Dear Princess Twilight,

I’m sorry I haven’t written to you in a while. Things have been so busy here that I’m having trouble just keeping track of it all. I would’ve thought for sure that things would quiet down now that the Dazzlings have been dealt with.

I hope things are well for you in Equestria. We really need to catch up at some point. In fact, Pinkie Pie is throwing me a big birthday party this weekend. You should totally come by. I haven’t really had a proper birthday celebration in a long time, especially with friends, and it’d really mean a lot to me if you could be there.

Anyways, I gotta run. Rainbow Dash is waiting on me.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Sunset Shimmer

“Thanks again for sticking around to help me with my research, Dash,” I thanked my friend. Once I shut my locker, I hefted my big box of research material from Ms. Yearling and the two of us proceeded on our way to the exit. Ever since I was given the collection of Derring Do’s research, I had been eager to start delving through the pages, and using the study halls at school made for an ideal setting.

Convincing Rainbow Dash to continue helping my research proved to be far easier than I could have imagined, though I fear it’ll be a one-time affair.

“You know, when you asked me if I wanted to help you go over Derring Do’s journals, I envisioned something a little more exciting,” Dash remarked as she slung her backpack over a shoulder. “Gotta say, I can definitely see why Ms. Yearling handles all the writing for the novels.”

“Oh come, Dash, it wasn’t that boring.”

Needless to say, Rainbow Dash didn’t make for the best research assistant, but she was all I had available. Out of all of my friends, she was the only one who knew the Daring Do novels cover-to-cover, which I had hoped would help my efforts in some respect. I did feel a bit bad about exploiting her fanaticism towards all things Daring Do, but it wasn’t as though I tricked her into spending the afternoon with me. In my defense, I couldn’t help it if Rainbow Dash agreed to help me catalog the journals without even thinking about what the task entailed. Plus, she stuck around even after she realized what we were actually doing, which I appreciated a great deal.

“If you want to help me carry some of these books back home, I’ve got some leftover pizza in the fridge for your troubles,” I offered.

My friend paused and stroked her chin in a playful attempt to feign deep consideration. “In that case, I suppose I could let this slide,” she eventually replied. She helped herself to several of the books from my box, though it didn’t escape my notice that she didn’t grab any of the heavy ones. “By the way, did you find anything useful yet?”

“Nothing yet,” I answered, followed by a resigned sigh. “There’s a lot of interesting history and mythology in here, but not a lot of tangible things about magic directly.”

“What about that unicorn amulet thingie you mentioned earlier?”

“Alicorn Amulet,” I corrected my friend, “and the mere fact that it exists in this world has me concerned. It does lend some credence to the possibility that magic may have existed in this world in the past.”

“Are you sure? It’s just a name, after all.”

Rainbow Dash’s skepticism had been something I considered. In fact, I hoped that it was just a mere coincidence simply because the Alicorn Amulet was not something I wanted more than one of to exist. From what I could remember from my days as Celestia’s pupil, the amulet was dangerous beyond comparison. If that kind of magic existed in this world, then I worried what might happen the next time a magical megalomaniac came through the portal.

“The fact that they look identical is too much for me to write off,” I explained. “I don’t know much about the one in Equestria, but I’m not sure if that’s because nobody knows or Princess Celestia just kept that knowledge from me.”

And given how my time as Princess Celestia’s pupil ended, one could not blame her for keeping information about powerful ancient relics away from me.

“From what I’ve read so far in Derring’s journals,” I continued on, “the cultists believed the amulet contained a fragment of their god, just like in the Daring Do novel. Hence all the evil rituals and practises that surrounded it.”

“Heh, remember the part where the cult’s leader tried to rip out Daring Do’s heart during the final confrontation?”

“That part was uncharacteristically dark for a Daring Do adventure,” I quipped.

When we reached the school’s exit, we could see through the glass that the weather outside had taken a turn for the worse. Our once pristine skies had been shrouded in ashen hues and from their cold, sun-forsaken cores came a cold and seemingly endless deluge. It was the kind of rain that swept in sideways in waves and always managed to find a way to go straight up your skirt despite any precautions taken. Rain that was so overwhelming, a canoe seemed like a reasonable suggestion to make. All of this wouldn’t have been an issue were it not for the fact that the day had started bright and sunny, and that I was carrying a box full of irreplaceable books.

“If her chest were a stormcloud, she would have cursed lightning and bled her heart dry upon them,” I murmured under my breath.

“Wow. My mom was really off about the forecast today,” Dash remarked.

“This is why I don’t trust weathermen.”

“Maybe you should leave the books in your locker.”

Dash’s suggestion was a sensible one, perhaps even the most logical and prudent course of action. However, I was far too stubborn, or stupid depending on who’s answering, to change course now. I was getting these books home, and no amount of rain was going to stand in my way.

“I’ve got a plan, but I’m going to need your help,” I said as I turned to my friend. “Toss your books back in here and then take my backpack.”

I set the box down and we traded items, with my friend carrying my bag while I focused solely on the books. Next I removed my coat and draped it over the box, which should keep the contents dry so long as I kept a firm hold on it. Since my favourite jacket had been treated to a funeral pyre, I had been making use of an old hoodie, which would only keep things dry for so long before it became water-logged itself.

“There’s an umbrella at the bottom of my bag,” I continued explaining. “Try to keep it over the box to shield it as best you can.”

“And what about us?” Dash asked, heeding my instructions nonetheless. “You realize we’re going to get soaked, right?”

“We’ll live.”

It wasn’t like either of us would melt when in contact with water, and Rainbow Dash has played enough soccer matches in the rain to prove that she wasn't adverse to a good soak. Plus, the bus would be arriving soon so there wouldn’t be any need for us to wait outside for more than a few minutes at best. Once I had all of my things ready, I waited at the door for Dash to join me, which after several moments I noticed was taking longer than it should’ve. I glanced over and saw my friend still struggling just to get my umbrella open.

“Come on, Dash, we don’t have time for this.”

“It’s not my fault; your umbrella is a piece of garbage,” she snapped back. She pushed and pulled repeatedly, trying to get it expand, but something kept getting snagged and she’d start all over again. “Where did you even get this?”

“At a discount store,” I answered.

Rainbow Dash gave me an incredulous look.

“What? I used to live in a shoebox, remember? I can’t afford nice things.”

Whether she accepted my explanation or not, Dash redoubled her efforts and pushed as hard as she could on the umbrella. At last, it opened up, but not without a loud and unsettling tearing noise accompanying it. Both of our eyes looked up to see one of the arms had managed to tear apart the stitching, leaving a lengthy rend across its radius. As much as I would’ve liked to chastise my friend for her ham-fisted clumsiness, she probably did have a point about it being a piece of garbage. Plus, I didn’t have time to waste.

Tear or not, we soon headed out into the rainstorm, pushing headlong into the proverbial wall of water. The wind and cold cut straight through every layer I wore, stabbing chilled daggers into my core. Undaunted, though, we hurried along as best we could. Dash did her best to stay at my side, shielding the worst of the rain from our precious cargo, but the winds buffeted her from every angle. Just keeping the umbrella steady was a challenge unto itself.

Unfortunately, due to our slow progress and my poor sense of timing, when I looked to the street in the distance, I could see the bus making its approach.

“Quick or we’ll miss it!” I shouted.

Without another thought, I sprinted towards the bus stop, throwing all caution to the raging winds around me. So focused was I that I didn’t even notice at first that Rainbow Dash wasn’t keeping pace; she was, in fact, several meters behind me, flailing to get the umbrella back under control. What was supposed to shelter us had become as wild and uncontrollable as the rainstorm itself, and were my friend any lighter, the wind surely would’ve carried her off by now.

Weighed down by books and rain-soaked clothes, I watched as the bus whisked past the bus stop and continued on its way down the road. I shouted and pleaded for it to slow down for even just a moment, but even I could barely hear my voice over all of the rain, let alone somebody down the street in a giant metal box.

Moments after my voice had fallen silent, Dash stumbled to my side with my umbrella conspicuously absent. We both stood at the side of the road in silence for a few seconds, watching as the bus drove further and further into the mist.

“Ah man, we just missed it,” my friend lamented.

“We should’ve just run straight from the start instead of wasting all that time at the door,” I groaned. I was about to lay the blame at Dash’s feet for taking so long with the umbrella, but I managed to fight down that compulsion. It was petty and childish, and the rational part of my mind knew it was a trumped-up charge. “And where did my umbrella go?”

“Um, over there,” Dash said as she pointed to the street. “Kinda had to let it go.”

I followed her lead just in time to watch my umbrella, now inverted, bounce across the street and sail off into the distance.

“Why would you do that?” I murmured under my breath.

“It was junk, Sunset,” Dash insisted. “If anything, I did you a favour.”

“Except now what are we supposed to do?” I shouted back. “Because if you haven’t noticed, it’s still raining like a weathermare went postal!”

“What’s a weathermare?”

“It’s a pony thing!”

Unsurprisingly, Dash did not share in my sense of concern. “Just relax,” she insisted, “we’ll just go back inside and wait until the next bus shows up.”

“Except it’s way past school hours; the doors have surely locked behind us.”

“Oh. Right.” My friend then averted her gaze, trying her best to suppress any awkwardness from her premature reassurances, as well as avoid upsetting me further. No doubt my face broadcasted my displeasure plain enough for even a blind man to recognize. “Well, I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

“Figure something out?” I repeated in disbelief. “And how exactly do you propose that? It’s not like somebody is just going to pull up beside us out of the blue and offer us a ride.”

At that exact moment, just because the universe loved to spite me when it was the most embarrassing, a car suddenly came to a halt just in front of us. It wasn’t any car I recognized at first, but when the passenger-side window lowered, there was a familiar face on the inside.

“Lightning Dust!” I exclaimed when I saw her smiling turquoise face.

“What are you doing out here like this, Sunny? It’s raining like cats and dogs out here.”

“No, really? I thought it was just the clouds crying.” Despite my sarcasm, I couldn’t help but smile in relief.

“Very funny, you big joker,” Lightning replied with a laugh before the side door opened. “Need a lift?”

“Yes! Very yes.”

Despite not wanting to seem too desperate, my friend and I scrambled into the car like a pair of drowning rats, which wasn’t too far from the truth given how waterlogged we’d become. As I had the box, I climbed into the back seat and secured it next to me, taking the opportunity to check on its contents. Much to my relief, the contents appeared to be unsoiled by the rain. The same could not be said for me.

From a cursory glance, the car was quite luxurious with a spacious interior and inviting, leather-covered seats. For a vegetarian and former equine, I couldn’t help but feel as though I were committing a cardinal sin for enjoying the comfort as I had. Rainbow Dash, up in the front passenger seat, had no reservation about taking advantage of our new shelter.

“Nice ride!” Dash exclaimed before she buckled her seatbelt. “Ooo, are these heated seats?”

“With built-in massagers,” Lightning boasted. “The controls are on the armrest.”

As Rainbow Dash fiddled with the controls, Lightning peered over her shoulder to check on me. “You okay back there?” she asked.

“I am, thanks,” I replied. “You have no idea how glad I am that you came by when you did. What are you doing out here anyways?”

“Had to chauffeur my ol’ man out to a meeting. Hence why I get to drive the nice car,” she answered, patting the steering wheel with pride. “What about you? What’re you still doing at school and with all that stuff?”

“We’re researching some old books about—” Dash began, but her words were cut off abruptly when I kneed the back of her chair. I had been willing to give her a pass about discussing magic with Derring Do, but students from other schools was off-limits.

“It’s for my school newspaper,” I answered instead.

“Aw, not going to ask me for another interview?” Lightning jested.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at the other girl’s remarks, then narrowed her gaze and leaned in close. “Wait a second,” she began, “I recognize you now. You’re that striker from Crystal Heart! Sunset, what are you doing fraternizing with the enemy?”

I rolled my eyes, unsure of whether or not to dignify her with an answer. I never got the chance to make a decision, however, as Lightning Dust was quick to intrude. “She’s allowed to have other friends, including people from Crystal Heart,” she scoffed in amusement. “I mean, if you can’t see how awesome I am, don’t take it out on your friend.”

I doubt it was Lightning Dust’s intent to shame me or cause me any distress, but hearing her refer to me as a friend made me realize that I hadn’t been as good a friend to her as I should’ve. Outside of the occasional text message and friending each other on MyStables, we hadn’t spent any real time together. The fact that I had ignored somebody who had offered me their friendship hit harder than any rainstorm.

I could’ve said something along the lines of how I had been busy and she had just slipped my mind, but that felt more like an excuse than justification. It was a sobering reminder that I still had a lot to learn about friendship, and I needed to be more considerate and aware of those around me. True, she hadn’t made many attempts to reach out to me either, but I had no idea what her circumstances were. Perhaps deep inside she didn’t have the same confidence as her bravado on the soccer pitch would suggest. Perhaps she’d been legitimately too busy, which was possible given that Crystal Heart Academy was a tough school to excel in. I wasn’t about to hold her to standards that she wasn’t holding me to.

Rainbow Dash darted her gaze between me and Lightning Dust for a few moments before finally flashing a reassuring smile towards me. “So she’s really your friend?” she asked.

I nodded. “She’s pretty cool once you get to know her. I think you’d really like her.”

Satisfied with my response, Rainbow Dash leaned back into her seat, sighing contently as the heated massage went to work. “Well, if Sunset vouches for you, then you can’t be all that bad. Even if you do play for Crystal Heart.”

“Oh, come on. You make it sound like we’re evil,” Lightning replied with a good-natured chuckle. “Crystal Heart Academy has a good soccer program; I need something like that to make sure I get noticed by the college scouts.”

“Aiming for one of those big sports scholarships?”

“Exactly. And from there, it’s on to the professionals! Don’t be surprised if one day you see the name ‘Lightning Dust’ gracing all the headlines in the sports world.”

“Well I’ll have you know, I competed in the senior championship league while I was still a junior.”

“Regional Championship three years running.”

“District Championship MVP four years running.”

I smirked to myself in silence as Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash continued with their futile show of one-upmanship, content to spend the remainder of the car ride pouring over my books. After a few minutes, they gave up on trying to one-up each other and just settled on talking about something soccer related that went completely over my head. I only knew enough about the game to write a decent article for the school paper, so when they started talking about leagues and point spreads, it all became white noise to me. At least the two of them were finding common ground.

With the help of my directions and the car’s built-in GPS, we soon arrived at my home. I had listened to far more soccer-related conversation than I had ever thought humanly possible. Even though the subject matter left me sitting on the sidelines, I was nonetheless glad to see the two of them getting along so easily.

“Anyways, we’re finally here,” Lightning spoke up, directing her newfound friend’s attention to the house before us. We pulled into the driveway and that was when Lightning tossed a playful grin over to Dash in the passenger seat. “You know, for a Wondercolt, you’re not quite as lame as I thought you would be.”

“That’s because you spend too much time listening to Gilda,” Rainbow Dash answered back. “And you’re not half-bad yourself. We should totally hang out later.”

“Why not now?” I suddenly suggested. “Would you like to come inside and stay for a little while? I mean, if you’re not too busy.”

While it hadn’t been my original intention, I saw no reason to pass up an opportunity when it presented itself. I had felt bad for not being as good a friend as I could’ve been to Lightning Dust, so what better time to start making amends than right now? If we parted ways with just a promise to meet again later, I could just end up repeating the last several weeks of continuous ‘maybe another day.’

Much to my delight, Lightning Dust grinned and shut off the car. “Sure, I’m down for that. Beats doing chemistry homework.”

“Hey Dash, could you unlock the front door for me?” I asked as I held out my house keys for her.

Rainbow Dash raced ahead to get the front door, and with Lightning Dust’s help we got everything inside with only a minimum of soaking. I was already so drenched from head to toe that water had become a second skin to me. On the bright side, getting wet as a pony was far more of an inconvenience, as you couldn’t just change out of your soaked fur like you could with a set of wet clothes. A drying spell might’ve come in handy, but Dash and I would have to settle with towels and blankets.

As we hung our coats in the front hall closet, Lightning Dust took a moment to take in the surroundings. “Hey, nice digs you got here,” she said after an impressed whistle. “What kinda work your folks do?”

It was an interesting thought that I had long since become accustomed to the pristine white halls of my home. I had even stopped thinking of it as just Celestia and Luna’s house that I so happened to be sleeping in. Hearing Lightning Dust talk about the household as though I were just another normal teenager living with their parents felt strangely reassuring. Like with Twilight, there was no baggage of my past deeds weighing me down or making me question whether the smile I was looking at was genuine or just forced politeness.

“Celestia and Luna are the principal and vice-principal at Canterlot High. In fact, they’re probably still there, again,” I answered. “But they’re not my parents. I’m… uh, kind of adopted.”

“Geeze, you live with the principal? That’s gotta be harsh.”

“It’s actually not that bad,” I explained as the three of us headed into the living room. “They respect my independence, and I respect that their advice and suggestions are generally well-founded and with merit.”

“Wow, look at you Ms. ‘Relationship Built upon Mutual Trust and Respect,’” Lightning joked, waving her hands in the air as she feigned awe. “Wanna trade parents? Yours sound way more reasonable than mine.”

“Feel free to make yourself at home.” I suggested as I gestured to the nearby couch. “I need to get changed into something less waterlogged.”

“Don’t suppose I could borrow some, too?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Of course.”

Rainbow and I headed upstairs and we quickly changed out of our wet clothes, leaving them in the bathroom to drip over the tub. I loaned my friend a spare pair of pajamas since it was late afternoon and neither of us were interested in anything but warmth and comfort right now. After taking a few minutes to dry our hair, we returned to the living room to find Lightning had already figured out the TV controls and found a soccer game to watch.

“Hope you don’t mind,” she said when she noticed our arrival. “It’s a Premier League game—I’ve been waiting all day for this.”

“Sweet! Me too!” Dash exclaimed. She rushed over to join Lightning on the couch, vaulting over the back to land the spot next to her fellow soccer fan.

Rainbow’s enthusiasm must’ve caught Lightning’s attention because she regarded the other girl with a scrutinizing, but hopeful gaze. “On the count of three, we both say our favourite football club,” she proposed.

Dash nodded in agreement.

“One, two, three—”

Both girls then shouted in unison, “Manechester United!”

Their eyes shot wide open as both gasped in shock and amazement, hands clasping over their mouths. From my perspective, it looked like they both just discovered the meaning of life, which just left me even more confused.

“They do exist,” Lightning murmured in awe.

“I thought I was the only one. I never believed I would meet another.”

“How long have you known?”

“Six, maybe seven years,” Dash answered in a somber whisper. “But I think a part of me has always known. I’ve always felt… different from the other girls.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Lightning said, her eyes looking almost tearful. “Have you… did you ever come out to your parents?”

Dash nodded again. “I was lucky. My parents have always been very supportive, even if they didn’t always understand my passion. I don’t think I’d be where I am today if it hadn’t been for them.”

“I remember when I first told my dad,” Lightning began. Her voice became melancholic and her gaze drifted away to the nearby windows, watching as the rainwater poured down. “He said he understood—that he accepted me. However, I could see the despair that gripped him. It was like he was watching his dreams die right before his very eyes. I tried so long to make him understand, but it’s never worked. He’s just too stuck in the past: believing that love should only exist between a fan and… Liverfoal.”

“Liverfoal? Oh, you poor soul.”

I was beginning to think that somewhere along the line I had stepped through another magic portal because nothing I was witnessing made any sense to me. I had never seen Rainbow Dash look so emotionally invested before.

“You don’t have to be alone anymore.” Dash offered her support, placing her hand atop of Lightning’s. “I’ll be here, by your side the whole time.”

“Thanks, Dash. You have no idea how much this means to me.” Lightning flashed a sweet and cheery smile to her new friend before her eyes darted back to the television. “Have you, um… you know, ever done it with another fan?”

“Not for a lack of trying, but it never got anywhere,” Dash admitted while hiding a faint blush on her cheeks. “I just couldn’t find the right person. You?”

Lightning shook her head. “This would be my first time, too.”

“A fair warning though, I can get a little… intense. Rough, even.”

Playful features began to spread across Lightning Dust’s face as one hand started to unfasten the top buttons of her blouse. “I prefer it that way,” she teased.

At that moment, the television panned to a scene of numerous soccer players, all dressed in brilliant red and white uniforms, pouring out onto the field. Lightning Dust sprang to her feet and pulled open her blouse, revealing a matching red t-shirt with a golden crest and the words ‘Manechester United’ written across it.

Unfettered by any sense of restraint, she began to holler at the top of her lungs. “GO MANECHESTER! WOOOOOOO!”

Rainbow Dash jumped up from the couch and joined in on the cheering, whooping loudly before she exchanged high-fives with her friend.

Off to the side, I remained seated on the couch, dumbstruck in bewilderment at what I had bore witness to. In Equestria, I had seen magic twist the very fabrics of reality, watched creatures that existed only as myths and legends to most, and studied the myriad of mysteries that permeated through history. Throughout all of those years, there was always an underlying foundation of unshakable truth and congruency.

But there was no sense to this; only madness.

Yet, somehow, there was a beauty to it: a friendship at the very core where all the chaos swirled around it like an emotional maelstrom. It was equal parts terrifying and magnificent to behold. Maybe that was what it was like to really ‘hit it off’ with somebody. Perhaps this was what it would be like to an outside observer if they watched Twilight and I spending time together.

Funny how friendship could still find ways to astound me.

Once my initial shock had dissipated, I was able to enjoy watching the game with Lightning and Rainbow. It was a noisy and chaotic affair, but it was fun all the same. We gorged ourselves on nachos and cheese and leftover pizza, and emptied the fridge of all of Luna’s Alpine Mist. I felt like such a pig, but it was worth it. It may not have been Equestrian cooking, but this world couldn’t be beat when it come to snack foods.

By the time the game ended, the rain had let up. Rainbow Dash got changed back into her clothes and my guests prepared to leave. Lightning offered Dash a ride home, which she took up in a heartbeat, no doubt because it meant spending an entire car riding continuing their Manechester United love affair.

I still didn’t understand them, but in a way that just made me love them even more.

“Now that was a great game,” Lightning said as she threw on her coat. “We should totally hang out again to watch the next one. Maybe we could do it at my place.”

“Sounds awesome!” Dash exclaimed.

I opened the door for them and waved good-bye as they both left. “Let me know, too,” I said. “I wouldn’t mind joining you for another match.”

“Does that mean you’re willing to join Team Manechester?” Lightning asked with an expectant grin.

I gave a nervous chuckle. “I… I’m going to keep my options open, for now.”

Both of my friends looked disappointed by my answer, but soon regained their cheerful outlook when they looked to each other. At least they could still share in their passion together.

Rainbow Dash gave her new friend a playful punch in the shoulder before remarking, “You know, I’m glad we bumped into you today. No telling how long Sunset would’ve kept you as her little secret.”

“Wh-what? Secret? I never—” I stammered in an attempt to downplay the remark.

“Oh? So I’m all taboo now, huh?” Lightning mused. Lucky for me, she appeared to take the idea in stride. “Were you going to hoard me all to yourself?”

“You should’ve seen her this one time when my friend and I confronted her about it,” Rainbow Dash continued, denying me any opportunity to continue my defence. “She was all ‘we’re just taking it slow’ and ‘he’s really shy.’ Wait… I thought you said it was a guy, Sunset.”

“Only because you had already convinced yourself of that.”

Though I was calm on the outside, internally I was about ready to have another panic attack. Somehow, Dash had gotten it into her head that Lightning Dust was the friend that I had been texting in secret. Since it was near impossible to dislodge Dash once she had latched onto an idea, I had no choice but to run with this falsehood. The truth would’ve just added more complications that I wasn’t prepared to deal with.

“Well, I can’t blame you for wanting to keep all of this to yourself,” Lightning said with a hearty laugh. “Sorry, Sunny, but you’ll just have to learn how to share like everyone else.” She then nudged Dash with her elbow and gestured towards her car. “Come on, RD, let’s hit the road.”

As the two headed on their way, Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Oh hey! I just had a great idea!” She stopped mid-step and glanced over her shoulder towards me for a moment before resuming her pace. “I’ll tell you once we’re in the car.”

Perhaps I should’ve been more worried about whatever schemes my friend was devising, but I was so relieved to be out of that awkward conversation that she could’ve been plotting my exile for all I cared. Whatever it was, I would deal with it at another time.

As I shut the door behind me, I noticed my backpack, sitting in the corner of the front hall, was vibrating. Since I wasn’t smuggling live animals in my bag, unless I had somehow gotten my belongings switched with Fluttershy’s, there was only one possibility: the magic journal. I practically tore open my bag in my haste to grab the journal, so excited was I see what Twilight’s response was.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

I would love to see you and the girls this weekend. Maybe after the party, we can work together on that magic research that’s been giving you so much trouble. I can bring some books from my library.

By the way, this birthday party: is it just going to be the seven of us or will there be others?

Not that I’m asking about anybody in particular. I just want to know if I need to dress appropriately. Not that I would necessarily dress different because some random guy may or may not be present. Or girl. Because we’re all friends here. Yup, just friends. Why am I still writing? I’m going to stop writing now.

I’ll see you Saturday.