Arpeggio - Chapter 5 Pt. 3: Dig a Pony

>The sun's warmth washes over you from the window

>You would've noticed, if you weren't currently sitting between sleep and consciousness

>The jobs yesterday weren't really all that strenuous

>Regardless, there you are next to your bro. Oblivious to the sunshine peering in your room

>What sounds like tapping from downstairs makes you stir in your sleep

>The sound continues, to your annoyance

>It doesn't really occur to you that it may be someone at the door. Your mind is still hazy from being half-asleep

>Suddenly a loud bang from downstairs rings out, causing you to jump out of bed in surprise

>Dash is awake as well

>Surveying the room you find nothing out of place thankfully

>A loud clopping from behind your door grabs your attention

>The door then bursts open revealing Twilight

>"ANON! RAINBOW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

>You muster up the only response a confused person can

"Wait...wha?"

>"The symphony's starting in five minutes! I've been waiting for you two!"

"Sym..phony..wha-?"

>Your mind finally clears up

>You're about to miss the event you three worked your asses off to be able to attend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXHOB1s56zc

>You quickly look to Rainbow, your eyes wide with surprise

"We gotta get ready!"

>She nods, a determined look on her face, and flies off out your window

>Thank goodness she opened it first

>Treating cut wounds would definitely slow you down this morning

>"Rainbow! Anon, where is she going?!"

>She turns just in time to see the bathroom door slam shut

>Twilight groans before going downstairs

 

>Your morning routine finished, you sprint out of your house with Twilight in tow

>Tying up a ponytail is hard work while running

>You manage it, though

>Twilight follows close behind, keeping up with you

>You sprint through the marketplace, vaulting over ponies to avoid ruining anyone's day

>Getting crashed into by something almost twice your size would definitely ruin yours

>You just pass by the spa who's name you never learned before what sounds like a jet engine fast approaches you

>Remembering this noise anywhere else, you quickly pick up Twilight on your back and raise your arms in the air

>Thankfully Twilight held on to you around your neck

>If she didn't she'd be flat on her flank seeing as Rainbow just hooked your arms with her hooves and took the fuck off

>Somehow she's able to carry the both of you higher and higher, easily soaring high above the landscape

>The momentum from her flight may have had something to do with it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhtednkzJl4

>You speed high across the pastel ponies and multicolored houses

>The scenery moving underneath you at a break-neck pace, the air flowing through your hair

>It reminds you of a tune from back home

>You rush by the clouds, Dash speeding around them

>She flies you directly through a large cloud

>Making it through, you look back to see an obscure imprint of the three of you on the cloud

>You smile and turn back as Dash takes a nose dive

>Just when you think she's going to crash you into a house she turns up sharply and flies higher and higher

>She's really showing off

>You don't really care. You're enjoying the ride

>Unfortunately the same can't be said for Twilight who is holding onto your neck for dear life

>Thankfully she isn't choking you

>Suddenly you feel yourself drop and rise a few times

>Looking up to Dash you see she's getting tired

>Carrying a human and another pony? You're not surprised

>"A-..Anon! I don't think I can go-..anymore!" She says, her wings becoming fatigued

"Gotcha! Let's head back down!"

>She complies and slowly drops her altitude, landing you on the ground and taking Twilight's spot after Twilight jumps off your back

>Now carrying Rainbow, you continue to run through P0nyville

>From high up it looked like you had made significant progress

>Down below, you see that you really didn't

>In fact, you're not sure which direction the place is anymore

>"Follow me, Anon!"

>Thankfully Twilight does

>She takes off at a fast gallop, getting a big headstart on you

>You get a better grip around Dash's hind legs before sprinting after Twilight

>She's taking a more daring approach, one that you never thought you'd see from the scholar p0ny

>Heading between homes and businesses, taking quick alleyway shortcuts and dodging anyp0ny that gets in her way

>You quicken her pace as to keep up with hers

>Soon enough you reach the bridge over the river that crosses into the district with the concert hall

>There's just one problem

>There are two large carts full of shit blocking the whole bridge..and the river's too wide to jump across

>Twilight's standing at the edge of the river ahead of you

>Suddenly your feet leave the ground

>Thinking quickly you zoom over Twilight, grabbing her before you clear the river and land running, Dash now flying next to you

>Seems like her wings got a good rest

"Nice one, Rainbow!"

>"It's what I do!"

>Twilight gets back on the main road as you follow close behind

 

>Running about three blocks and taking a few turns, you're finally in front of the concert hall

>You catch your breath as Twilight brings three tickets out of her mane and hands them to the ticket-p0ny

>Seeing that the exchange is finished, you follow her inside the concert hall

>You read a sign next to a door in front of you

 

Concert Performance

The Stalliongrad Symphonic

Featuring Miss Octavia, cello

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU_QR_FTt3E&t=0m35s

>You hear the muffled sound of a cello being played magnificently before Twilight opens the door leading into the actual concert hall

>The sound hits you almost immediately. You walk into the hall, captivated by the sounds

>A song you thought you'd never hear in Equestria

>A composition by Bach himself

>And here it is, being played by a p0ny

>Words cannot express your surprise and excitement from finding a p0ny that not only can play a stringed instrument with such grace and precision, but one that knows arrangements familiar to your ears

>It's quite awesome to say the very least

>"So where do we sit, Anon?...Um, Anon?"

>Twilight looks away from the rows of seats to you, only to see you walking down the aisle up to the stage

>You're too engrossed in the performance to notice that you're getting stares from some of the seated p0nies

>You don't care. There, on the stage, sits a potential band member. Playing her heart out on the strings

>Stopping at the edge of the stage, you continue to listen to this magnificent piece until the final note rings out

>Octavia opens her eyes, cutting the note short after noticing the only human in Equestria staring at her

>She clears her throat

>You quickly regain your composure and look around, realizing you nearly interrupted this performance

>If she wasn't so into the music, you're sure you might've been kicked out for distracting her

>You quickly turn back around and look up to Octavia, who is currently walking away from the chair she once sat on with her cello on her back

>On impulse, you call out

"Wait!"

>It rings through the concert hall

>She slows to a stop before sighing and turning around

>"What do you want?"

>You stammer for a second or two

>It's a chance, but you have to take it

"Miss Octavia...I'd like you to...well...join our band."

>You gesture to the blue and purple ponies standing next to the entrance

>She seems to survey the two before moving to you and doing the same

>A few seconds pass. Pretty long second in your opinion

>...

>"Show me."

"Pardon?"

>"Show me what you can do. Otherwise you're just wasting my time."

>Not the response you expected

>You actually thought you were going to get a flat-out no

>Then again, you also expected to meet her in private

>This is a very surprising development

>Especially since you don't have an instrument

>Oh shit

>You barely realize you don't have any kind of instrument to show her that you can actually play

>Thinking quickly, you scan the stage for anything you can use

>A large black grand piano sits next to the orchestra, slightly obscured by the performer ponies from your position

"I've got just the thing" You say, giving her a confident look

>She shrugs it off and moves back to her chair, taking a seat and holding her cello up with the bow held by her other hoof

>You climb on-stage and make your way to the piano

>Luckily nop0ny was using it

>You sit down and lift the cover

>The ivory keys welcome your touch as you glide your hands across them

>"I lead. You follow."

>Her violet eyes meet yours for a moment, a determined look within them

>You nod and look back down to the keys before taking a deep breath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW_MAQj0aIA

>Once she plays her first and second note, you immediately recognize the piece

>You practiced it once or twice before but nothing major

>You did listen to it a whole lot, though

>Liebesträume No. 3

>The most famous of the three arrangements

>At least back home it was. Here you're not so sure

>Somehow your improvisation works out beautifully as you remember how the song goes

>You close your eyes and lose yourself in the music

>You flow with Octavia's playing as she moves up and down the neck of her cello with incredible precision and aptitude

>In your mind it's clear that you're more than capable of keeping up with her

>In hers, however, you're not done yet

>She quickens and slows the pace at some points

>You're able to keep up with her without botching the notes

>She glances at you a few times during the course of the performance

>She stops playing the melody randomly, giving you time to either shine or completely fuck up the performance

>You oblige her by not only improvising a backup, but playing out the melody before Octavia jumps back in

>Soon enough the piece reaches it's climax

>You play a final chord as Octavia lets her final note ring out

>You take your hands away from the keys and look over to Octavia

>She's not looking at you or the crowd

>She's just looking down at her cello, seemingly in deep thought

>You stand and walk over to her

>Before you reach her the crowd suddenly erupts in applause

>She turns to you abruptly, a cold stare in her eyes

>"Let me guess. You'd like me to play a bass guitar. Am I correct?"

>You nod slowly, surprised by her sudden outburst

>Octavia, in a flustered manner, then promptly throws her cello on her back and walks off

>You're left standing on-stage, the applause slowly dying down

>You don't stay long afterwards

 

---------------------------------------

 

>You sit in the performer dressing room set up especially for you

>Your cello stands next to the blue bass guitar a fan gave to you a while back

>He said you should try it out...

>Well...you did

>And, to say the least, you weren't that bad

>To say the most? You were exceptional at it

>Transitioning the playing style from vertical to completely horizontal seemed strange at first, but it didn't even take five minutes for you to get used to it

>The sound it gave off was quite...pleasing

>The smooth tones of the cello were nice, but this...this was new

>A much more bold sound that you really enjoyed

>It felt good to pluck the strings in order to play

>Without having to use a bow to let the sound ring out, playing faster pieces with more improvisation was much easier

>You really liked playing the bass guitar

>If that's the case then...why did you leave the creature out there?

>You've heard ponies in the orchestra speaking of rumors about a new creature in Equestria, but you never thought you'd actually get to see it

>A "human", they called it

>You release a heavy sigh, getting up from your chair and walking over to your cello

>You run a hoof over it lightly, feeling its familiar curves

>You then look to the bass guitar

>It's something you'd hate to admit, especially to yourself

>But maybe it's the reason why you became upset and left the stage

>Maybe...you yearn for more than just unappreciative ponies attending performances just for the image

>You yearn for ponies who will actually appreciate the music as much as you do

>That...human

>It-..-He- seemed to let the music take hold

>His eyes were closed for most of the performance

>Needless to say, you were impressed with the performance

>So impressed that you're willing to go against your roots and join the "rocker" image

>...

>You catch yourself staring down the bass

>A few moments pass before you're running out of the dressing room with the bass on your back

>After all, how hard can it be to find the only human in Equestria?

 

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>You trudge into your house, Twilight and Rainbow following close behind

>"Anon?"

>You're too distraught to notice Rainbow trying to get your attention

>What went wrong?

>The performance went great

>Everyp0ny loved it

>The entire situation is fucked in your eyes

>Where were you going to find somep0ny as skilled as her?

>It wouldn't be easy...but maybe you could

>You sit on your couch and hold your head in your hands

"Who am I kidding?..."

>"What do you mean, Anon?"

"Twilight...where are we going to find another bassist? The only reason we found Octavia is because she's a well known performer."

>Suddenly there's a knock on the door

"Ugh...Rainbow, could you get that please? I don't feel like dealing with anyp0ny right now."

>You lay back on the couch, staring at the ceiling

>Wallowing in your own self-pity isn't going to accomplish anything, but it's the only thing you want to do right now

>After all, you just lost a great opportunity

>You swear you just heard Rainbow gasp

>"Uh...Anon? I think you need to see this."

>You pull yourself up into a sitting position to see a certain grey mare standing in the doorway with a blue bass guitar on her back

>"Pardon me, but I believe you need my help. Correct?"

>You swear you just saw the smallest hint of a smile on her face