[Octavia is peering over her tiny glasses watching a tiny light blue colt, Trebel Clef, attempt to play the cello while standing on a stool.]

Octavia: Excellent! Your posture has improved since last session!

Trebel: Yes, ma’am. Um ... it is hard to balance on this stool though. Is there a smaller cello I can try to learn with, Miss Octavia?

Octavia: No no no, silly, there are no smaller cellos. You’re thinking of a violin.

Trebel: Um ... I’m pretty sure that there are --

Octavia: Besides! You must learn to work with the size and weight. It builds character. Now, let’s try Camptown Races from the top. 1, 2--

[Knocking.]

Octavia: Oh! One moment please. Now be sure to hold that posture.

Trebel: [Mumbling] My hoof is falling asleep.

Octavia: Now who could this be ...

[Door swings open, only for Octavia to be faced with ...]

Vinyl: [Talking extremely fast] Hey Octy! Boy you sure change addresses a lot! Anyway I heard about this new thing called ‘podcasts’ and I was wondering if--

[Octavia slams door shut, eyes wide. After a moment, one of her eyes starts to twitch.]

Trebel: Um ... do you want me to start Camptown Races or--

[Octavia shakes the colt by the shoulders.]

Octavia: YOU THINK I GIVE A FLYING FILLY ABOUT CAMPTOWN RACES NOW?! [Pause. Deep breath. Lowered voice.] Sorry ... sorry. Um. Change of plans, Trebel. I think we’ll call it early today. You be sure to practice and we’ll meet back up again next week. At a location I will disclose to your mother later. Possibly under an assumed name. Now I’m going to need you to exit my house quickly but calmly out the back window, okay?! Okay.

Vinyl: [From outside.] Hello? Octy? [Knock, knock. Door knob jiggles.] Yep. That’s some lock you got there. [Chuckles.]

Trebel: Um ... Miss Octavia? Who is that out there?

Octavia: [Whispering.] The past, Trebel. The past.

Trebel: Oh. [Pause.] Okay, cause it sounded like an actual pony--

Octavia: [Exasperated] Metaphor, Trebel, don’t you have a window to crawl out of?!

Author's Note

You may be wondering why I'm starting a sequel after thirteen years. And that's a good question and the only answer I can really give is "seemed like a fun idea at the time." Chapters are gonna be short and I'm gonna try to keep this updated as long as I can keep this interesting.