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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Yearning for Something More
“Let’s begin. With a one and a two...”
Octavia played along to the instruction of her music teacher, Miss Chords, going through the motions as she played her recited song on her cello for the hundredth time. She tried to stifle a yawn, but her hooves were preoccupied. Instead, she looked out the window.
Outside, the sun shone brightly and the birds chirped, but she was stuck inside, doing something she didn't really love. She tried to pay attention to her lessons, she really did. An uneasy feeling lay in the pit of her stomach, interrupting her thoughts. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but she felt like doing something more with her life. If anything, she wanted to try something new.
“Octavia.”
Her playing had slowed down; Her mind wandered. She was always told what to do, where to go, how to act, but she just wanted to be free for once.
“Octavia?”
Everything in her life was already scheduled for her in advance. Once she was done with music lessons, she would go home and learn more lessons in etiquette as well as more practice with various musical instruments. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life, but this wasn’t it.
The loud slap of a ruler against the desk brought Octavia back to reality. She jumped as her heart leapt into her throat. Her hooves slipped and she dropped her cello. Bowing and muttering an apology, she scrambled to pick up her instrument and continue.
Miss Chords chuckled. "Is something wrong, Octavia?"
"No, no. It's nothing." Octavia looked at her hooves.
Miss Chords raised an eyebrow, but beckoned towards Octavia's instrument. "Please continue, then."
Octavia hesitated. "May I ask you a question first?"
"Go ahead."
"Do you like playing music?"
Turning her snout up, Miss Chords said, "Liking it or not is irrelevant. It is my job, and therefore I must perform regardless of whether or not I like it."
"Haven't you... ever dreamed of doing something else?"
Miss Chords paused. "Well... when I was a young filly, I had a dream but that was a different time. I was young, naive, and stupid."
"What was it?"
Momentarily hesitating, she whispered, "I wanted to run a business selling fruit."
"What happened?"
"I realized that it was a lot more work than I thought, and so I ended up quitting.” Miss Chords put a hoof to her chin. “Although I have to admit, it was a fun experience at least. Why do you ask?”
“Oh. No reason.” With a sigh, Octavia continued her lessons.
Octavia approached her dad as he was reading the newspaper in the dining room. “Dad? Do you think I could skip music lessons for today and go out?”
He folded his newspaper down and looked her in the eye. “No, Octavia. It’s important to always practice. Idle hooves are the devil’s playthings.”
“It won’t hurt to miss one lesson, will it? Besides, I just want to see what Canterlot looks like.”
He flipped his newspaper back and continued reading. “I said no. You can go some other time.”
“But you always say that! When am I ever going to have fun?” she whined.
"Octavia. Stop this foolishness. You're a proper high-class pony and you're going to act like one!"
"But dad..."
"No buts, young lady. Now be quiet and keep practicing."
“Okay...” she said, hanging her head.
“But Dad, I don’t want to play music. I want to become an magician!”
“Octavia, please. You don’t know what you want. The reason I made you practice and hired all those tutors was so that you’d become one of the best.”
Octavia stomped her foot and looked the other way.
“Look at me, young lady.”
Reluctantly, she did.
“Octavia, please give up this silly dream of yours. Being a magician is a hard life. The pay isn’t steady and you won’t be able to support yourself on your own.”
“Yes, I can! Just watch me!”
He lifted her chin with a hoof and glared into her eyes. “Young Lady, I command you to give up this foolish pursuit right now. It will only end up hurting you.”
“You’re not being fair!” Water welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. Turning on her heel, she stumbled out of the room.
Her dad's eyes softened and he sighed. “Trust me, Octavia. This is for the best.”
Octavia played along to the instruction of her music teacher, Miss Chords, going through the motions as she played her recited song on her cello for the hundredth time. She tried to stifle a yawn, but her hooves were preoccupied. Instead, she looked out the window.
Outside, the sun shone brightly and the birds chirped, but she was stuck inside, doing something she didn't really love. She tried to pay attention to her lessons, she really did. An uneasy feeling lay in the pit of her stomach, interrupting her thoughts. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but she felt like doing something more with her life. If anything, she wanted to try something new.
“Octavia.”
Her playing had slowed down; Her mind wandered. She was always told what to do, where to go, how to act, but she just wanted to be free for once.
“Octavia?”
Everything in her life was already scheduled for her in advance. Once she was done with music lessons, she would go home and learn more lessons in etiquette as well as more practice with various musical instruments. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life, but this wasn’t it.
The loud slap of a ruler against the desk brought Octavia back to reality. She jumped as her heart leapt into her throat. Her hooves slipped and she dropped her cello. Bowing and muttering an apology, she scrambled to pick up her instrument and continue.
Miss Chords chuckled. "Is something wrong, Octavia?"
"No, no. It's nothing." Octavia looked at her hooves.
Miss Chords raised an eyebrow, but beckoned towards Octavia's instrument. "Please continue, then."
Octavia hesitated. "May I ask you a question first?"
"Go ahead."
"Do you like playing music?"
Turning her snout up, Miss Chords said, "Liking it or not is irrelevant. It is my job, and therefore I must perform regardless of whether or not I like it."
"Haven't you... ever dreamed of doing something else?"
Miss Chords paused. "Well... when I was a young filly, I had a dream but that was a different time. I was young, naive, and stupid."
"What was it?"
Momentarily hesitating, she whispered, "I wanted to run a business selling fruit."
"What happened?"
"I realized that it was a lot more work than I thought, and so I ended up quitting.” Miss Chords put a hoof to her chin. “Although I have to admit, it was a fun experience at least. Why do you ask?”
“Oh. No reason.” With a sigh, Octavia continued her lessons.
Octavia approached her dad as he was reading the newspaper in the dining room. “Dad? Do you think I could skip music lessons for today and go out?”
He folded his newspaper down and looked her in the eye. “No, Octavia. It’s important to always practice. Idle hooves are the devil’s playthings.”
“It won’t hurt to miss one lesson, will it? Besides, I just want to see what Canterlot looks like.”
He flipped his newspaper back and continued reading. “I said no. You can go some other time.”
“But you always say that! When am I ever going to have fun?” she whined.
"Octavia. Stop this foolishness. You're a proper high-class pony and you're going to act like one!"
"But dad..."
"No buts, young lady. Now be quiet and keep practicing."
“Okay...” she said, hanging her head.
“But Dad, I don’t want to play music. I want to become an magician!”
“Octavia, please. You don’t know what you want. The reason I made you practice and hired all those tutors was so that you’d become one of the best.”
Octavia stomped her foot and looked the other way.
“Look at me, young lady.”
Reluctantly, she did.
“Octavia, please give up this silly dream of yours. Being a magician is a hard life. The pay isn’t steady and you won’t be able to support yourself on your own.”
“Yes, I can! Just watch me!”
He lifted her chin with a hoof and glared into her eyes. “Young Lady, I command you to give up this foolish pursuit right now. It will only end up hurting you.”
“You’re not being fair!” Water welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. Turning on her heel, she stumbled out of the room.
Her dad's eyes softened and he sighed. “Trust me, Octavia. This is for the best.”