Bows and Bass

“Uh... Octavia... there’s something I want to tell you.” Gray said. He now had her attention. No going back now.

“Yes, Gray?” She asked.

"I... I..." Gray said, sweating profusely. "Uh... do you mind if we finish this conversation outside? It's getting a little hot in here." He said, hoping to buy some time to finish his thoughts.

"Of course." Octavia said, following him outside.

Gray sighed as he walked with Octavia in the late evening streets. "So, what I wanted to say how much I-"

"Gray, let me stop you there." Octavia said. "I can tell where this was going."

"You do, huh?" Gray asked. "Well, I guess it's pretty obvious now. So, uh... just get it over with." he said.

"I admire your acceptance. But I'll spare you the time. I'm afraid I don't share the same fe-" Octavia said, but was interrupted by a shriek in the distance.

"Look out! Runaway cart!" A mare shouted from an uphill road. The citizen's attention turned to the top of the hill, where a wooden cart was rolling down the hill, several ponies running from the cart.

"Run." Gray said, before the two of them quickly began fleeing the cart. Gray and Octavia kept running as fast as their hooves could carry them, and the cart was very wide, taking up a massive amount of the space on the street.

"Gray! Your wings!" Octavia said, as they dashed down the ever stretching road.

"What!? I can't fly!" Gray said, keeping his pace steady.

"You have to try! Save yourself!"

"No! I can't leave you behind!"

"Don't worry about me!"

"I can't!"

"Just GO!" Octavia cried, and Gray got the message. His bandaged wing twitched, and he lept into the air. However, he quickly plummeted into ground and hit the front of the cart, as Octavia unknowingly reached the end of a cul-de-sac. There was a loud scream and a crashing of glass and wood...

<><><><><>

Octavia awoke with her head pulsating. "Oh dear... I just had the most horrid dream." She muttered. As her eyes focused, she got a better look at her surroundings, all to familiar. A hospital. "Oh no." She said.

The door opened, and a nervous looking Vinyl Scratch walked in. "Hey Tavi. How you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm a bit shaken. But I feel rather fine." She replied, rubbing her forehead. "Remind me what happened."

"There was a cart crash. You were out for a few days. Maaaybe a week." She said.

"A week!? That's not good. Where's Gray Steel?" She asked.

Vinyl's expression turned solemn. "Er...."

"Vinyl? What happened to him?" She asked, suddenly worried.

"Well... while you were out..." The unicorn said, holding her tongue.

"Tell me!" Octavia cried, sitting up from her bed.

"...You missed the funeral." Vinyl finally said.

The room hung in a dead silence.

"He's dead?" Octavia muttered. Vinyl only nodded her head.

"I'm sorry." Vinyl said. She could see tears welling up in Octavia's eyes. Vinyl walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Octavia let a single sob pass through her. She hadn't known Gray Steel for very long. She even said that she didn't care for him. But why was she crying? Maybe it was the nagging fact that somepony who loved her was just gone. Somepony who secretly adored her and had the courage to confess it in a matter of hours... somepony who could have been a good friend.

Gone.

It was going to be a rough couple of days.

<><><><><><><>

Octavia climbed a small grassy hill, carrying her cello on her back. At the top of the hill was a tombstone, with a shield chiseled on its surface. The sky was a dark gray, and an occasional rumble of thunder reverberated through the air.

"Sorry I'm late." She said to the empty hill. "An entire week to late."

Octavia set her cello down on the ground and faced the grave. She picked up her bow, and started strumming. A gentle tune filled the air, and the wind and light thunder seemed to add to the song as the melody continued. Octavia forced herself to keep playing and not let her thoughts stop her concentration. But the thought of him eventually slipped in. Rather than losing her train of thought, Octavia was able to feed of her thoughts and emotions to finish the song, in a truly beautiful crescendo. If only she had composed it earlier.

"I know you didn't get everything you wished for. But I hope you aren't disappointed, either." Octavia said. "May Luna guide you safely."