the Equestrian Orchestra and the best cello player he had ever heard. With a smile, he placed a hoof gently on her right shoulder. "There you are," he said, sounding like an old friend, "I have been looking everywhere for you." Startled, Octavia's head turned to Sunblade. The ranger kept smiling and Octavia's face relaxed as she stared into his golden eyes. "And who are you?" he heard an outraged voice say. Sunblade and Octavia both looked at the noble mare in the sea-green dress, who had remained still despite all the excitement. The ranger gave her a cool stare, "I am a friend," he told her pleasantly, "And we have some business up at the palace, if you will excuse us madam." He gave her a slight bow, and gestured for Octavia to follow. A little confused, Octavia started to move when the noble mare stepped in front of them. "Now hold it right there," she demanded, "There is no way that either of you has any business at the castle. If you think you can ruin my dress and walk away. Oho, think again!" It was at that moment when three guards showed up. They calmly asked about what was going on. The noble mare gave Sunblade and Octavia an ugly smile of satisfaction. She made a great show of puffing herself up like a fat frog, and said "Thank Celestia you are here, these two ruffians just assaulted me." She used her very best damsel voice and gave the guards a whimper. Sunblade rolled his eyes as Octavia began to tremble; the three guards approached them. "Is that true?" asked the one in the middle. Using his magic, Sunblade reached into an inner pocket of his cloak and pulled out a golden badge along with an old document. He showed both to the guards; all three suddenly stood up straight and saluted. The noble mare's eyes widened in shock. "Sorry sir," said the middle guard, "We didn't know it was you." "That's alright," answered Sunblade in his most cheerful voice, "My colleague and I were just on our way to the palace, when this mare," he pointed to the sea-green pony, "Stopped us over a little misunderstanding." All three guards nodded. Octavia stopped shaking and watched Sunblade in amazement. The ranger put a hoof around her and said, "Please disperse this crowd and make sure everypony is okay. You can find me at the castle later." Again, the guards nodded. "Oh, and this mare's complaint," he gave the noble mare a grin, "It never happened." The noble pony's jaw must have set a new record for how fast it dropped. The guards quickly carried out Sunblade's orders, and when the noble mare tried to object, the guards told her not to interfere in official business. Once they were alone, Sunblade spoke to Octavia, "Well, let's not keep the princesses waiting." And with that he teleported both of them to the palace.
Chapter 3: TeaOutside the front doors to the palace, Octavia watched as the mysterious unicorn who brought her here spoke with the captain of the royal guard. She was still a little dumbstruck by everything that had just happened; one minute she was walking home, the next she was waiting to enter Canterlot Castle. She had been here before on visits with her family or when playing with the orchestra, but never as a special guest. Octavia saw the captain and his troops start to laugh at something her rescuer had said, she smiled. She owed the mysterious unicorn everything; if he had not helped her, that snooty mare would have ruined her life. As the noble yelled at her, Octavia could see where it would end. Her name on the front page of Equestria Daily and she would have had to leave the orchestra to work off the debt for that dress. Then, it all turned the other way and it was the noble who was humiliated. The look on her face was priceless, if she had not been so shocked Octavia would have laughed. "Are you ready to go in?" a voice asked her. Octavia looked up, she had been so lost in thought that she didn't notice her rescuer and the captain walk over to her. She nodded, still finding it hard to speak. The captain of the guard led them inside; he was a handsome stallion with a white coat and dark blue mane. As they walked through the large hallways, Octavia looked around admiring the pristine architecture. It was overwhelming to think of how much magic and hoof work went into building this place. Ancient spells laid atop the castle's foundations and held everything together. It was said Princess Celestia placed those spells personally. Everything inside the castle came as gifts from far off lands or most talented artists throughout Equestria. Octavia heard how new things were added year to year, but the palace never seemed to change. "You're back!" Octavia heard a beautiful mare's voice say with great excitement. A light pink mare with a slender form, flew down the hallway and stopped in front of them. Octavia's eyes widened and her mouth went dry at the sight of her. The three of them stood before Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the third and youngest of the alicorns. The princess hugged the unicorn in the grey cloak, "It's great to have you back, Sunblade." The stallion returned the hug, "I'm glad to be back, Cadence." Octavia's mouth fell open, "He's on a first name basis with one of the princesses?" she thought in surprise. At least she now knew the name of her rescuer, "Sunblade," Octavia smiled, "It suits him." "Sorry to cut this reunion short," said the captain, "But Celestia and Luna are waiting to hear your report, Sunblade." The hooded unicorn nodded, "Cadence, could you do me a favor?" The princess nodded. "Please take my friend to the dining room and get her some refreshment." Cadence smiled at Octavia, "Of course." The two stallions started to walk away, when Cadence called out, "I will see you later, Shining Armor." Octavia noticed the mischievousness in her voice; the captain suddenly stopped like somepony had just dumped cold water on him. The princess giggled and led Octavia down a hallway to the right, servants and nobles passed them as they walked. The princess hummed as they walked, her smile was warm and could melt any heart. There was a brightness to her eyes, that made Octavia relax in her presence. She found her voice at last, "Have you known Sunblade long, princess?" Cadence looked at her, "I have known him for a long time, he's like my older brother." "I see," said Octavia, not knowing what else to say. She did not want to be rude by asking too many questions. "How long have you two known each other?" The princess asked, her smile never leaving. The music mare's face felt warm as she struggled to speak, but she didn't want to lie to the princess, "To be honest, I just met him today." Octavia calmly explained everything to Cadence; the princess was a very good listener. It felt nice to let it all out and Octavia felt much better. Cadence shook her head, a smile still on her face, "That's Sunblade, he never ignores anypony in need." The old door groaned as Sunblade walked into his room. It was larger than most rooms inside the palace, but the tired unicorn rarely used it. On one side was a bookshelf filled with ancient scrolls, a large number of spell books, and history tomes on foreign lands. On the other side were two doors, the white one on the left was a bathroom, while the red one on the right was a closet filled with clothes. In a corner next to the only window, was a dark green chair for reading and a tall lamp, that was Sunblade's favorite spot. Using his magic, the ranger levitated the bed into the air, under it were stairs leading to his equipment room. Sunblade walked down and slowly lowered the bed hiding the entrance, at the bottom lights on the walls turned on. The bright gems showed everything inside the room. Suits of armor old and new, some made of metal, others made of leather. Strange smells hung in the air from all the different potions and ingredients, rare artifacts sat on shelves or were displayed on the walls. There were trophies, too, objects taken from far away places and prizes of battle. Sunblade moved past a large Timberwolf head that was now made of stone, a reminder of failure. At the round table in the middle, he took off his grey cloak and sword, placing both on the table. He then sat at his work desk and began writing his report for the princesses. On the desk were small gifts and keepsakes from close friends long gone, five photos: two in black and white the rest in color, a silver ring with a cracked black diamond, an old blacksmith hammer, a broken boar tusk, and, sitting inside a glass case was a large golden feather. The feather was Sunblade's most precious possession, it was all that was left of his father. His mother had used powerful spells to preserve the feather forever. As part of an old pegasi tradition, his father had given one of his primary feathers to his mother as a sign of love. Sunblade's mother had done the same, and it was said that his father carried it even at the end. Inside the castle dining room, Princess Cadence and Octavia sat drinking tea and enjoying some small sandwiches. The flavor and smell of the tea was strange to Octavia. It was a type of tea from Eastern Equestria; the princess explained how expensive it was. Very few markets carried it, and it was more rare to find somepony who knew how to grow it. Octavia felt humbled by this unexpected privilege. For a princess, Cadence was very easy to talk to and she had many stories that made Octavia laugh uncontrollably. The music mare enjoyed the occasional bit of gossip, but she never expected to hear how Princess Celestia would sneak into the kitchen for pieces of cake. That story had almost made tea come out of Octavia's nose. However, the two ponies Cadence loved to talk about the most were her very-special-somepony and his sister whom the princess use to foal-sit. She talked about the places they visited, the games they played together, and the special dance and rhyme they shared. "That all sounds nice," said Octavia, a tiny bit jealous, "I would have loved to have had a friend like you." The princess got a concerned look, and was about to say something when the door suddenly opened. A unicorn stallion in a black suit with gold sleeves and buttons walked in. Cadence smiled warmly at him, "Sunblade, I am glad you could finally join us." Octavia blinked, the unicorn in the doorway was far different from how he was before. Every inch of him looked amazing, it was like looking at a prince from a storybook. His mane was a silvery grey and his coat was white like clean snow, but the thing that held Octavia's attention the most were his eyes. Like when she looked into them the first time, they were a bright golden yellow. A very rare type of color, many ponies had greens, blues, purples, browns, or grey eyes. Sunblade walked to the table and gave Princess Cadence a scroll, "Could you please give this to Celestia for me?" Octavia noticed just how tired Sunblade sounded, the princess appeared to hear it too. "Sure," Cadence said, while taking the scroll, "But, I would like to see you later, after you have had some sleep." The stallion smiled a little, "I know, I know, just let me finish what I started first." The princess nodded, gave Octavia a wave, and left the dining room.
Chapter 4: FamilyOctavia and Sunblade sat across from one another; the white unicorn poured himself some tea and lifted the steaming cup to his mouth. Octavia watched him let out a long sigh of relief, and she also saw some of the tension in his face disappear. She felt at ease in his presence, like with Princess Cadence. And yet, there was something odd about Sunblade, he looked younger than Octavia, but carried himself in a way that felt older. He had clearly lived in the palace for a long time; however, Octavia could not recall ever seeing him before. He was not a pony you forget easily, although there were those who worked unseen for the princesses. Often you might hear rumors about them, ponies with unknown jobs who aided Equestria in secret. If that was the case with Sunblade, it would explain some things. The white unicorn placed his teacup on the table and he looked at Octavia, "Now that we are alone Ms. Melody," he said gently, "I would like to apologize for my actions." A look of guilt and shame appeared on Sunblade's face that Octavia had not expected. "Apologize? For what?" she asked, slightly confused. "For bringing you here without your permission and for not being a good host." Now Octavia understood what Sunblade was feeling guilty about. Yes, he had saved her, but in a way he had also marenapped her. He was also feeling bad about ignoring her and dumping her into the hooves of others. Anypony might feel the same under the circumstances. Perhaps he thought she was scared or upset with him. She gave him a warm smile, "I accept your apology, and I want to thank you for helping me." she said sincerely. Sunblade bowed his head in gratitude, "Thank you and you're welcome." From a door that led to the kitchens, an earth pony in a chef's outfit walked into the room. He had a large brown box on his back; he walked around the table and stopped next to Sunblade. He thanked him and levitated the box onto the table in front of Octavia. The music mare looked at the box with curious interest, and after the chef pony left she opened it. A large yellow cake sat inside the box, it had a pleasant lemony smell. "What's this for?" asked Octavia. Sunblade drank some more tea before answering, "I had it made for you to replace the one you lost." Octavia looked at the new cake for a long moment. With everything that had happened, she had quite forgotten about her meet up later. Remembering caused her stomach some unease, Sunblade could read the look of worry on her face like a book. "Is something wrong, Ms. Melody?" She looked up at him, "No, nothing's wrong," she said forcing a smile, "Thank you for the cake, Sunblade." The white unicorn could see right through her, his face told her as much. "If there's something bothering you Ms. Melody, you can tell me," He said sincerely. Octavia closed her eyes and retreated inward for a short time. Her meet up with Vinyl weighted heavy on her mind, maybe, just maybe, talking about it might help. She opened her eyes and took a long look at Sunblade, would he understand? Could he understand? Well, she would never know unless she tried. "It's a little complicated," she began, "You see, later tonight, I am going to be meeting with somepony for the first time." Sunblade raised an eyebrow, then smiled, "Is this pony, your boyfriend?" Octavia felt her cheeks go red, "No, the one I'm meeting is a mare." Sunblade put both his forehooves up, "I am not going to judge you for liking mares, Ms. Melody." Octavia's face went even redder and she spluttered a little. Sunblade chuckled as Octavia shook her head trying to cool down her embarrassment. "No no no, you have it all wrong," she finally managed to say, "The mare I'm meeting is...." She hesitated. "Yes?" said Sunblade, now concerned. Octavia took a calming deep breath, "She's my half sister." There was a long silent pause as Sunblade's eyes widened a little as the full weight of Octavia's words sunk in. The white unicorn put his hooves together and placed his chin on them. He let out an "Ah" of understanding, "I'm guessing there's a story behind that," he said "You don't have to tell me, if it's too personal." "It is, but I want to share it," said Octavia, staring at the table. It all started with my parents, my mother was an opera mare and my father was the heir to an old noble line. They met at a Nightmare Night ball, being hosted by my grandparents. My mother wore a beautiful black dress and mask, while my father wore a dark blue suit with a bright red tie. Their eyes met through their masks and both of them smiled as they danced in the middle of everyone. Ponies talked long about how they sparkled around the dance floor. At the end of that night, both of them were deeply in love. My father never missed one of her shows and my mother send letters that smelled like roses. They were perfect together, and when they married, it felt like Happily Ever After. Or, at least it should have been. "What happened?" asked Sunblade. Octavia's face turned sad, "Me." Shock hits Sunblade's face, then his eyes turned hard with anger, "Let me guess," he said in a voice like ice, "It's because you're an earth pony." She nodded, with tears in her eyes. Sunblade knew where this was going, and it made his blood burn, some of Octavia's family members were Blood Purists. They were the worst of the pony nobles; only six of the great houses remained. They were the oldest of the nobility, and they believed that the three pony tribes should have stayed separate. Some even dared to oppose the princesses rule. If Sunblade had it his way, they would be cast out of Equestria forever. The white unicorn took a few calming breaths, "I'm so sorry, Ms. Melody, no pony should have to go through that." She gave him a small smile, "It's alright, my grandparents are more to blame than me. They pushed my father to make him leave us, but he refused. So, they cut him off." Sunblade rolled his eyes, "Typical, agree or leave. I've seen that before." "We jumped from city to city trying to find a place to belong," Octavia said sadly, "It took a toll on my parents, especially my father." Sunblade covered his eyes to hide his own tears forming, "I never knew my father, so I can't imagine how it felt to watch that." The music mare put a hoof to her mouth in surprise, "Oh Sunblade, I'm sorry, here I am going on about my family and I never considered...." Sunblade stopped her there, "I have had a long time to come to terms with it. But, the hurt never leaves, there will always be a hole." "Can you tell me about him?" asked Octavia, sympathetically. He smiled, "Everything I know about him was told to me by my mother, my father's old friends, and my grandparents. They told me that he was kind, brave, and had a smile that could light up any room. My grandpa said how the world was just a little darker without him." "He sounds amazing," encouraged Octavia. "He was, but everypony has their flaws. His was recklessness." Octavia started to feel tension growing in the room; it was clear to her that Sunblade had not talked about this for a long time. The mix of no sleep and high emotion was having a very negative effect on him. She worried that he was close to his limit. She looked out the nearest window, the sky was turning light orange as the first signs of sunset began. Sunblade turned to look out the window, too. The white unicorn sighed, "Time, there never seems to be enough," he turned back to Octavia and got up from his seat, "I have kept you long enough, Ms. Melody. As my last act of service to you, let me take you home." The music mare's heart fluttered for a moment, "A prince in appearance and spirit," she thought, "If not in title." "Very well," she said to him, "I would love to walk home with you." Sunblade lifted the cake box with his magic and placed it on his back. He walked to the doors and opened them, "Ladies first." he said with a bow of his head. Octavia walked past and Sunblade followed her out.
Chapter 5: Is change good?The lights of Canterlot city slowly began to turn on as the moon appeared high in the sky. Very few businesses stayed open in the evening, so Canterlot didn't have much of a nightlife. There were few ponies around, so the streets were mostly empty and quiet. The night air felt pleasantly warm as night flowers gave off a soothing smell. It had been a long walk from the palace to the city, but Octavia was happy to be going home. She listened to Sunblade talk about the stars and his favorite constellations; he pointed out some of them when he could. The white unicorn seemed less tired as he spoke, and his eyes appeared brighter. The moon's light danced off his mane making it glow softly, then to Octavia's surprise her companion began to sing. The song was something she had never heard before, it spoke of sweet dreams and tranquility. It painted a beautiful picture of the night and all its wonders, before she knew it, she was singing too. The harmony of their two voices were perfect, as if they had done this before. When the song ended, Octavia felt lighter on her hooves, like the music had worked some restorative magic on her. All the troubles of the day seemed to melt away as they stopped in front of a large fountain. The water shimmered with color as both of them looked at all the different coins below. In that moment, Octavia wondered what she would wish for, if she had a coin. She turned her head to the stallion next to her, "Sunblade, can I ask you something?" He smiled, "Certainly." "My sister and I are going to meet in order to discuss moving in together," she began, "So we can make up for all the time we missed. But, I'm not sure it's a good idea, what do you think?" Sunblade stared into the water and frowned slightly, he watched sparkles come off the coins and answered, "I'm not really sure myself, how do you feel about it?" "Confused," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "After all, it's a big decision. Am I ready for that kind of change?" Sunblade sat down on the fountain, "No pony is ever ready for it. For me, change comes slowly, but it happens whether I like it or not." Octavia sat down too, "That's true, I was not ready for some of the ones in my life either." Sunblade looked up at the stars, "Tell me about your sister." "Her name is Vinyl Scratch," Octavia said, looking at the stars too, "She loves music, however, it's very different to mine," she chuckled a little, "You might know her by her stage name, DJ PON-3." Sunblade nodded, he had seen her once or twice, but they never met face to face. Her shows were usually too loud for him. "It's actually amazing," continued Octavia, "We both got cutie marks in music, I mean what are the odds?" "Not as big as you think, there are a few families that get similar marks. The Apple Family for example." Octavia found herself looking at Sunblade's mark, it was a golden sword standing in the middle of a crossroad. She wondered what it meant, she looked at the ground, "My father's parents had liked her because she is a unicorn like you, despite her disability." The white stallion looked at her, "Disability?" Octavia swallowed, she had spoken without thinking. She kicked herself mentally for the slip up, but there was no taking it back now. With a sigh, Octavia said, "She can't talk, my sister was born a mute." A shadow passed over Sunblade, then he too looked at the ground. He had met and made friends with many ponies who had some form of disability. However, he always admired them, because despite how hard life was for them, each one had found a way to be happy. Maybe Octavia couldn't see it yet, but Vinyl had discovered how to express herself without a voice. "Where does she live?" he asked. It took Octavia a few seconds to remember, "A town called Ponyville, I think." Sunblade smiled, he knew that town very well, "I have been there a number of times, I can honestly say it is a wonderful place to live." "Still to go from a city to a small town, I'd be leaving behind everything I knew growing up." "And is that a bad thing?" Octavia paused, then said "No, it's just not easy." The white unicorn got up and faced her, "I can understand that. How about this, is there anything about your sister that you admire?" She thought back to each letter that Vinyl send her and recalled one that she would always remember. "She rejected our grandparents," answered Octavia, "They offered her the family name and fortune, but she turned her back on them. She stood up to them in a way I never could, even though they would have given her everything." "Well then, I see no reason why you shouldn't at least try," Sunblade said with conviction, "I have never had a brother or sister, so I would be very happy to be you right now, Ms. Melody." Octavia got up from the fountain, "Then I promise to at least give her a chance." The old ranger nodded, "Good." The two then made their way to Octavia's apartment, they stopped at the stairs. Sunblade levitated the cake box off his back and gave it to Octavia. "This is as far as I go," he said with a bow, "It was very nice to meet you, Ms. Melody. I hope we can see each other again." Octavia smiled, "I would love that, thank you for today, Sunblade. And, you can call me by my first name." His horn lit up with silvery light, "Until next time then, Octavia." The music mare watched him vanish in a flash, then she picked up the box and returned home.
Epilogue*One year later* At the sound of her alarm clock, Octavia slowly got out of bed. She turned off the alarm and got up to stretch, then she put on her morning robe. The smell of pancakes filled her nose as she entered the kitchen. Her sister Vinyl stood before the stove with a spatula hovering next to her. Two plates of blueberry pancakes sat on the table; sitting next to the stacks were a pair of mugs. One was pink, the other was red. "Good morning," said Octavia with a small yawn. Vinyl turned her head, smiled, and waved. She was not wearing her aquamarine headphones, but her light purple shades covered her eyes. Octavia walked over and sat at the table, "Is there coffee?" she asked. Her sister nodded and levitated a steaming coffee pot. Octavia took it by the handle and poured some of the dark liquid into the red mug. Octavia was very grateful to Vinyl for introducing her to the amazing drink. Oh, how she wished, she knew about it back in Canterlot. It warmed her right up, when she took a short sip of it. Vinyl placed the last pancake on her plate and sat down across from Octavia. The DJ moved her front hooves in a series of motions, that were meant to form words. You came in late, last night. Octavia smiled, "It was a long concert, the audience wanted us to do multiple encores." Good for you, Tavi. Vinyl signed. The music mare shook her head slightly, she didn't mind the nickname, but it was a little early for it. As they ate, both mares made mental lists of things to do today. Vinyl needed new wires, blank records, and needed to buy more fruit. Octavia wanted to go find a special book on past orchestras and earth pony musicians. She also wanted meet up with Lyra Heartstrings, before practice later today. Coming up with new music was much easier for her these days. Ponyville was a quiet town most of the time, that made it easier to think. Vinyl, Lyra, and others also helped with inspiration in their own ways. It made Octavia happy, knowing that her original music was heard and loved by many ponies in Equestria. As the two finished their breakfast, they heard a knock on the door. "Now who could that been?" wondered Octavia out loud. Vinyl shrugged. Curious, Octavia moved through the divided living room when she often practiced new material with Vinyl. They had decided to split the room, in order to gave the other sufficient space to work. Thought the front door window, Octavia could see a pegasus mare in a postal service uniform. The music mare smiled and opened the door. "Good morning Octavia," said the postmare in a sweet voice. "And to you as well, Ditzy Doo." The blond pegasus reached into her mail bag and pulled out five letters. Octavia thanked her and took the letters, she closed the door and sat on the sofa. Two of the letters were junk mail, one was for Vinyl, the next was a bill, but the last had her name on it. Octavia looked at it with interest, "A fan letter, or something else?" she thought to herself. She opened the letter carefully and read quietly. Dear Octavia, I saw your concert yesterday and it was grand. I will be passing through Ponyville today and I was wondering if you would like to meet up for lunch? Your friend Sunblade. Vinyl walked into the room and saw Octavia sitting with a big smile on her face. The DJ tapped one hoof on the floor to get her older sister's attention. She looked up from the message, "Yes, Vinyl?" Did you just got a love letter? she signed with a playful smirk. Octavia felt her cheeks flush, she shock her head and said, "No, just a letter from an old friend." She had not seen the ranger in some time and thought how nice it would be to talk to him. Well, what's it say? asked Vinyl. "He is asking if we could meet for lunch later, would you like to come?" Vinyl looked surprised, but it was hard to tell with her sunglasses on. The DJ nodded happily, and she went to her room to get ready. Octavia send a reply by messenger bird to tell Sunblade that they would meet him at the train station later. She could not wait to see him and for him to meet Vinyl. She walked over to the living room window and looked out at Ponyville; it really was a wonderful place to live. Then Octavia let out a long sigh of happiness, "Home sweet home." Author's Note Hey everypony, I hope you enjoyed this story. Unfortunately because the song my OC sings is not an MLP song I could not use it. But, if you would like to still hear it, here a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI8j3IQA5OY&list=LL&index=49 Hope you all have a nice day, bye!
