I tucked the last of the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher, pushed the door closed, and wiped my hands on a dishtowel. I could hear Twilight humming in the next room, likely working through a checklist for today’s activities.
I smiled as I went in and nuzzled the back of her neck, seeing the legal pad on the table in front of her with her quick handwritten notes across it. She sighed and leaned back a little, reaching back to slide her hand across the back of my head.
“You plan entirely too much,” I whispered into her ear, rubbing my hands on her shoulders.
“I’ve been a part of some of your impromptu outings,” she said back. “That trip to Equestria to talk to Glory and Dew, for example.”
I flinched slightly. We had to fill my sisters in on the truth as to where I’ve been the last few years if we had wanted them at the wedding.
“It turned out alright,” I replied. “No damage done.”
“I wonder if Dew will share that assessment,” Twilight said, turning towards me and adjusting her new glasses. “She seemed rather worried about her foal.”
“And according to the doctor it’s perfectly fine,” I replied defensively I reached out to pick up the legal pad.
Twilight snatched it away and darted around the table, a playful grin on her face.
“Ah ah ah, Sunny,” she purred. “This trip is going to go according to plan, and you don’t get to see what’s going on until it happens.”
I frowned at her. “It’s just a campus tour, Twilight,” I crossed my arms. “Just how out of control do you think those things get?”
She tucked the legal pad into the hobo bag she had taken to carrying on these outings. I knew inside she had her wallet, keys, and other things that we all carry in our purses, but also had her old glasses in a case, a compact first aid kit, and a tablet that she had kept all our portal data on when not at home.
I had suggested a backpack when she had decided to get a bag, but for whatever reason, she had picked this. I liked it, though. It seemed to fit the new look she was going for: smaller frames to her glasses, less baggy clothing, and more often than not testing out new outfits made by Rarity. They were still all simple and girl-next-door fashions, but still strangely Twilight.
I smiled, and she caught it.
“Care to share?” she sang, stalking up to me slowly.
“Just thinking of how much we’ve changed in the last few years,” I murmured as I took her in my arms. “Though I’m also still curious about what started this whole new fashion trend you’re trying out.”
She pinked in the face slightly, glancing down. “I been in a school that had a dress code for most of my educational career, and outside of that I don’t have much that’s particularly nice for daily wear.” She looked up at me and smiled. “I want to be able to look good for you on occasion. Rarity just…”
“Went overboard,” I finished.
She nodded. “And I don’t want to seem ungrateful, so I figured I’d wear it all at least once.” Her expression softened a little. “You like them, right?”
“Twilight,” I said, taking her face in my hands. “As long as you’re comfortable with them, I’m ok with them. I love you, not your clothes.”
She smiled, kissing me on the cheek. “Just what I hoped you'd say,” she whispered, then flicked at the baggy sleep pants I was wearing. “Now hurry and get ready. We’re due to meet AJ and Fluttershy at Sugarcube Corner in an hour!”
“Twilight, you tricked me,” I said as the confetti and streamers drifted down to the floor of Sugarcube Corner. All of our friends were here, including a few new additions from the Crystal Prep gang. I was less than pleased to see Fluttershy's brother here, though to be fair he did focus on Rainbow more than he ever had on me. I wondered if he had found out about her and AJ yet.
“Well, only a little. I had to get you here somehow,” she said, reaching up and putting the party hat on my head as Pinkie bounded forward from behind her party cannon.
“How did you even know it was my birthday?” I queried the love of my life. “I don’t remember telling you.”
“Your sisters told me,” she said. “Starlight and Twilight helped me do the math to figure out the equivalent to Equestrian months. It’s still not precise, but it’s better than nothing.”
I looked at her and frowned and was rewarded with a grin and a tongue directed at me.
“C’mon, Sunny!” Pinkie said, grabbing my wrists and pulling me forward, smiling. “It’s your birthday. Make a wish!” She reached out and pulled a giant cake out.
I rolled my eyes, long since used to Pinkie breaking the laws of physics. Sonata came out from an adjoining room bearing a tray laden with drinks, Aria behind her with a second tray.
Thankfully, there were no gifts, just well wishes and good food. I went to refill my drink and bumped into a dark complected man by the soda stand.
"I'm so sorry," I said. "I must not have been paying attention."
"No harm done," he said as he picked up his cup and tossed it into the waste bin.
“Many happy returns, Seer,” he said in a low voice as he passed me.
My skin suddenly began to crawl and I felt like I was standing in an arctic gale and I had a flash of a avian face. I turned to catch a glimpse of the man who had called me seer, but there was no one there that matched his description. It was as if he had never existed.
“You ok?” Sonata asked as she stepped up next to me. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
I swallowed, rubbing my arms vigorously.
“I think I might have,” I said, frowning at the sour taste in my mouth.
“You don't look so good,” the siren said in concern, a hand on my elbow, guiding me to a chair. “You should sit down.”
The memories of a dream I had received flashed through my mind. Being called Seer was too specific to be random. I saw Twilight looking towards me, her eyes creased with worry as she picked up on my uneasiness.
I didn’t like the implications of this voice being here in the waking world. The full message flooded back to the forefront of my mind.
You can’t save them all this time, Seer.
I became aware that the three former sirens were all standing around me, looking down.
"We need to talk," Adagio said.
"So let me get this straight," I said, rubbing my temples. "Somehow the portal not only freed you of your hunger but restored your song and now you want me to ask the Princess for access to part of her library to research your history?"
Sonata glanced down at her hands, twisting them slightly in sudden awkwardness, reminding me of the old Fluttershy. Aria refused to meet my gaze, and Adagio had her eyes closed.
"I know you all have had a hard time," I said. "And I can appreciate that more than you think, but I'm not going to ask the Princess for that without some sort of proof."
Adagio opened her eyes, locking onto mine. She started to hum a melody, her voice pristine and clear, not the raspy remnants at the end of the Battle of the Band.
Her sisters joined in one by one, the harmonized melody causing their chokers to glow. Then Aria drew a small knife and sliced it across her fingertip.
Celestia, I thought in shock.
Then I saw a silver mist gather around the wound and saw it knit together in front of me, the blood that had flowed being reabsorbed into the skin. They stopped singing.
"I'd say that works," I said. "I'll see what I can come up with. Anything you need in particular?"
"Yes," Adagio said, glancing at her sisters.
"Anything she can get on Sirens and our history," Sonata said, touching her gemstone.
"And Harpies," Aria said.