URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Roleplaying is Magic
  HTML https://rpismagic.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Secondary Characters
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 499--------------------------------------------------
       Octavia Melody
       By: Octavia Melody Date: January 8, 2014, 9:02 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Name: Octavia Melody
       Race: Earth.
       Gender: Mare.
       Age: Unspecified.
       Physical Description: Often seen wearing her pink bowtie,
       Octavia sports a soft-gray coat, pale lavender eyes, and a long,
       dark gray mane and tail which were well kempt. ‘Tavi’s cutie
       mark resembles a large, purple treble clef.
       Special Talent: Unspecified, but related to her musical ability
       to play the cello.
       Extra Details: Played by Richtor.
       Example Post:
       [spoiler][center]
       Ponies often say that silence is golden… But what exactly does
       that even mean? What is a golden silence? Most ponies would
       simply tell you ”when everypony falls quiet”. Others might look
       a little deeper, claiming that it’s when everything and
       everypony remains still”. A few could elaborate even further,
       saying that it happens when the whole world ceases to move”… Any
       one of these answers would be correct, but if you ask a
       musician… You’ll likely get a very, very different answer. To a
       well-established musician, that phrase cannot be measured so
       readily by sound or even time; it is determined by a mere,
       simple breath.
       Octavia Melody stood poised and ready, center stage on one of
       the biggest, most luxurious venues Canterlot had to offer. With
       her gleaming, mahogany bow in hoof, the mare meticulously
       studied the sea of ponies before her, perhaps scanning for
       certain individuals hidden within the crowd as she readjusted
       the position of her Stradivari cello. All eyes were glued to her
       elegant form, but the mare remained stoic… Unmoving… The silence
       was utterly deafening. But was it a golden one? No, Octavia
       thought briefly to herself before making another small, almost
       unnecessary adjustment to her position. She was waiting for…
       Something.
       The overhead floodlights seemed to bore into the mare like
       sunlight focused through a magnifying glass, causing her to
       squint as she glanced beyond the ponies on the front few rows.
       Octavia was never particularly fond of the unforgiving light,
       but she had grown accustomed to its treatment over the years.
       She remained still for a moment, pushing her nerves behind a
       platonic mask before raising her bow and setting it idly upon
       the strings. The audience froze, expecting her to start playing.
       A golden silence…? No, she thought to herself once more, this
       time smiling faintly towards her onlookers. But she was close…
       Without warning, Octavia ripped the bow across her strings with
       a single, fierce stroke. She wasn’t aiming for any note in
       particular, but she let the sound ring sharply out into the air
       as she held her breath and froze in place. As the sound began to
       die and fade away, the audience was at the edge of their seats,
       eyes wide with anticipation. If only but for half a second,
       Octavia commanded their complete, undivided attention. Not a
       single sound… Not a single breath… That split second felt like
       an eternity to her as she gazed longingly towards the crowd, and
       although her “eternity” was all but ephemeral, Octavia was in
       total control. That… Was a golden silence: a moment not judged
       by silence or stillness, but by the unsurmountable control a
       performer wields upon their audience just a mere moment before
       they played.
       Finally satisfied, Octavia smiled to herself and set her bow
       upon the strings once more… And then she began to play
  HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EACDwA_iOg?.
       Her music of choice
       tonight was a rather fast paced Allegro movement from a rather
       unknown, or perhaps an unpopular composer. Nevertheless, Octavia
       commanded the piece as her own, pulling her bow tightly against
       the strings in a legato fashion, a sharp contrast to the
       staccato style of her piano accompaniment. The mare’s head
       gradually bobbed up and down with the beat as she swayed to and
       fro, her eyes closed in concentration as emotion seeped through
       her features. Without any warning, the style switched as Octavia
       took on a fiercer, staccato tone and the piano picked up the
       legato part. Although short, simple, yet effective, this
       particular switch occurred several times through the piece, and
       Octavia hit all of them spot on. But even after the final note
       was struck, the mare held her pose, slowly lifting her bow into
       the air as if to welcome the song’s end. Another golden silence…
       Those were the very moments that Octavia lived for as a
       musician; the small lapse of time immediately before and after a
       performance was the most exhilarating for her. Nothing else
       mattered…
       The audience erupted in applause as the mare finally lowered her
       bow. She offered a few deep bows, pulling her cello closer to
       her form as she turned to exit the stage. Once backstage,
       Octavia heaved a heavy sigh as she began to put her cello away
       within the confines of its case. With her performance done,
       there was simply not much else for her to do other than return
       home, or perhaps somewhere else. Just then, a rather gruff voice
       called out to her, “That was a splendid performance, Octavia!
       You’ve certainly outdone yourself this time!” The cellist turned
       around, only to come face to face with a male, turquoise Earth
       pony with a messy lime-green mane. One of Nandermane’s relatives
       that she never bothered to remember a name for… Great…
       Octavia spoke softly, yet sternly, obviously not too enthused at
       the stallion’s sudden appearance. “It was nothing. Truly. I
       opted for something easy this time. But I appreciate the
       compliment.” The mare continued to pack, shoving miscellaneous
       items within various pockets before clasping the whole case
       together. At this point, Octavia just wanted out before the
       stallion started to ask questions and become a pain in the
       flank.
       As if on cue, the stallion spoke up, “Do you need help with
       that, ‘Tavi? I can accompany you home as well!~ You know I’m
       always free and willing to lend a helping hoof. You don’t have
       to drag that big heavy thing all the way back to your place if
       you don’t want to. In fact, if you want, we can head to my place
       for a little bit. It’s closer, and—“
       Oh… Joy… Here we go again, Octavia thought to herself, rolling
       her eyes as she simply tuned out the rest of the stallion’s
       words. “First and foremost, it’s OCTAVIA or MISS MELODY. Not
       ‘Tavi. Second, this big heavy thing is probably more expensive
       than ‘your place’. Or rather, your parent’s place, if memory
       serves correctly. And third, I’m most likely taking a train ride
       to Ponyville. I hear that they’re going to throw a music
       festival, and I would like to go.”
       The stallion simply smiles, completely oblivious to the mare’s
       efforts of attempting to shoo him away. “Ponyville? Ah-ha, you
       cheeky rapscallion! That would be an easily deserved win for
       you!”
       “Not to compete,” Octavia interrupted him before he spoke any
       further, now turning to head towards the exit. “To watch.” The
       cellist stated flatly, still trying to smile through her
       frustration.
       “To watch!?” exclaimed the stallion, his face twisting into some
       rather unpleasant expression. “Why in Equestria would you travel
       all the way to Ponyville only watch low-level amateurs stand on
       a box and pretend they know their way around an instrument? They
       couldn’t even find their way around Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
       even if it was played for them. You’re better than those
       Ponyville folk, Octavia.”
       Octavia suddenly stopped… Although the stallion couldn’t see it,
       the mare’s face was furrowed in anger. After a few moments, she
       turned around, her expression blank as a slate. “If I may be so
       bold… You are the reason other ponies regret living in
       Canterlot. You are posh, arrogant, and selfish in your needs.
       While I know better than to exempt myself of such qualities
       being born and raised in Canterlot myself, at least I learned
       the aspects of humility and humbleness. I am not better than
       anypony else. Music isn’t a contest, but played from the heart.
       It doesn’t matter if some amateur plays on a soap-box or this
       very stage behind me; as long as they play from the heart, they
       are a true musician. Tell me, do you know what makes silence
       golden?”
       The stallion was taken completely by surprise, first by the
       insults, and then by her odd question. He stood in silence for a
       few moments, contemplating the question’s worth, or whether to
       even stick around after being so readily attacked by the mare’s
       words. After some time… He finally answered, hoping to gain back
       some respect from the cellist. “W-well… Isn’t it just that
       moment where everything is quiet?”
       Octavia smiled… She knew he was going to say that, and his lack
       of experience showed it. “I see,” she replied fluidly, turning
       around once more to open the door. “You’ll figure it out one
       day. Maybe you can ask Nandermane when you see him. You have
       much to learn…” Octavia didn’t even glance over her shoulder as
       she swung the door open and left, leaving the dumbfounded
       stallion behind. Maybe he would learn one day… She really didn’t
       mind the fellow, despite her insults, but his immaturity spoke
       volumes and the mare put up with it more than she ever cared to.
       Octavia simply dismissed the issue… Instead, she let her mind
       wander as she travelled slowly through the streets of Canterlot,
       now comfortable within her own, golden
       silence…[/center][/spoiler]
       #Post#: 560--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Octavia Melody
       By: Sepheris Date: January 12, 2014, 5:16 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I think it all looks fine. Despite silence from PLOT and Argent,
       I'll let it go.
       [b][size=16pt][color=green]APPROVED
       *****************************************************