four-ish weeks later...

I held up the harp, staring at the strange, night-infused shadows on it. I’m currently sitting in the newly renovated extra room of the Golden Oaks Library, which has a bed just barely big enough for me. It’s the largest size Mattresses and Lumber Nails carried. I’m still trying to figure out that particular store combo.

I return my attention to the instrument, and hesitantly pluck one of the strings. A tremulous note rings out, pure and sweet, but it’s missing something.

Probably someone who knows how to play a harp, but that’s just a guess... Perhaps it likes stellar beings better. I begin my usual, blue glow, and pluck another string with my partially see-through fingers. Suddenly, as my fingers merely brush the other strings in passing, the harp produces an entire chord, smooth and sweet to listen to, like a professional’s hands had gotten a hold of it.

Strange... I continue to ‘play’ the harp, wondering what would happen... perhaps I should ask Twilight about this. It’s completely evaded my thoughts every time I’ve met up with her, especially with Rarity popping up almost every time and trying to convince me to act as a Species Swap template for her.

I mean, I’m sure being human is fascinating, and thumbs are the best thing in the entire universe, but other than that... I realize that the harp is just playing random chords, with no real connection to each other, and get a touch frustrated. Exasperated, I think about a song, Sacrifice,  and swipe at the strings.

A chord like something from a guitar’s tortured screams from the harp, and I feel the starlight night sky creep up from the shadows of the harp, and I feel my fingers twitch and stroke the strings, pulling forth the song from nothing but memory.

Somehow, I’m recalling the lyrics perfectly, singing along with the phantom band whose music pours from the night-harp. Nigh unto four minutes later, I let go of the harp, a grin on my face.

I look up to see that Spike opened the door and is looking at me with a dumbstruck expression on his face. A letter fluttered from his slack grip.

“That for me, I take it?” I wait for the dragon’s numb nodding. I reach down and pick it up. It’s a letter from Cadence!

‘Dear Ser Anthony,

        I have contacted my aunt, the esteemed Princess Celestia Dawnbringer. She has given permission for our expedition into through the Canterlot Lookinglass Gate to Wunderland, and has already begun preparations. I have been informed I will take a minimum of four guards for each ‘guest’, and no more than seven.

With purest sincerity,

        Princess Mi Amore Cadenza

P.S. I couldn’t get my chamberlain to let me write the letter, sorry. Anyways, We’re cleared to go, and Twilight and Pinkie can come along, too. I’ll be bringing a total of nineteen guards, to keep it a prime number. I’ll get to finally see it more than just what’s in the established clearing outside the other end of the gate! Ooh, I can’t wait.

P.P.S. I heard you and Pinkie had some... ‘alone’ time together about a month ago. I told you so. ;D’’

How the heck does she know... oh forget it. Besides, Pinkie wasn’t a pony at the time, which is completely different! I decide that I should tell Pinkie that we are going to be heading for Wunderland, so I get up and leave the library, making my way to Sugarcube Corner.

Part way there, I run into Pinkie again. “Hiya Anthony! I was just coming to invite you to a party! Ponyville is 120% back to normal! And you’re a hero to all of the town, and I just learned the word ‘juxtaposition’ which means two ideas or concepts next to one another and I think it’d be really cool to do a ‘Ponyville’s Hero’s party!” Her words speed up near the end, and for a second I could swear her eyes were swirling blue galaxies again... but no, it’s just Pinkie being excitable again.

“That sounds like a great idea! I might even have an idea for some musical entertainment.”

Pinkie’s grin turns even wider. “Wowie! What is it? Oh, wait, you want it to be a surprise, don’t you? Oh, this is going to be awesome, I just know it! I’d better go tell the others!” the fluffy pink mare zooms off, leaving a faintly candy-scented pink cloud behind for a second.

I shake my head at the silliness, then remember that I forgot to tell her about the trip. As I get ready to curse, Pinkie zooms back up to me. “Oh, did you need to tell me anything? I had a twitchy ear, rumbly belly, and a light head, which either means I’m really hungry, or a friend has something to tell me!”

“Well, we’re going on a trip to Wunderland in a few months. You, me, Twilight, and Cadence. How’s that sound?”

“Whoo! I get to go say ‘hi’ to Granny Pie! She doesn’t get to visit all that often, on account of her breeding Drumble Jubjub birds. They get really cranky and start frumigating if you don’t feed them on time, so she has to be there most times of the years, except Lend and Borrow.”

“Lend and Borrow?”

“Yeah, Lend comes before Lent, and Borrow is the same day, but on second thursdays of alternating years.” I am so glad that at least she understands what she’s saying.

“Like... Leap Year?”

“No, silly, that’s when Frumious Bandersnatches mate and breed!” I have the feeling I’m going to get eaten by something during this trip.

“Well, sure, so when’s the party? Later today?”

“It’ll be tomorrow, and I even got a guest from Canterlot to help with the music! She said she knows you.”

“Heh, Vinyl Scratch? Haven’t seen her in a while, it’ll be nice seeing her again!”

“You know my cousin-twice-removed Vinyl Scratch? Oh, this is going to be awesome!”

“...you know, you two being related makes a lot of sense. Wait, that is who you meant is coming for the music, right?”

“Well, duh, Octavia only plays slow music!”

“I dunno, I’ve seen some pretty heavy stuff on cellos before, and I wasn’t about to judge.”

Pinkie looks thoughtful. “You keep saying heavy. Is music related to weight, where you come from?”

“No, it’s slang. It means-”

Pinkie giggle-snorted. “hee hee! I’m just playing with you, silly! Don’t worry, Vinyl has that covered, adopted or not. And I mean it when I say Octavia only plays slow, she doesn’t like to play fast music.”

“But she’s fine hearing it, apparently.”

“Well, you like living in houses, but you don’t like having to put them up every time you want to go to sleep, do you?”

I open my mouth to say something. I close my mouth. “Point.” I kneel down and ruffle her mane.

“Hee hee, you’re a good friend, Anthony.” She nuzzles my hand, and pronks off. “See-ya later, Anthony-gator!” She waves as she goes, turning a corner without looking.

That pony is crazy. Totally crazy. And I like her that way.

Practically bouncing with joy myself, I wander towards where Twilight is waiting; the post office. I’d been coming to the quaint little post office for the last few weeks, getting to say hi to Ditzy and Dinky, who were both adorable in their own ways. Twilight is sitting amiably on the bench outside the post office, still reading the Lookinglass Gates book, having been making notes about each chapter for the last four weeks, until my cast had come off.

“Heya, so Cadence sent me a letter earlier. We’ll be bringing nineteen guards with us for safety. I’m honestly a bit scared of going, but the not-knowing would just kill me!” I sit down and ruffle her mane like I did with Pinkie, only I know she doesn’t like it.

“Hey! Yeah, I got a letter, too. I know what you mean about not knowing... we’ll be the first formal explorers in almost half a century! Ooh, I can just hear the publishing awards already...” She looks like she’s daydreaming.

“Heh, yeah, feeling pretty glad I thought of going there, aren’t ya?”

Twilight nods happily, grinning and flopping her ears up and down. I laugh and ruffle her mane again. “So, what are you waiting out here for again?”

Twilight carefully places a bookmark in her place, and closes the book. “Celestia said she was going to have a rare old book sent to me, so that I can restore it. She said to take as much time as I want on it, that its quality is far more important than the promptness of its return.” She puffs her chest out proudly, making her look like she’s all fluffy from the chin down. “It’s a big responsibility, but I know I’m up to it!” She beams at me.

“Heh, sure, just don’t explode from excitement, okay?”

“Oh, please, it’s just a book, there’s no way anything weird will come from it.” She scolds me gently.

“I wasn’t talking about the book, I was talking about you!”

“I know, I was saying- oh, right, you’re being humorous, sorry.” She lowers her ears abashedly.

“Don’t worry, with enough practice, you may end up one-one hundredth as funny as I am someday. If you’re lucky.” I boop her nose.

“I don’t need to be funny, I’m already smart.” She retorts smugly. She’s improving, that’s for sure.

“You keep believing that, and you might get others to believe it as well.” I laugh and walk off. I’m going to finally get Rarity to tell me her little secret crush.

Next Chapter: Chapter 52 Estimated time remaining: 28 Hours, 10 Minutes