It was a happy day in Canterlot, and for all Equestrians. The bonding of two lives had been established, one that none had ever seen before. A bond between Princess Mi Amora Cadenza and Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard, who held a love so pure and strong that it warded off a whole race of Changelings and their Queen, Chrysalis, who had foolishly tried to break in between the two lovers.

Of course, Chrysalis hadn't been banished before she possessed a couple ponies in the process. One of those ponies being Minuette, a dentist that had been one of Princess Cadence's bridesmaids. That is, until Chrysalis possessed her and forced her into becoming a mind slave for the duration of the wedding.

Minuette wasn't exactly in the best of moods afterwards, to say the least.

"Hey, Colgate!"

Minuette flinched. Celestia, she hated that nickname. With a sigh, she turned around to see Twinkleshine and Lyra Heartstrings making their way over to her, both smiling obliviously. Minuette could hardly believe how giddy they were.

"What?" Minuette said in an exasperated tone.

Lyra blinked at her negative tone. "Uh, you OK? You sound kinda mad."

Minuette sighed. "I'd just like to leave, if that's fine with you." She turned towards the greenery of the Canterlot Gardens, then noted the setting sun. "It's late, and I'd like to go home and forget about this..."

Twinkleshine smiled at her. "Aw, but the party is about to start! I hear they booked DJ P0N-3!"

Lyra gasped. "For real? Vinyl's here?" She grinned toothily. "Colly, ya gotta meet her! She's the absolute best!"

Minuette narrowed her eyes. "Don't you two remember what happened at the wedding? We were brainwashed!"

"Uh, yeah, I remember," Lyra replied, "I just don't care anymore. It's been a couple days and the Changelings are all gone, so we don't have to worry anymore."

Minuette sighed. "That's not what I meant. What I meant was that this entire thing has been a colossal mess and I'd just like to leave before it gets worse..."

Twinkleshine gave her a reassuring smile. "Come on, it'll only be a couple minutes. Then you can leave."

Minuette was silent for a moment as she considered her options. She could just leave and potentially hurt her friends' feelings, which isn't something she was in that bad of a mood to do, or she could grin and bear it for just a couple minutes before leaving for the night.

She sighed. "Just a couple of minutes, OK? No more than that."

Lyra and Twinkleshine nodded erratically simultaneously. "Come on, let's get up to the booth before somepony starts crowding it up with requests!" Lyra said as she grabbed a hold of Minuette and dragged her across the garden and dance floor.

Minuette sighed. "Just a couple of minutes... It's just a couple of minutes..."

"'It's just a couple of minutes', you said," Minuette told Lyra as she frowned at her, "'you can leave after', you said."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "So Vinyl's a bit busy at the moment. How the heck was I supposed to know she and Pinkie Pie were gonna start jammin' out?"

"How do you even know all these ponies?" Minuette questioned. She was already annoyed enough by just standing around when her friend seemed to know the entire populace of Equestria.

"'Cause I'm everywhere, that's why!" Lyra said ambiguously. She waved her hooves around. "Oooooo, spoooooky!"

Twinkleshine rolled her eyes, but her smile showed her humor. "Lyre, give her a break. She's had a rough day."

"'Rough' isn't a good word for it," Minuette muttered. She let out a yawn. "Yeesh, why am I still here? It's obvious your friend is going to be busy for the rest of the night..."

"Not exactly, no," said a voice from behind her.

Minuette and her friends turned all at the same time to see an all-too familiar pony standing there. Her dark mane was easy to spot in the crowd of colorful ones, and her regal voice was a one-of-a-kind melody that only she held and that others hopelessly tried to mimic.

Minuette felt her annoyance diminish away and felt a whole new feeling take hold. Just what was Octavia Melody doing talking to her and her friends? She was en elite, for Celestia's sake!

'I guess it's because of her dad being in politics?' Minuette thought to herself, 'Or is it her mother and her influences with her music?' She couldn't remember which one was a rumor or truth.

"Octy?" Lyra blurted out. She grinned. "It's good to see you again! Did Vinyl invite you?"

Octavia smiled a small smile. "Yes, though I did have the means to obtain my own invitation." She frowned. "And I believe I told you not to call me that anymore."

Lyra laughed. "Yeah, sorry." She gestured to Twinkleshine and Minuette. "Octavia, these are my friends, Twinks and Colgate!"

Octavia arched a brow. "Isn't that a--"

"Toothpaste company?" Minuette finished, a deadpan look on her features, "Yes, it is."

Octavia spared her an apologetic smile. "She tends to give nicknames to everypony, even if they don't exactly like them." She looked Minuette over. "That's a lovely dress you're wearing. Who designed it?"

Minuette looked over her what would have been a bridesmaid dress, but turned out to be just a dress. "Rarity, I believe her name was."

Octavia's eyes widened. "Really? Why, I've heard she and Fancypants are quite good friends, as are Sapphire Shores and I believe Photo Finish as well?" She waved a hoof. "Never mind that, I can barely remember names these days."

"She also designed the Princess' dress!" Twinkleshine said excitedly, "She looks so beautiful!"

Octavia's amethyst eyes flickered to the bride, who was dancing with her groom happily. She smiled a little bit at the sight and returned her gaze to Minuette. Minuette felt her heart skip a beat, a feeling she was both hoping to never happen again and yet at the same time, begging for it.

"Yes, she does," Octavia commented, though her words didn't sound like they were about the Princess.

Minuette felt her face heat up and she hoped that the night's atmosphere would hide her abashed face. "Er, so, how do you know Lyra?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Through Vinyl," Octavia replied, "I met her by chance and we've been friends ever since. Then, she introduced me to some of her friends, one of which being Lyra. We bonded over our love for music."

Lyra nodded. "Yep! And it was so cool to hear about her little quartet!"

Octavia smiled. "Knowing Frederick and Parish, they're probably drinking each other under the table." She put a hoof to her lips to cover her soft laugh. "Poor Beauty Brass is going to have to drag them both home by the time they're done."

"Is it strange, living with two guys?" Twinkleshine asked, "I can't say I've ever done something like that..." She gasped. "I don't mean that disrespectfully!"

Octavia waved a hoof dismissively. "It's fine, really." She put her hoof down. "I don't really mind them. They respect me and know that I'm not interested in them."

"I'm surprised that you didn't get to perform," Lyra commented, "why choose a DJ over a quartet?"

Octavia giggled lightly. "I'm not a big fan of weddings. I'm only here for support for Vinyl, seeing as how this is one of her biggest 'gigs'." She said the last word as if it were foreign to her, which it probably was.

Minuette sighed. "I'm not sure if I want to come to a wedding after this one... What with all the changelings..."

Octavia frowned. "You're telling me. One of them tried to steal my cello!" Her frown hardened. "Celestia knows what I'd do to keep that from happening..."

Minuette frowned. "Try possession. I almost got lost to the Changeling race!"

"So did I," Octavia replied.

Minuette blinked. "What?"

Octavia didn't answer. Instead, she turned her attention to Lyra. "Vinyl's going to be working through the night without any breaks. So you're not going to see her until the party dies down."

"Again?" Lyra whined, "Great, looks like introducing Colly will have to wait..."

Minuette frowned at Lyra for two reasons: one for her nickname, the other for wasting her time. "For another day. I'm heading home, Lyre." She held up a hoof when Lyra opened her mouth to protest. "Seriously, Lyre. It's late, and I'd like to get home before I have to drag you or Twinkle back home to treat your hangovers."

"Hey, I'm not gonna get a hangover!" Lyra protested.

"You said the same thing the night we met," Octavia commented, "and I had to hold your mane for you the next morning."

Lyra made a sour face. "Traitor."

"If it's no trouble, I'd like to make my way home as well," Octavia told the group, "I don't exactly do well in crowds for extended amounts of time..."

"What about Vinyl?" Twinkleshine asked.

"She knows about my... thoughts, and she'll understand." She turned to Minuette. "I'll walk you out."

"Oh, you don't have to--" Minuette tried to say.

"Please," Octavia interrupted, "I insist." She smiled as she made her turn. "Hurry along, before it gets too crowded."

Minuette opened her mouth up to protest, but she stopped as she saw Octavia already make her way out of the crowd. She sighed to herself. "A couple minutes my flank..."

Walking alone with Octavia was strange to Minuette. She had walked with ponies before many times, but she at least knew them well enough to be comfortable about it. Octavia was just a stranger. A pretty stranger, no less.

"So, what do you do for a living?" Octavia asked politely, finally breaking through the silence.

Minuette frowned a bit. "I'm a doctor's assistant." She held up a hoof. "No, I'm not a dentist. I know a thing or two about dental care, but I am not a professional in the matter."

Octavia arched a brow. "You say that like you get it a lot."

"I do," she said with a sigh, "and it's because of Lyra. You'd think she'd quit with the toothpaste jokes, but nooooo."

Octavia giggled behind her hoof. "I know how you feel. She calls me all sorts of names you wouldn't believe!"

"Oh, try me!" Minuette challenged, "I bet mine are way better than yours!"

"Oh, you are on!" Octavia replied, "Walk and talk."

Minuette grinned haughtily. "You first."

"Octy," Octavia told her. She shook her head. "Celestia, that name bothers me!"

"Try Brushy Dash!" Minuette said with a roll of her eyes, "Everyone was convinced Rainbow Dash and I were related!"

Octavia gasped. "You mean one of the ponies who nearly destroyed Canterlot Castle at the Grand Galloping Gala a couple years back?" She laughed. "That night was a total disaster!"

"Alright, your turn," Minuette said, "try to beat that!"

"Tavi." Octavia rolled her eyes. "That's a common one!"

"Oh, yeah? I'd take that over Aquafresh any day! Or even the nicknames for those nicknames."

"You have a nickname for a nickname?" Octavia shook her head. "Wow, that's just pushing it."

"You're telling me!" Minuette exclaimed with a laugh, "Ready to give up?"

"I better," Octavia admitted, "I don't think I can handle the competition."

Minuette giggled. "You're pretty fun to be around. I'm not used to ponies in Canterlot being so..."

"Friendly? I get that a lot." Octavia smiled at her. "I just know what it's like to not have Canterlot privileges, so I'm kind to those who don't have them."

Minuette blinked. "Wait a sec, I thought that your parents were super elites!"

Octavia's smile faded. "That's still going around?" She sighed. "Stupid rumors..."

"Oh, horse apples, sorry!" Minuette said, "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that!"

Octavia shook her head. "It's fine. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that everypony has their own idea of how I became one of Canterlot's finest."

Minuette shifted awkwardly. "Do you... wanna talk about it?"

Octavia didn't respond immediately and for a moment, Minuette thought that she was going to say no. But, she turned to Minuette with a smile. "Only if you tell me about yourself."

Minuette blinked in surprise. "Uh, what?"

"Don't be coy," Octavia said, "I'm sure you have a thing or two I want to know."

"I already told you," Minuette replied, "I'm just a doctor's assistant... who happens to have a lot of toothpaste themed nicknames."

Octavia arched a brow. "And you're a beautiful mare that hasn't a stallion for miles talking to you? Surely there's a reason."

Minuette blushed. "Hey! Plenty of guys talk to me!"

"And yet none of them spark your interest?" Octavia questioned, "Any explanation as to why?"

Minuette frowned at her. "What are you insinuating?"

Octavia ignored her. "And what of this doctor? Maybe he caught your eye." Octavia grinned. "Or maybe a she?"

"He isn't my type," Minuette said in a clipped tone, "and I do believe that this is your house?"

Minuette had heard about Octavia's house on many occasions from other elites(but mostly Lyra). It was grand to say the least, with it's curved, well-crafted stone staircase that led straight to the entrance of the home. A large balcony expanded from the home, where Minuette could make out the outline of a grand piano, which no doubt belonged to one of Octavia's roommates.

"Ah, yes," Octavia said, sparing her home a look before returning her attention back to Minuette, "but don't think you've escaped so easily."

Minuette frowned at her once more. "Listen, I was having fun with this, but I don't like you trying to analyze me like this. Now, if you'd excuse me, I'll be making my way--"

"I know what your secret is."

Minuette blinked in shock before she narrowed her eyes at Octavia. "Really? Care to say?"

Octavia grinned. "I said that I would tell my secret once I knew yours, did I not? So you'll have no trouble staying for a couple more minutes just to hear it, will you?"

Minuette sighed. "Fine, whatever, just get it out."

Octavia arched a brow. "Testy, aren't we? Very well, allow me to tell you." She walked over to the edge of the staircase and sat down on a step. "Care to take a seat?"

Minuette frowned at Octavia, but she obliged nonetheless, careful not to sit too close to Octavia.

"It starts off simple," Octavia said, "I was a filly with a family in Canterlot, though we weren't part of the upper class. In fact, I think we just barely scraped past middle-class standards. And my parents were loving, but almost never around because of work. Food was a luxury as it was a necessity for us."

"So you were poor?" Minuette questioned, then immediately flinched when Octavia glared at her, "Sorry."

Octavia held her look for a moment before continuing. "I had to work really hard to get what I have. And it wasn't until I came across my mother's old cello I found my talent, which was difficult to master, but completely worth it in the end." She looked up to the stars. "Do you remember how I said a changeling tried to steal my cello?"

Minuette blinked. "Yeah. When I said that I was almost lost to the Changelings--"

"I said that I was almost a victim, as well," Octavia interjected, "and do you wish to know why?" She looked up to the moon with a serene look. "That cello is more than just an instrument. I could have sold it for food money. I could have torn it apart and used it for firewood. I could have broken the strings and used them to bind our breaking appliances, not that it would have done much. I could have even fashioned it into new furniture if I tried hard enough.

"But, I didn't. Because that cello... is a part of who I am. I am but half of a pony without it, despite how strange that sounds. I never understood the saying about how ponies are meant to have another pony to complete them. I think that ponies can be content with themselves if they find just what it is that makes them so special...

"Yet... Sometimes I catch myself falling into the 'what-might-have-been's in life. Stealing little glances at what I could have done. At who I could have been with. Many stallions I've had to turn down in my time for the sake of my career... Many indeed, though most of them had their noses up so high they could drown in a rainstorm. But, while it would be easier to say my preferences got in the way of all that, in all actuality, it was my ambitions that did so.

She smiled blithely. "Now that I no longer have to work as I did and I've reached my goal, beyond that actually, I can do as I please. I can be with who I want, and nopony can say anything about it for fear of disrespecting an elite."

"So... Your secret is that you were poor and now that you're not, you can do what you want?" Minuette asked, not sure what else to deduce.

Octavia chuckled. "Not quite, my dear Minny. My secret is the same as yours."

Minuette frowned. "And that secret would be what, Octy?" She grinned when she saw Octavia frown at the use of her nickname. "You think you know something about myself I don't?"

"Oh, you know, alright," Octavia told her, "you just don't like to talk about it."

"What the heck are you--" Minuette was silenced instantly when Octavia put her lips to hers. She was too shocked and too amazed to move, let alone pull away.

Octavia smiled as she pulled away. "See, dear? You'd be surprised how easy it is to tell these sorts of things."

Minuette didn't speak, nor could she even if she tried. She was still in shock.

"Perhaps I should have asked first," Octavia mused aloud, "that would have been more polite, no? Oh, well, hindsight is 20-20 for a reason, I suppose."

Minuette finally found it in her to move her mouth. "How did you--"

"A mare working with a stallion who's a doctor and she isn't interested?" Octavia arched a brow. "Most mares would jump at a chance like that, regardless of their differences. Besides, you seemed really interested when I mentioned my 'preferences' back at the wedding." She smiled. "And who can forget that blush when I said 'the bride' was beautiful?"

Minuette's face was scarlet. "So when you said that you turned down stallions because of your preferences--"

"I was talking about the gender, not the personality." She paused. "Well, also the personality, because some of these stallions are total plots. Though, I guess that would be a compliment coming from me."

Minuette glared at her. "That's not funny."

"Really? Because I think that is hysterical." She started up the staircase. "Are you coming in? I don't think you should be walking home alone at such an hour."

Minuette blinked. "What? But, I was--"

"Don't you know how dangerous the streets can be at night? I bet we weren't attacked because we were together and not alone." Octavia held the door open, allowing a stream of light to flood out. "Come in, I bet I can scrounge something up for us to eat. Are you a fan of strawberries or perhaps even some wine? Frederick and Parish are going to be late, no doubt after Beauty ends up carrying them both like last time, so it'll just be the two of us..."

Minuette didn't get a chance to answer as Octavia entered without her, though her door was still left open. It was like an open invitation, waiting for the reader to decide whether or not it was worthy enough for them to attend.

Minuette sighed. "Just a couple minutes?"

Octvavia leaned out the door. "Dear, you can stay all night if you want." She poked her head back in before leaning back out. "And don't worry, Lyra and Twinkeshine already know where to pick you up from. They seemed quite relieved, if you ask me."

Minuette looked back at the lunar-illuminated street, then back Octavia's door, then back at the street, then back at the door again.

Finally, she shrugged. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt to stay for a few more minutes?"

And with that, Minuette walked up the steps and into Octavia's house. Looks like the bride and groom weren't the only ones who were going to be celebrating that night.

Author's Notes:

I am not airing my own thoughts when writing about how Colly and Octy are talking about their nicknames. I like to think that they would bond over the nicknames everyone has given them, and that they could vent on it together.