Dear Friend

Arriving back in Ponyville we found it just as snowy and cold as Appaloosa. I was beginning to worry about this weather, sure it wasn't disastrous by any means, but it was July, and I couldn't help feeling this was a bad omen.

"You sure you don't want me to help you with that?" Blaze asked me as we disembarked from the train. I turned back and smiled at his attempt at chivalry, it was cute.

"I'm not completely helpless, but thank you anyway," I said, dragging my cello case behind me. He had a point though, it was heavy. Maybe I should have let him carry it, wasn't very often I had somepony who was so willing to lend a hoof. I knew that Vinyl would never give me the same courtesy. I opened the carriage door and was met with a cold blast of air that nearly blew me off of my hooves.

"Here take this," Blaze draped his vest over my shoulders and pulled it up to protect me from the frigid wind. "It isn't much, but it'll keep you warm until we can get you home," It wasn't much, but I was grateful all the same. Blaze hopped down to the platform first and turned back around to face me, his dirty blonde mane dusted lightly with snowflakes.

"Now would you like some help?" He asked.

"Fine, you win, but don't be expecting any favors," I huffed as I lowered my cello down to him.

Blaze gave me a confused look. "What makes you think Ah want anything in return?"

"Most ponies do," I sighed.

"A'm not most ponies," He said. "Ah thought you would have had that figured out by now,"

A ways down the platform a group of foals chased snowflakes that floated along in the wind. Their shouts of laughter mixed with the drone of the crowd that was milling about waiting for their train, or picking up loved ones. They all seemed to be acting so normal given the circumstances, it was like I was the only one that was bothered by the unseasonal weather. Even Blaze, if he was uneasy, wasn't showing it. He was scanning the crowd intently as if looking for something.

"Rarity!" He called out and rushed into the throng of ponies. That was a name I had neither heard, nor spoken, in a long time. He emerged from the crowd with a wide grin on his face pulling in tow a pony I had hoped to never see again.

He began to introduce us. "Octavia this is-"

"The Princess of Ponyville herself," I said snidely. "What are you doing amongst us common folk, did you feel like getting your hooves dirty for once?"

Rarity flashed one of her fake grins that I knew all too well. "Octavia, the failed cellist, I'm surprised you still show your face outdoors these days, isn't being the laughing stock of Canterlot enough for you?" Her voice was as cold as the air that surrounded us.

"You two know each other?" Blazed asked timidly.

"You could say that," Rarity turned her nose up at me.

"Whoa there, no need to get physical," Blaze said as he tried to hold me back. By that time we were eye to eye and I was ready to smack her across the face if she said one more thing.

"You know I thought better of you Blaze, how in Equestria did you come into her company?" Rarity asked.

"It don't matter," He said stepping in front of me. "And Ah'm not going to let you treat her like that,"

Rarity's eyes narrowed as she glared at Blaze, "You haven't been here long so I understand, but the last thing you want to do is be associated with that mare,"

"Why should I care what other ponies think?" Blaze asked.

"She knows," Rarity shifted her gaze to me. In that moment I felt impossibly small as Rarity loomed over me, bearing down like a slavering wild dog. I tried to say something clever back, but I couldn't because I did know what she was accusing me of. It wasn't my failing music career, no, it was something much worse, something that I could never bring myself to admit.

Rarity turned away from us and stomped off into the crowd. "Choose your friends wisely Blaze," she said before stepping off the platform and into the adjacent street, leaving me and Blaze alone on the snow covered platform.

"You want to tell me what that was about?" Blaze asked as he turned back towards me.

"No," I said flatly before grabbing my case and taking off in the opposite direction as Rarity.

"Hey!" He raced to catch up with me as I weaved through the crowd of ponies. "Now Ah gotta go apologize to Rarity for, Ah don't even know what, and you're actin' all weird. Why won't you tell me?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," I said, trying to keep a few steps ahead of him. "The less you know the better,"

Blaze looked very annoyed at me. "Have it your way, but unless you tell me what's up, Ah'm not going to defend you from her again,"

"If you love her sooooo much then why don't you marry her!?" I shot back at him. Yes, it was a fillyish thing to say, but what else is one to do when they are backed into a corner?

He had finally caught up to me and we found ourselves in front of Sugarcube Corner.

"Look, Ah know we just met, but if something's wrong you can tell me," He persisted.

"Just, drop it, please," I sighed and turned down onto my street. I could tell that from his silence he genuinely did care about me, but if he knew the truth it would just drive him away, like everyone else. It was quiet at this time of the day, all the fillies and colts were at school and their parents found themselves at work or out running errands. Usually I found it quite pleasant. Although today the stillness frightened me and I felt as if a pair of eyes was watching us from the darkened windows. When we stopped at my door Blaze stayed awkwardly back a few steps away from me.

"Why are you doing that?" I asked.

"I shouldn't have pried about what was going on, obviously it's personal," He apologized as his eyes dropped to the ground. "It's all right if you don't want to tell me,"

I was taken aback, moments ago he had seemed so keen to find out. I might have just even told him immediately if he'd 'pried' just a little bit harder, but I was starting to find out that Blaze was too kind for his own good,"

"Wow, you're such a wimp!" I burst out laughing.

"Sorry for trying to make you feel better!" He snapped but I could see a smile starting to form on his lips, "Shoot me for it,"

"Don't give me any-," I stopped myself mid sentence. Over Blaze's shoulder I could see a pony standing at the entrance to the street watching us intently. His face was barely recognizable in the sun's harsh glare off the snow.

"A friend of yours?" I motioned to Blaze.

"Who?" he craned his neck backwards. "I don't see anypony,"

I glanced back at the entry way but it was empty.

"Oh, well, maybe I just imagined it," I gave a small smile but I knew that somepony had been there. Had he been following us this whole time? I asked myself as fear began to take hold in the pit of my stomach.

"Ah should be off, Ah still need to patch things up with Rarity and get a room at the Inn, wonder which one will take longer?" He mused.

"Why don't you just stay with Vinyl and I?" I asked as I nervously glanced up and down the street looking for the mysterious pony, fearing that he may come back at any moment.

"That's mighty kind of you Octavia but Ah don't have much money to my name right now and, are you looking for somepony?" He questioned suspiciously.

"No of course not! And that's all the more reason you should stay with us," I said, fumbling with the lock on the door. "You can stay for free, as long as you help out in my shop for a few hours a day, I don't see a problem with that,"

"Neither do Ah," Blaze smiled, "but first Ah should check on Rarity,"

"I in no way agree with that but if you must, hurry back," I paused trying to think of a reason why he should go out of his way to be back in a quickly. "We're going to be eating soon,"

"Sure thing, I'll make it as quick and painless as possible," He said before trotting away back onto the bustling main street. I prayed he would back soon, I didn't want to be on my own any longer than I had to be.

I'm not sure how much writing these things is going to help me but I'll give it a shot. You will hear from me soon.

O.