Inside the main hall of the Canterlot Palace, Rainbow Dash impatiently paced back and forth in ten-foot intervals as Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity stood still, glancing between the numerous stained glass windows that filled the hall and the book that Twilight had left open on the floor in the center of their group. Pinkie Pie opted to stay by Rainbow Dash’s side, perfectly mirroring her steps, distance, and rotation speed she paced alongside her.
“You sure know how to keep a pony entertained, Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie giggled, not missing a step. “This is fun!”
Rainbow Dash grunted. “Trust me, Pinkie, I’m the furthest thing from entertained right now. When’s he gonna get here!”
“Be patient, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack gently scolded. “It’s not as though we gave him an exact time.”
“I dunno, twenty-four hours seems pretty exact to me.”
“Twenty-four hours from when, though?” Spike inquired. “Did you happen to be near a clock or something?”
“In the Everfree Forest? Pppt!”
“Then we’ll just have to wait until he gets here,” Rarity said. “It’s no one’s fault, really.”
“Besides,” Twilight added, “we all agreed to make a day of this, so however long this takes, as long as we’re back home tonight, everything should be fine.”
“I could be napping right now,” Rainbow Dash grumbled.
“You could have also slept in and just flew here when it was time,” Applejack mentioned.
“But then our train ride would have only been 83% as fun,” Pinkie Pie squealed in, “and who doesn’t love a good ol’ solid 100%?”
Rainbow Dash slowed her pace to a halt, Pinkie Pie matching her motions precisely. “Yeah, I guess so, but I still wish he’d–”
A strong gust began to blow out of the book, the space between the middle two pages sinking in. The sudden noise brought each pony’s attention to the book just as Oli’s feet began to shoot up out of it. Wearing a pair of sneakers, cargo shorts, and a fitting t-shirt, Oli appeared far cleaner than any of the ponies or Spike had seen him up until this point.
Along with the rest of his body, the straps of a thin tote bag were wrapped around Oli’s right wrist, and as Oli landed his feet on the floor, the bag itself was spat out last, coming high over Oli’s head before he caught it with both arms as softly as his arms could allow.
“Yay, Oli’s here!” Pinkie Pie hopped over Oli and landed behind him, wrapping her arms around his back in a tight, thankful hug. “And look, he brought us presents!”
“It’s good to see you again too, Pinkie.” Oli stepped ahead, prompting Pinkie Pie to let go of him and allow him a little space. “Also, these are some records of mine I brought from home. I wanted to see if it was possible to bring them here with me and safely, and they all look to be in one piece still, so mission accomplished, I guess.”
“That’s why we had to wait?” Rainbow Dash blurted. “So you could bring some music?”
Oli shook his head. “No, I wanted to wait until my dad left the house. As far as he knows, I’m out taking a bike ride today while he’s out looking for guitars. He… likes to collect, restore, and sell instruments.”
“Ooh, how fascinatin’!” Applejack responded. “So you’re a musical kind of family then?”
Oli shrugged. “More or less. Either way, I’m sorry for keeping you. There are some people I’m not really ready to tell about you guys quite yet, and I didn’t want my dad suspecting anything.”
Twilight and Spike stole a glance at each other, unsure if their friends would pick up on the hidden meaning they knew of
Rainbow Dash glanced down at the ground, feeling a little guilty. “Eh, whatever. You’re here now, so now we just gotta wait for–”
The massive doors at the end of the hall groaned open, and two pristinely white-coated pegasi guards in gold armor stepped aside as Princess Celestia stood at the center of the doorway, her aura-charged horn continuing to push the doors open. Once they were perpendicular to the frame, Celestia felt comfortable stepping out to welcome her guests.
“My apologies for the delay,” Celestia bid them. “I heard Oliver’s arrival from behind the door and wanted to wait until then before I came to retrieve you. Were your travels pleasant?” As Twilight and her friends audibly confirmed their satisfaction, Oli kept still and silent, an act that seemed to humor Celestia. “And yours, Oliver?”
Realizing he was included in being asked, Oli stood attentively and nodded vigorously, mildly humiliated by the delay of an answer. “Yes! Yes, just fine. Sorry for keeping you. I wanted to wait until I was home alone before I came.”
“I overheard. I’m glad all of you were able to come. This shouldn’t take too much of your time, but I wanted to invite you all here to answer any questions or clarify anything that was not discussed yesterday morning. Now, if you all could just follow me…”
Celestia turned around and walked back towards the inside of her chambers. As Twilight picked up the book off the ground, she led Oli and the rest of her friends to follow the princess. As they made their way, Rainbow Dash walked ahead of Oli, taking a sideways glance at his light brown T-shirt that featured the AC/DC logo and an image of a cannon beneath it.
“AC/DC?” Oli turned to her, slowly smiling to hear genuine interest in her voice. “What’s that supposed to be?”
“They’re a rock band,” he answered. “Let me know whenever you want to give them a listen. I have a feeling you’ll really enjoy them.”
“Huh…” Rainbow Dash felt humbled by this invitation. “Thanks. I might take you up on that.”
By now, the group was well inside Celestia’s throne room, where she awaited them in the back. Once they reached her and the guards had closed the doors, she spoke to them once again.
“What I’m about to show you has not been seen by many eyes, but it will provide some much needed context and history of that book there. Please wait here until I permit you to enter.”
Oli and the Equestrians stood still as they watched Celestia touch the tip of her horn to the center of the wall. As the magic glowed over it, light began to travel out and into the wall, quickly creating the outline of another doorway. The others, including and especially Oli, were awestricken as the lines of light seeped inside the shape, creating a gorgeously ornate design throughout. Finally, the light-lines began to expand and fade out, creating an entryway into what appeared to be an ancient library, shelves upon shelves of books stretching back out into this hidden room divided by a single aisle running through the center.
With the spell completed, Celestia walked inside halfway before turning back, seeing the group still standing there, speechless. “You may enter now.”
Twilight once again led the back, staring intently at the room she was about to enter. “Still amazing…”
“You’ve been here before?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight nodded once. “With Lauren. Oli’s about to get the same talk she got when she got the book.”
Fluttershy returned her gaze forward, staring up at the tops of the shelves and wondering how many books must have been hidden here.
Celestia turned to the left between two shelves, and the others followed. About halfway in, Celestia had already selected a book from one of the upper shelves, pulling it out and lowering it down, the pages flipping open until they landed on the spot Celestia designated. The others crowded around her, waiting for the explanation they came for.
“The study of the magic of friendship is one that precedes even my time in Equestria.” Even having learned how old Celestia must be the previous day, this new revelation was equally as cowing. “There have been many others before me who saw the potential that friendship could offer ponykind, but this one in particular… is who I wish to tell you about.”
Turning around, Celestia presented the pages she opened to Oli and the Equestrians, showing a detailed pencil drawing of a unicorn wearing a thick robe and had a short, messy mane and tail.
“This is Starfinder,” Celestia continued. “While most, if not all of his works have been lost or forgotten to time, one of his most important breakthroughs is the reason two humans have been able to set foot in Equestria.”
“So he made the books?” Spike wondered.
“And how did one wind up on my world?” Oli asked.
Celestia flipped the next page over, showing another sketch of this Starfinder kneeling before a regally-dressed stallion.
“Starfinder’s upbringing was a very lonely one,” Celestia explained. “Having lost his parents at a young age, he longed for companionship that he struggled to find in his peers. However, he was an absolutely brilliant sorcerer, and his abilities were rewarded by Equestria’s king, also my father, with a seat in his court.”
Everyone save for Twilight let a sigh of awe escape their mouths, enthralled by this unknown history.
“The king wished to unite all ponies across all lands, and he sought Starfinder’s magical expertise to help find and gather the nations and tribes of the lands beyond Equestria. This is what led to the creation of the Dua Harmonium.”
Celestia flipped to the next page, an image of Starfinder holding two books on either side of him with his magic. Each book bore an identical resemblance to the one Twilight had in her possession, and Oli found himself glancing back and forth between the illustration and the genuine article that Twilight held. What seemed to draw his attention was the icon of the Elements of Harmony on the covers.
“Is that…” Applejack wondered aloud.
Celestia nodded. “Starfinder was the first recorded pony to wield the power of the Elements of Harmony, whose magic he drew from to give both books their power. As one could imagine, being the very first to use such extraordinary magic resulted in… tragic consequences.”
Celestia shut the book and placed it back in its spot on its shelf. “One fateful day, Starfinder had attempted to use the Dua Harmonium to locate and travel to a nation that was in dire need of friendship, but he failed to control its magic, and he and one of the Harmonium tomes… disappeared.”
With an immediate understanding, Oli looked down, finding himself back in a state of utter disbelief. “So… this Harmonium… ended up in my world…”
“Unable to return the other Harmonium to our world, he was forced to return and abandoned it on yours. Somehow, hundreds upon hundreds of years later, the book made its way into Lauren’s possession, and it saw fit to grant her access to its magic. Why the Harmonium waited until then to let itself be wielded is a mystery that I still haven’t managed to find the answer to, but it has now let itself be used by you, Oliver.”
“How did you even learn to read the gibberish in there?” Applejack asked, pointing to the book that Twilight kept hold of. “I’ve never seen a language like that in all my life.”
“That is the ancient text used by ponykind in the time of my father’s rule,” Celestia answered. “Unless Oliver’s experiences are any different, Lauren claimed to have learned the text in a dream she had shortly after coming into possession of the Harmonium. Does this sound right to you, Oliver?”
Oliver found it in him to nod. “Yeah, that’s exactly it. But…” Celestia leaned her head forward, awaiting Oli’s next question. “How did she lose the book? Obviously, there were a number of years it would have gotten passed around until I came across it, but… why… how could Lauren just give it up like that?”
Celestia closed her eyes, a preparing for the somber answer ahead. “While I can’t fully confirm this, the last time Twilight or I ever saw Lauren was the first day of autumn, and the first time we met her was the morning of the Summer Sun Celebration.”
“Wait a moment…” Oli pulled his phone from his pocket and looked upon the screen, ignoring the odd stares his alien device received from the others. “Holy…”
“What is it?” Spike asked.
Oli stared at the date on his phone: Wednesday, June 22nd. “Yesterday was the day I first came to Equestria. Yesterday was also my world’s first day of summer. So that means…”
“Lauren must have only had access to its magic during the summer,” Spike answered. “But then… wouldn’t she have gotten to use it again the next year?”
“I don’t know, Spike,” Twilight answered forlornly. “I wish I knew the answer to that. I did… I do really miss her though.”
Twilight blew out a sigh as a tear rolled down each cheek from both eyes. Pinkie Pie approached Twilight and lightly patted her back in consolation.
“You know…” Oli spoke up, bringing attention back to him. “Lauren is actually somewhat famous on my world. I’m sure if I reached out to her, I can get some answers as to what happened on her end. I refuse to believe that if she was that close to Twilight and Celestia that she’d just leave you like that.”
“Do you even know where to find her?” Rarity asked.
Oli shrugged and shook his head. “I honestly wouldn’t have the faintest clue. That being said, her story has gotten quite popular on our world, and if she ever decides to take part in a convention or something, we can always find her wherever she ends up going.”
“Will it be that easy?” Fluttershy asked.
“It can’t be that much difficult. Either way, I’m determined to get some answers before the summer ends, if that’s indeed how much time I have to spend with all of you.”
“Alrighty then!” Applejack exclaimed. “This wasn’t exactly how I planned to spend my summer, but who am I if I can’t learn to roll with the changes?”
“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash agreed. “I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of this eventually, but we got ourselves a cool new human friend to hang out with this summer, and time’s a-wasting!”
“You better make that two new human friends!” Spike blurted.
Twilight jerked her head towards Spike, and the other more casually turned theirs to him, unsure what he meant. As Spike covered his mouth, suddenly realizing his poor timing, Oli groaned in disappointment.
“Who is this other friend Spike mentioned?” Celestia asked. “Have you told anyone of your kind about us?”
“Princess Celestia,” Twilight stammered, “I can explain. Earlier this morning, Oli–”
“It’s okay, Twilight.” Oli stopped her with a motion of his hand. “I can explain.”
With all eyes on him, Oli did explain. “Yesterday after returning to my world, I… told everything that happened to a little girl I babysit back on my world. To make a longer story short, I went to Twilight much earlier this morning and told her that this girl is the entire reason that I know of your story and that I promised that I would either take her to Equestria with me or I’d have you meet her on mine.
“Perhaps I should have tried mentioning this to you earlier, but now that it’s out in the open, I… at the risk of sounding like I’m begging you here, I would very much love for her to meet all of you, or even let her come to Equestria… if you’d let her, of course.”
Oli bowed his head down, already feeling more than enough shame in even suggesting what he had. All he could wait for now was the confirmation from Celestia that he’d ultimately have to break his Pinkie promise to Jessie.
Finally, Celestia answered with a question of her own. “And what is this girl’s name?”
At last, the full burden that Oli felt lifted up, even if just a little. “J… Jessie…” He then looked up to her, his eyes subtly pleading. “Her name is Jessie.”
Celestia smiled, already seeming to accept his request before she verbally could. “Then whenever you choose to bring Jessie to our world, know that she will be as welcome a guest here as you are.”
Oli sunk to his knees, hunched over and sobbing. “Thank you. You honestly have no idea how good it is to hear you say that.”
“I may have some idea,” Celestia replied with a chuckle.
Rainbow Dash approached Oli and held her foreleg up to him. With a thankful huff, he put his hand upon the wrist of her hoof and pulled himself back up to his feet.
“Now,” Celestia said, “is there any other concern that you have that I can answer?”
Oli and the Equestrians looked about the room, searching for any other pressing issue that either of them may have. When enough time had passed without a definitive answer, Celestia spoke once again.
“Then it sounds like our business here is done for now. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if an issue presents itself. Until then, you are dismissed. Have safe travels back, my little ponies… and human.”
Oli saw Celestia wink to him, and the playfulness of such a gesture from one such as she made him laugh.
Oli and the Equestrians waved Celestia farewell one last time as the doors to her chambers closed, allowing her to return to her business and for the others to return to theirs.
“Well, that was quick!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Now what can we do?”
“I mean…” Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on her chin. “…if no one has any suggestions, why don’t we go visit Oli’s world for a little bit?”
“What?!” Oli blurted.
“What?” Rainbow Dash responded in kind. “You think you’re going to recommend this AC/DC to me and I’m not going to take you up on it?”
“Plus,” Rarity added, “we won’t have to leave your house if that would make you more comfortable.”
“When’s your dad even supposed to be home?” Spike wondered.
Oli shrugged hard. “I honestly can’t say. It all depends on how many places he plans on stopping at. Not to mention, I don’t even know…” He then looked to the purple unicorn right beside him. “Twilight? How didLauren bring you to my world?”
“I would assume the same way you brought that bag with you.” Oli looked to the straps in his hand, almost forgetting he was still holding them. “Of course, we’d all have to stick close if we want to do this safely.”
“So… we’re really doing this.”
“Sure are, sugar.” Applejack came within reaching distance of Oli, followed by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight. “Now, Twilight, are we just supposed ta’…”
“Everypony, just make sure you’re touching Oli in some way. Otherwise, he’s going to have to come back to get you.”
As Spike, Fluttershy, and Rarity crowded around him next, Oli began to look unsure. “You know, I don’t mind making multiple trips if that would be–”
Rainbow Dash hooked her hoof around Oli’s leg. “Come on, dude, safety’s for squares! Besides, we’re all in this together, right girls!?”
One by one, each of the ponies, put a hoof around another leg, either wrist, and in Pinkie’s case, she had put her arms around Oli’s chest. Spike and Twilight managed to find a part of Oli to hold on to and stayed still, trusting their friends to do the same.
Twilight opened the Harmonium to the center passage and holding it up for him. “Okay Oli, whenever you’re ready!”
As sudden and awkward as this was turning out, he could at least take solace that Jessie’s trip here would likely be multitudes easier. With a deep breath in, he concentrated on the passage and read through it quickly but deliberately. Within moments, the click fired off in his head, as it must have done for the others as they felt themselves letting go of him.
“That was realllllly wwwwwwweeeeeeiirrrrr.” Rainbow Dash tried to speak, but her words turned to empty echoes in everyone’s ears.
Oli, realizing no one was holding on any longer, reached out to grab at them, only to find gravity felling him back into the center pages. He watched his fall from reverse, the portal of Equestria getting further and further away before he was suddenly flipped over and shot feet-first out of his world’s Harmonium, which he had left at the edge of his bed.
Landing on his feet and tripping back toward his bedroom door, he sat down and watched as Twilight, followed by Applejack, then Rainbow Dash, Spike, Rarity, and Fluttershy were thrown out of the book and to the floor where were scattered.
“Cannonball!” Pinkie Pie shot out with her back legs tucked into her waist and holding them tight with her forelegs.
Landing in the center of Oli’s bed, she bounced up with is covers, the corners of which overlapped and wrapped around her. Pinkie Pie writhed around before her head popped out of the hole she managed to find.
“Woohoo!” she cheered. “That was great! Who knew traveling to other worlds would be such a thrill!”
“Probably egghead over here,” Rainbow Dash groaned with an accusatory hoof pointed in Twilight’s direction.
“I never said that.” Twilight rolled onto all fours and shook her head to recalibrate herself. “Besides, it’s been a long time since I’ve made this jump; I’m a little rusty.”
By now, the other ponies and Spike had gotten their bearings and were looking around Oli’s room, stunned by how it looked completely unlike any room they’ve ever been in any building they’ve ever entered. Posters for musicians lined the walls, and then there were the shelves of records and the player in the corners surrounding Oli’s bed.
“So,” Applejack gushed, “this is home for you, then?”
Oli nodded, feeling sheepish over her audibly positive reception. “Home sweet home.”
Rarity walked up to Oli next. “Now, you’re going to give us all a tour, right darling?”
From behind Rarity, the heads of each pony, along with Spike, seemed to sprout out, each smile expressing their eagerness to see the house of their newest, strangest friend.