Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Early Morning
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): Be a good listener today.

Today is the first day of December...

It's cold and rainy this morning...

Cadance drives us all over to the school.

I study Fluttershy during the short drive. She's watching Rainbow Dash with an unreadable expression.

"Is it going to rain like this all week?" Rarity wonders.

"Off and on," Twilight says. "They say it'll be wet in the mornings and dry in the afternoons...it'll be cold all the time, though."

"So, are you all ready for exams?" Cadance asks. "You know it's just two weeks away, so you'd better study!"

"Oh crap!" Rainbow yelps.

That's right...the semester exams are coming up...

Pinkie looks out the window. "I hope it's not icky like this tomorrow," she says. "It'd suck for my first day back at practice to be in this."

"You're back on the tennis team?" Rainbow asks.

"Yeah, Flash talked me into it," Pinkie says. "The Cakes can make do without me two days a week, and I don't need the money as bad as I did, so..."

"Cool," Rainbow says.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / After School

Octavia shows up to the Music Club meeting.

"Hey Tavi!" Lyra calls. "What's up?"

"I've rearranged my schedule," Octavia says. "I have Tuesdays free now, so I thought I might join the club."

"Sure, we're happy to have you!"

Music Club proceeds as normal. That is to say, it's a mix of impromptu jamming, lots of gossip, and general goofing off. When things wind down and I'm putting my guitar away, I notice Octavia hanging back, a pensive look on her face.

Once my guitar is packed away, I walk over to her. "What's up?" I ask.

She toys with her skirt. "I...I spent part of the weekend talking with Vinyl over the phone," she says. "We talked...she told me that she's fancied me for quite some time...she also told me about what's wrong with her, what she's going through..." She looks down at the floor. "I'm...confused and nervous," she admits. "I've been lying awake, wondering...what if I try dating another girl, and...and I find I'm comfortable with it? What then? I know there's still...some people who aren't very nice to...to same-sex couples. And...I don't know what my parents would think...

"And...and then there's...the other thing." She looks at me, worry in her eyes. "If I...if I did start seeing Vinyl...if we were to become more than friends...she's losing her eyesight. She told me herself that she's going to be blind before she graduates high school. Can I..." She wrings her hands. "Could I...really commit to being with somebody, knowing...?"

"You're thinking about it," I point out. "You're really giving it a lot of thought."

"Well...yes," Octavia says. Her cheeks are faintly pink. "I...don't know why," she admits. "I...there's just..."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I think you've already decided to give her a chance, and you're scared," I say. "My advice? Don't be scared. Let whatever happens happen."

"That's...not easy," Octavia says. "My entire life has been planned out...where I'd go to school, my cello lessons, diction lessons, private tutors to prepare me for college..." She shakes her head. "This is something...this is something that's not in the plan. But I can't stop thinking about it..."

Octavia lives a carefully planned life...

I've heard of this kind of thing. I wonder what her parents are like...

"So just...go out with Vinyl sometime," I say. "See what happens. You can't plan for life. It doesn't work that way."

"But my entire life is planned," Octavia says. There's a note of trepidation in her voice...

Her phone rings. She pulls it out, looks at the screen, and pales. "I need to go," she says. "Thank you for...for listening to me ramble."

"Don't mention it..."

It's not raining...I walk back to the dorm.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Evening

After dinner, Twilight holes herself up in her room to study for the upcoming exams. I offer to walk Spike for her.

Outside, I find Applejack leaning against a tree, hat tilted down over her eyes. "Hey Applejack," I call out.

She looks up. "Oh...howdy," she says.

I head over to her, mindful of Spike. "Aren't you cold out here?"

She shrugs. "Little bit. Ah jes' needed some air...thinkin' some mighty long thoughts."

She sounds pretty down...

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Applejack takes off her hat and scratches the top of her head. "Well...Ah didn't wanna say nothin', don't want everybody worryin' about me none, but..." She sighs. "Papa's lookin' pretty ragged."

I remember her saying her father was ill...

"Oh, he's puttin' up a good front, an' Big Mac an' Granny are actin' like everything's right as rain an' all, but..." Applejack looks down at her hat, turning it over absently in her hands. "Ah remember when...when Mama got sick." She looks up at me. "Now, Mama went all sudden-like, but...there were signs somethin' weren't right for a couple weeks before she got sick. Ah jes' didn't notice." She shakes her head. "But Papa...he's got leukemia. Oh, they're doin' all they can, but it won't stay in remission more'n a few months at best. An' ever since Mama died, well...Papa jes' ain't fightin' like he used ta." She shakes her head. "Ah done tol' Big Mac he needs t' keep Papa outta th' orchard, make him focus on th' books, but Papa's stubborn. He's gonna do what he wants t' do, even..."

Applejack falls silent, looking down. Spike whimpers, pawing at my leg.

"Shoot...sorry, sugarcube. Didn't mean t' go on like that."

"It's fine," I say. "You probably needed to get all that off your chest."

Applejack chuckles. "Heh...yeah, maybe so." She looks up at me, putting her hat back on. "Thanks," she says.

In the dark, I can't even find where Spike pooped. With Applejack's help, I round up the doggy donuts, then we both head back inside. I decide to play with Spike in the lounge for a little while before taking him back upstairs, then head to my own room to study before bed.

Author's Notes:

Social Link Status:

0. FOOL (Zodiac Investigation Team): rank 4
I. MAGICIAN (Twilight Sparkle): rank 9
IV. EMPEROR (Coach Shining Armor): rank 6
V. HIEROPHANT (Vice-Principal Luna): rank 3
VI. LOVERS (Nurse Cadance): rank 6
VII. CHARIOT (Rainbow Dash): rank 6
VIII. JUSTICE (Principal Celestia): rank 4
IX. HERMIT (Coco Pommel): MAX!
XI. STRENGTH (Applejack): rank 1 (Rank UP!)
XII. HANGED MAN (Octavia Melody): rank 2 (Rank UP!)
XV. DEVIL (Juan the Janitor): rank 4
XVI. TOWER (Chrysalis): rank 1
XVII. STAR (Pinkie Pie): rank 7
XVIII. MOON (Trixie Lulamoon): rank 8
XIX. SUN (Vinyl Scratch): rank 5