Octavia Melody was not very happy on this cold December morning. Of all the days, she forgot to bring her cello today.

"Ugh, where is Vinyl?" Octavia asked herself, checking the watch on her hand. Octavia had been waiting for her DJ friend for several minutes, but Vinyl was nowhere in sight. To make matters worse, Octavia had forgotten not only her cello but also, her phone. Octavia wasn't a phone addict like some of her friends, but a lack of one made it awfully hard to contact a friend in a pinch.

"Hey, Octavia!" A friend of hers, Cherry Crash, greeted her as she walked inside. "Waiting for Vinyl?" Octavia sighed.

"That girl never goes anywhere on time!" She huffed. Cherry Crash laughed.

"She'll turn up," she assured Octavia. Octavia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"I doubt it."

After Cherry Crash went inside, Octavia was left alone under the cold, grey sky. Octavia felt that everything was grey that morning: the statue, the sky, and herself, of course.

Octavia fiddled with the bow on her neck. She paced in a circle. She listed all the woodwind instruments by size. After another minute had passed, Octavia decided to sit down.

She walked over to the portal and slid down, criss-cross-applesauce.

"This thing is cold," Octavia remarked. "Ah, well. Vinyl will be here soon." I hope. Vinyl had texted her last night, telling Tavi she couldn't enter the school until they both arrived. Octavia found it very silly. She shut her eyes.

"Woah!" Octavia fell backwards. She could no longer feel the cold stone. The grey morning was gone.

In the vortex...
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!" Octavia shouted as she fell down a swirling hole of color. The only color she could see was an obnoxious green that reminded Octavia of avocados, her least favorite food. Avocados reminded her of puke.

Great. Octavia tried to clutch her stomach to block the nausea, but her limbs were super glued to her sides.

"Heeeeeeee- oof!" Octavia's scream was cut off when her ride ended, and she was thrown against something hairy.

Arrival in Equestria
"What the- Octavia!" The hairy thing moved away. Octavia opened her eyes. She was staring at a lavender unicorn with a straight mane. Its indigo color was broken by two streaks of purple and pink.

"T-twilight Sparkle?" Octavia guessed in disbelief. "Of the Rainbooms?"

"Yes," the pony confirmed. She offered Octavia a hoof. Octavia just stared at it in shock. "Did you just come through the portal? That's supposed to be for me only!"

"What po- I'm a pony!" Octavia shrieked, finally noticing the change in her body structure. "I'm. A. Pony!"

"Um, yes. Here, humans are turned into ponies," Twilight explained. "But that doesn't explain why you're here." Octavia, however, was not paying attention to Twilight.

"I have hooves. Do you know how hard it will be to play cello with these?" Octavia asked in disbelief, gaze turning from one hoof to the other and back again.

"I know somepony who plays with hooves," Twilight answered uncertainly. "But Octavia, please..."

"What is it, Miss Twilight?" Octavia looked to her expectantly, momentarily forgetting her dilemma.

"How did you get here?" Twilight questioned her. Octavia tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, it's not a very complicated story. I forget my cello, which is terrible because I'm supposed to give a performance for the Freshmen later today. Last night, Vinyl Scratch, one of my best friends, texted me and told me not to go into school without her. I'm telling you, that girl's music will make her jump off the deep end!"

"And the portal?" Twilight prompted.

"Of course. So, after a few minutes passed," Octavia continued, "I sat down against the statue outside CHS. It was solid at first, but suddenly it gave way. I fell through and landed up in this pony world," Octavia finished.

"It lines up." Twilight nodded. "I closed the portal for a few minutes to run some tests. You must've fallen through when I opened it back up." Octavia nodded. She didn't fully understand the concept, but it was probably best to let. Twilight assume she did.

"Octavia!" Twilight suddenly remembered something. "Has anypony else used this portal?" Octavia thought for a moment. As far as she knew, none of her friends had been through the portal before.

"Um, no," Octavia decided. Twilight let out a sigh of relief which ruffled her bangs.

"That's good! Well, I assume it's time for you to go back. You were waiting for Vinyl Scratch, weren't you?"

"Yes," Octavia agreed. "I am rather anxious to get back.

"But at the same time," she added hesitantly, "I would like to learn a bit about this world."

"I suppose you could learn a bit," Twilight mused. "Alright, Octavia. You haven't moved since you came through! Here, take my hoof." Twilight offered her hoof for a second time. This time, Octavia accepted. She was pulled to her feet- or, rather, her hooves. Octavia twisted around to look at herself.

"Twilight, what is this mark on my, erm, behind?" Octavia indicated the pink treble cliff that adorned her behind. "It looks exactly like the one on my skirt!"

"Oh, yes." Twilight glanced up from a sheet of paper to answer Octavia's question. "That's a cutie mark. It represents a pony's special talent. And the proper term is flank."

"I thought as much, in regard to talent," Octavia responded. "It's similar in our world."

"Oh, yes!" Twilight clapped her hooves excitedly, startling Octavia. "You're from that world. So, tell me, how exactly do you earn that mark?" Twilight leaned in closer to Octavia.

"Um, a dream?" Octavia suggested, now feeling slightly uncomfortable. "You know what? I think I hear Vinyl calling my name. It's nice to see you, Twilight. Goodbye!"

"Wait!" Twilight cried as Octavia made a run for the portal. "Let me conduct some experiments!" Octavia ignored the scientist and shut her eyes.

Back home
Octavia felt a light tapping on her shoulder. She opened an eye to see Vinyl Scratch standing over her. Even more surprising was...

"Vinyl! You got my cello!" Octavia exclaimed in delight, gently taking the case. "Thank you so much! Why'd you have me wait?"

"I knew you'd forget it," Vinyl responded confidently. Octavia rolled her eyes.

"Remind me to stay away from Twilight next time she comes to Canterlot High," Octavia commented as they walked inside.

• Tennis Match Fan