Link has been busy since Zecora's visit to Ponyville. He's been modeling for Rarity, a farm-hand for Applejack, and a spectator for Rainbow Dash. Busy as he's been, he's had little time to himself. Needless to say, there's never a dull moment. Rarity had finished her previous order with barely a day to spare, thanks to Spike's assistance at the time of the Ursa. With that completed and shipped, she could get started on Link's outfit. While she did that, she sent Link on the errand of collecting the material, which happened to be in Canterlot.

Together with Rainbow Dash and Navi of course, they set out for the material, which Rarity called "Dragon's Cloth". Finding it was the hardest part; it ended up being on sale in a strange store in the lesser area. He was told this is the only pony in Canterlot who makes this fabric, so the prices were steep. But with the sale in place, each bolt ended up being 30 bits, as opposed to the usual 50. This let them buy 5 bolts instead of the anticipated 3. She had covered the original cost, so it was fine, right? He'll make it up to her.

With Link, Navi, and Rainbow gone, Twilight had little to do. As requested, she decided to help Rarity with part of the outfit. It wasn't often a situation called for it, but two horns are better than one. Twilight braided three spools of gold colored thread into a single spool, larger, but worth it. Her manipulation and precision allowed for quick movements and tight braids. Now, after 3 braided spools were completed, the two decided to break while Spike served them juice.

Link returned the following day with the material in his space pouch. He arrived with his followers on the first train into Ponyville at 9 a.m. sharp. Spike was waiting there with Fluttershy. Immediately free from the low altitude restraints of the train car, Rainbow took to the skies, stretching her wings and doing several flips and spins. Then she zoomed to her home and holed up in her house for some unknown reason. The two remaining followed Fluttershy and Spike to the Boutique. Fluttershy described the lack of progress on the music, and Spike the positive progress on the outfit.

At the Boutique, Twilight helped to cut the Dragon's Cloth. Its natural hardness prevented scissors from cutting it, so she used a high frequency precision beam of magic to do the job. Twilight cut along the lines drawn up by Rarity, who had the measurements from Link's tattered garb, which lay in pieces on a table across the room. The next step was to use the braided thread to sew the pieces together. This process took a couple days. Link had to stand up straight so she could piece it together correctly, much to his dismay. Finally, the outfit reached its final step: the dying process. Dragon's Cloth is, by nature, a deep crimson.

Twilight found a spell that could dye cloth, but for it to work, the cloth must be white. Fluttershy was sent for Rainbow, who had the answer, having worked in the weather factory. There was a building with a bad reputation known for draining the color from objects to use as the colors of the rainbow. No, this facility won't be named. Their rep is bad enough. With the use of a particular formula, the cloth came out a pristine white. Perfect.

Upon Rainbow's return, Twilight dyed the outer shirt the gold he wanted, and the pants and undershirt the tan color the originals were. Since no outfit is complete without a hat, she dyed his the same gold as the shirt. At long last, the outfit was complete. Link stood before a full length mirror to get a better look. He could tell there was a weight difference, which Rarity explained as the cloth weighing more. Dragon's Cloth has a higher defensive quality than ordinary cloth, which he tested himself with a pair of scissors. True to its description, not a single thread was severed.

Satisfied, he paid her as she requested, and returned to the library, passing by several ponies who made quiet comments on his clothing. Fluttershy had her own agenda, so she took her leave, as Twilight, Spike and Navi accompanied him. Once there, he got to work practicing on the wooden instrument while Twilight wrote a letter to the princess. The topic: how a complex task can be simplified with the help of friends. By the end of the day, he could play the lullaby without pause. Later that night, he fell asleep, Starswirl's autobiography rising and falling with every breath of his chest.

The next few days were spent on the farm. Applebuck season officially started, and Link assisted as promised. Well, kind of. At first, he had to convince Applejack that doing it alone wasn't the best way to go about it, even though Big Mac "doubted" her. Their orchard is indeed too large for one pony to handle, and without some kind of help, the apples would rot on the branches.

Over the course of 3 days, Link earned 43 bits. Because he doesn't have the earth pony magic to tend to the trees properly, he had to rely on strong kicks to get it done. He ended up tying a net around the tree to catch the apples that fell. Since no magic was involved, the apples fell where they were, rather than where the bucker willed them. On the fourth day, Big Mac's side got better, and was able to assist in harvesting. This let Link have the day off.

Link spent this day helping Twilight and Fluttershy with their music study, playing for them the lullaby, Storm's Song, and the third one which he played when he got the Ocarina of Time. On the wooden one of course. He knew the notes by heart. He spent his entire day off practicing and half the day today.

Then he was told to switch to the blue one, against his former will. There, in the library, with Fluttershy and Twilight as his audience, he played the lullaby. The notes rang through the air, calmly. He knew the notes so well, he closed his eyes, as did his audience. Once he finished the first series, he stopped, having no desire to "repeat forever".

Twilight and Fluttershy had also closed their eyes, and swayed to the smooth melody. When he stopped, Fluttershy spoke. "That was so beautiful, it's no wonder the princess falls asleep to it."

"But is that all it does?" Link asked, looking at the instrument. "I'm almost disappointed. It does nothing noteworthy."

"What about 'Storm's Song'? That might do something." Twilight tried to encourage him, despite her previous ... hesitations.

"I'm not sold on the idea this thing does anything at all." He held it up in the light of the library. Navi flew up to it to look closer, leaving Twilight's mane in the process.

"No changes in its appearance either. But Link... I'm with Twilight on this one. If you do play 'Storm's Song', something could happen. Nothing is impossible."

Link merely sighed and pressed it to his lips once more. 'Storm's Song... Here goes nothing... After he finished playing, he looked around, seeing no visible changes to anything around him. "Nothing happened, see?"

"Wha-!" he heard a familiar voice say.

Link paused and again looked around the room, much slower than before. "I suppose you're right," Twilight started. "I don't know what I wa-"

"Shh," he interrupted.

"I didn't say anything. You said 'Nothing happened'." Link frowned at the poor imitation of his own voice. That almost sounded like human, but how?

"Is something wrong, Link?" Navi asked. Link only shook his head in silence.

Hmm... I think this melody connected me to Emerald Storm through telepathy. "Who a-"

"HUMAN!! It is you! How are you doing that?!"

Link reeled back at the sudden raise in volume, with no definite source. "Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked next.

"Who what? I'm lost..." Twilight added, lowering her head in slight confusion.

So... You can hear my thoughts, and apparently, I can hear yours, he thought, knowing she could hear him. Don't talk out loud, you'll draw attention to yourself. Think what you would say. "Worry not, Twilight. I'll explain in a minute."

"Is something happening?" she asked, already preparing some writing material. Link nodded his head in reply.

You mentioned a melody, Emerald continued. You played my song, and somehow you can talk to me with thoughts... Strange indeed. "Oh, nothing to worry about. I'm not crazy, I swear." I guess if you play it, you won't be alone anymore either. Just like me~

I played your tune on a special ocarina. A magic one, that you just helped to prove. Thank you. Now, one more thing.

What is it?

Link fell silent a moment. Can you still hear me? he thought, and was met with silence. "Well, that just happened."

"What just happened?" Twilight asked, poised and waiting.

"That melody let me communicate telepathically with the pony who gave it to me." He rose a hand to his chin and continued. "I don't know for sure where she is, but she could hear my thoughts and voice, and I could hear hers as well. Seems the ocarina is magical after all." Maybe Princess Luna had it right. The music played can reach so very far away.

"'Telepathically', you say?" Twilight asked. "Who is this pony?"

"Emerald Storm. Recall about a week ago when I borrowed Spike? I went to the Scroll Shop to write the princess. This pegasus was there already, and we made conversation."

"What did you tell her?"

"Which her? The pegasus, or the princess?"

"The princess."

"I told her of your request to bring it back for study, and of the tune I played on it. Princess Luna believes that the song did do something. She thought the tune had indefinite range, in regards to how far it travels. Guess she was right, but that's not the issue here.

"At the Scroll Shop, I talked with Emerald, and learned that she was on her way through Canterlot to the mountain range just beyond it. She stopped here to visit Rainbow Dash, and missed the Summer Sun Celebration. Next morning, she stops me at the mailbox and gives me the melody. And if it holds any importance, she said she whistles it when she feels alone."

"Must be why it was connected to her." Twilight sat in thought a moment.

Rainbow, as if on cue, came in through a window, having overheard the tail-end of the conversation. "Link, glad you're here. This came for you in the mail." She tossed him a scroll wrapped in green ribbon. He caught and opened it, reading to himself.

To Human:

I don't know the library's address, so I mailed it to Dashie's cloud home. Great news! I made it to Canterlot. No, it's not the first time here, but I haven't been here in a long time. Anyway, you grew up in Canterlot, right? Any place you like to eat? I'll be here for at least a week, so if you want, Rainbow knows where to mail it.

On another note, somepony came into Canterlot yesterday all worn out. I, of course, went to help. I got her some food, even let her into my room at the hotel. Most interesting this is, she's a blank flank! And she's a full grown mare! She's also stubborn, but kind about it. I had to convince her to let me help her.

Anywho... Hope your leg is fully healed. Don't tell Dashie, but I'm coming back in fall for Ponyville's annual Running of the Leaves event. Hope to see you there~

-Emmy

Hmm. It's been so long, I don't remember. We almost never ate out. She'll be there for a few more days, so she can help this mare. "What's the full story on this, 'Emmy'?" he asked, coiling the scroll.

Rainbow sat on the floor and glanced between everyone. "Do I have to tell you everything?"

"Only what you're comfortable with."

"That'll be easy. About 13 years ago, I went to Junior Speedsters Flight Camp. That much you know. This was my second year there. I had already made a friend in Fluttershy, and ... other attendees. Out of absolutely nowhere, here comes this green pegasus that challenges me to a race. As always, I accept. Ten seconds later, I leave her in the dust, picking rainbow bits out of her teeth. I got my cutie mark earlier that year, and she didn't have hers at the time. She never gave up though. Again and again, we raced. The end was always the same. Then, again, out of nowhere, she gets her cutie mark and says she needs to go out into the world. 'Explore new things' she said. I volunteered to go, but she turned me down."

"And last you saw of her was last week, correct?" Link asked.

"Yeah. Before that, was 2 and a half years ago. And she's been all around the world since she first left."

"Does the name 'Storm's Song' me-"

"What do you know about Storm's song?!" Rainbow glared and bolted in front of Link defensively.

Link backed up a step. "Easy there. Sorry if I struck a nerve, but she gave me this." He held up the score for the song. "Emmy gave it to me when Zecora came to town. You were there, don't you remember?"

Rainbow backed off. "Yes! ... Maybe." She had a seat once more.

Link smiled. "Emmy also said she whis-"

"Whistles it when she feels alone," Rainbow finished. "If you knew the whole story... Nah, nevermind. It's not mine to tell ya. A-anywho, I've got stuff to do. Catch you all later!" With that, she ducked out the window, and around a building, nearly bowling over a griffin. "Woah!" Rainbow swerved off to the side and skidded along the ground to a stop. I know that griffin. "Gilda?" Rainbow turned to see her.

"Watch where you're-" Gilda stopped and saw her would-be assailant. "Dash? It is you! Still livin' in this tiny town, I see."

"You bet! Hey guess what? You just missed Emmy by about a week. She's heading up through Canterlot to the mountains. And again, I decided to stay behind."

"You're not still worried about back then, are you?" Gilda asked.

"Of course not. Water under bridge. What's got you in this 'tiny town'? Certainly not the scenery."

Gilda looked off to the side. "I heard strange stuff's been happening here lately. Big bear, return of an evil being, some goofy-looking ... something walking around on two legs."

"Big bear, yes. Kicked its sorry butt. Evil being, kicked its sorry butt. Goofy-looking something on two legs... Not so much. That's actually a human. Some kind of creature from another dimension. He's raised by ponies, so he seems to be good. Don't know much else about him though."

"Sounds like a conspiracy to me. You sure he's allowed to walk around?" Gilda returned her gaze to Dash.

"Hah, funny. 5 years in the Royal guard has taught him how to hold his own, and he's proven himself a challenge against me. That counts for something."

"Cool. Anyway, I stopped by your house and you weren't there. Didn't expect to see you at a library of all places. Are you an egghead now?"

"I'd rather spoonfeed a dragon than read a bunch of books for fun, you know that. So, you stopping by just to see me?" Dash asked, trying to change the subject.

It worked, as Gilda replied. "Yeah, was coming back from vacation and decided to stop by. Got to get back home before Grandpa knows I'm gone. He's not too quick on the uptake."

"Don't let me keep ya then. I got to get back to work anyway. Later G." Dash flew up and got behind a cloud. Gilda flew off in another direction, not even aware that Dash was still hurting about her decision all those years ago. The cloud she landed on blackened in reflection to Dash's inner sorrow.

"Not hers to say... Fluttershy, do you know anything about it?"

"Unfortunately no... I didn't spend as much time around Emerald as Dash did, so maybe it's a personal thing?" Fluttershy replied.

"That seems likely," Navi included. "We cannot ignore the fact that this song connected you to her for some reason."

Twilight got up and started pacing back and forth. "The lullaby is connected to the princess of the day, though not in the same... fashion. I can only wonder what would happen if you were to play it before her? And the third: you are absolute certain you made it up yourself?"

"Yes. Remember I have no previous knowledge," he replied.

"Then I may have figured something out. You said Princess Luna believes some songs travel indefinitely. This was proven when you 'talked' with Emerald Storm. That isn't the case with the first one, as Princess Celestia hasn't sent a letter asking about music she heard. So, if we apply that to the third one, the one you created, then you made contact with a pony, from who knows where, that is in some way connected to you. Not telepathically, but spiritually, or maybe even magically.

"Do me a favor," Twilight stopped and looked at him. "Play the third song, on the Ocarina of Time once more."

For a moment, Link hesitated. She's not given reason to doubt. It does seem logical. Again, he pressed it to his lips and played. Then sat there, waiting and glancing around.

Twilight waited and listened as well. "If I'm right, this melody has infinite range, but it can only be heard by the one that's connected to you outside of your immediate area, and to those in your immediate area."

"And how long do you think it'll take for them to get here? Days? Weeks?" Navi asked.

"Could take years. They could be as far away as the other side of the world." Twilight sat down once more. "Think about it: if you heard a song in your head, nopony around playing it, nopony else hearing it, wouldn't you want to know where it comes from? Though they could only hear it when you play it, so you know what I say? I say play it every day until somepony comes into town looking for a musician."

"Is that really best? I could be creating storms all around the world, or summoning demons from the fiery pits of Tartarus for all I know."

"If the former were true, Ponyville would be no more, along with several well-known places. That's provided yours and Princess Celestia's versions are different. Hers created one in her vicinity. The same counts for the latter. With all of this information, I should be looking for its rules and laws. Every magical item has them, this one is no different."

Link sat in silence. Fluttershy started heading for the door. "It's been great, but ... Rainbow has been trying to reserve my time. Since I spend so much with you two now, I haven't had any for her."

"By all means," Twilight replied, "take as much time as you need. I feel I won't be needing much help from you anymore."

Link's jaw hung open. "oh... ok then. later..." Saddened, on the inside, Fluttershy left the library.

"You seriously just did that," Navi said, shocked. "That wasn't very nice."

Twilight thought nothing of it. Sure Fluttershy was her friend, but she's still new to it. It'll take time.

Pinkie sat in her room above Sugar Cube Corner cleaning the gears of her party cannon. "The entire chapter, and I'm stuck at the end of it. Just you wait, Link. 12 in-story days from now, I. Will. Leave. You. Speechless." She smiled a wide smile, one that belongs on a crazy ... an eccentric pony. Gummy, her pet alligator, merely blinked his eyes as he sat atop one of the gears. "You said it, Gummy."

Next Chapter: Chapter 12: The Blank Flank Estimated time remaining: 17 Hours, 34 Minutes