by Tom Hoffman
“Master of Rabbitons?”
“Yes, he’s in charge of all the Rabbitons at the Fortress. He’s also in charge of the Central Information Repository, where they keep the ancient records.”
“Ancient records?”
“We found out when you left the Rabbiton factory. It was on the fourth day of the seventh moon, 4/7. Today is your birthday, Proto.”
Proto stared blankly at Orville.
“My birthday?”
Orville grabbed Proto’s arm.
“It’s your birthday, that’s what the note meant. Mum always says friendship is the greatest treasure, that’s why it says The Greatest Treasure 4/7.”
“I don’t have to go back to the Cube?”
“Go back to the Cube? What are you talking about?”
Orville’s mum nudged Sophia. The two of them disappeared into the other room.
Orville put his arms around Proto, giving him a hug.
“Happy Birthday, Proto. You’re my best friend after Sophia.”
Sophia and Mum stepped out of the back room carrying a lovely, though somewhat lopsided cake with a single flickering candle on top.
“We put one candle on the cake because this is the first birthday party you’ve ever had. It won’t be the last one though.”
“And it would have cost too much to buy fourteen hundred and eighty-nine candles.”
“Orville, that’s not true and you know it. Okay, let’s sing the Song of Birthdays. I’m starving, and that cake looks delicious.”
“It’s a bit crooked, but that’s my fault.”
“You’d make a much better pirate than a chef, that’s for sure. We should call you the Dread Chef Orville.”
Proto stood motionless, caught in the golden light of a single birthday candle. This was the secret they had been keeping from him. His birthday. All those dreadful notes weren’t written by Orville or Sophia or Mum or Papa. They were like Sophia’s caterpillars, he had created the very thing he was most afraid of, being sent away again by his family. His hands were shaking. He didn’t have to leave, he didn’t have to go back to the Cube.
After a slightly off key rendition of the Song of Birthdays, Sophia and Mum set the cake down on the kitchen table.
“Okay, Proto, make a wish and blow out the candle. Don’t tell us the wish or it won’t come true. Then we have presents for you. Orville even spent his own money, so you know he must really like you.” Sophia gave her finest cackling laugh.
Proto made his wish, that this moment would last forever.
Chapter 42
Gnuj’s Infinite Wonder
Chief Master Scientist Gnuj stood at the open door, disbelief etched on his face.
“It’s not possible, but I cannot deny what lies before me.”
He took one last look, just to be certain, then closed the door. It had proven far more difficult than he had anticipated, but after six arduous days of unceasing effort he had modified the last Metaphonium with the correct parameters to access the lost Thuvian synthetic world.
He gazed at the six violet lights and twenty-four glowing white keys on the Metaphonium, then stepped over and flicked the machine off. He needed time to think. Gnuj slumped into a stuffed armchair, leaning back, closing his eyes.
“What shall I do? Whatever shall I do?”
The sun had sunk below the horizon by the time Gnuj made his decision. He crossed the room and took a seat at his desk. Pulling out a sheet of paper and a pen, Mintarian Chief Master Scientist Gnuj, creator of the calamitous Metaphonium Haven Project, began to write.
My dearest friends Orville and Sophia,
In your selfless quest to rescue Aislin Mouse, you also succeeded in rescuing me, something for which I shall be forever grateful. I was lost in Elysian, my memories of the Anarkkian war and my failed Metaphonium Haven Project cast aside, hidden deep within the heart of the Shadow King, secreted away from my consciousness, the terrible burden of my guilt too much to bear. I was certain I had ended the lives of eight million innocent Mintarians. It was your kindness and understanding which gave me the strength to confront the Shadow King, face the truth of those lost memories which had haunted me for so many years. Even as Brother Solus, I knew something was dreadfully amiss, as if some vaporous terror was constantly hovering above me, a sense of perpetual dread in the air.
I am whole again, my memories restored, and I have forgiven myself for my unsuccessful attempt to save the lives of my beloved fellow Mintarians. All living creatures have limitations, and at times our best efforts are simply not enough. That is the nature of the world we live in, and there is no shame in that. All we can do is the best we can do.
I have succeeded in opening the door to the lost Thuvian world. What I saw has shaken me to the core. I would describe it to you in great detail, but there is no need. You have already seen it, you have already been there. The lost Thuvian world is Laurus, the city where we met Juvo in his Bubble Rider, Laurus, the greatest city in all of creation. I have no understanding of how we were able to visit Laurus, but you know as well as I what an infinitely mysterious world Elysian is.
It is only after much introspection that I have decided not to bring back the descendants of those eight million lost Mintarians, descendants who now call themselves Laurae. Where only fourteen hundred years have passed in our world, eons have passed in Laurus. Theirs is a world we all might envy, and I shall not interfere with what they have created. From the ashes of my deepest despair a great civilization has risen, the world of Laurus, a world which will soon become my home.
I am not returning to Mintari, instead I shall step through the doorway into Laurus, and there spend the remainder of my days. I am leaving the last Metaphonium to you, dear friends, but I have removed from its memory the key combination used to open the doorway to Laurus. Do with the Metaphonium as you will. I am also leaving you my journal, within it you will find the key codes for hundreds of unexplored worlds.
I thank you deeply for all you have done.
In everlasting friendship I remain,
Gnuj
P.S. Please give my fondest regards to Proto. I do hope he had a wonderful birthday party!
Gnuj carefully folded the letter, placing it in an envelope addressed to Orville and Sophia, setting it on the Metaphonium. He opened the shed door, taking one last look at the starry night sky above Muridaan Falls, one last look at the world he was leaving behind.
“So many stars, so many worlds, it is truly a thing of infinite wonder and eternal mystery.”
He stepped back into the shed, closed the door and strode over to the Metaphonium, quickly tapping the twenty-four keys which would open the world of Laurus. Six yellow lights blinked violet, twenty-four keys glowed brightly.
Mintarian Chief Master Scientist Gnuj, creator of the calamitous Metaphonium Haven Project, stepped out of Muridaan Falls and into Laurus, the greatest city in all of creation.
Chapter 43
The Visitors
Orville answered the door, the identity of their visitor hidden behind a large pot of lovely violet flowers.
“Hello?”
A smiling Madam Beasley peered around the blossoms at Orville.
“A marvelous good day to you, Orville. I’ve brought a pot of flowers for your mum, and two jars of tasty violet jam, her favorite.”
“Hi, Madam Beasley, Mum is out right now, but she’ll be back soon. Proto just made some yummy snapberry muffins, if you’d like to have one while you wait.”
“Oh dear, it sounds very tempting, but I’m late for my yoga class.”
“What’s yoga?”
A curious look crossed Madam Beasley’s face.
“How unmistakably odd, I just had the most surprising thought. I think I had a dream about you and Sophia. There was a bed and breakfast, and… a mountain… and I think there were quilts, lovely quilts. I wish I could remember it, but dreams do have a way of slipping through your paws.”
Orville nodded sympathetically. “Maybe you
’ll remember it later, sometimes that happens.”
“Perhaps so. At any rate, give my very best regards to your mum and papa, and to lovely Sophia, and that charming Proto. Such a nice fellow he his, and a marvelous chef indeed.”
“I will. Thanks for the flowers. I hope you remember you dream.”
Orville closed the door with a grin. Even if he told her, Madam Beasley would not believe the story of her nightly visits to Elysian. He rubbed his paws together, the smell of freshly baked snapberry muffins wafting through the air. He was halfway to the kitchen when another knock sounded on the door.
“Maybe she remembered her dream.”
Orville flung the door open, greeted not by Madam Beasley, but by Aislin and Ebenezer Mouse.
“Whoa, what happened to you?” Orville was gaping at Ebenezer’s smooth brown fur.
“As it happens, my dear Aislin has become quite a proficient shaper, courtesy of the Shadow King.”
“You look young again. Aislin, you should join the Shapers Guild. I can talk to Master Marloh if you’d like. They’d love to have a new member.”
Aislin took Ebenezer’s paw in hers. “That’s why we’re here, we have something to tell you.”
Orville’s anxiety spiked. He was not especially fond of surprises.
“It’s nothing bad, nothing to worry about. May we come in?”
“Sure, sorry, come on in.”
When they were seated in the living room, Ebenezer pulled a large brown envelope from his inner coat pocket.
“This is for you and Sophia. The day you brought Aislin home was the day you gave me my life back. There is no way we can ever thank you enough, but I hope this will help.”
Ebenezer handed the envelope to Orville.
“You don’t have to give me anything. Sophia and I were glad to help, that’s what Metaphysical Adventurers do, that’s what friends do.”
“We both want you to have this.”
Orville opened the envelope and peered inside. There was a sheet of yellowed parchment and two brass keys. He took out the paper, scanning it quickly.
“This is the deed to your house.”
“It’s your house now, yours and Sophia’s. We are moving to Penrith, in Grymmore. Bartholomew and Clara Rabbit have opened a wonderful new shaping school in Penrith, and we’ve both signed on as first year students. It’s time for a new adventure, time for us to move on.”
“It’s too much, I can’t take it.”
“The papers are signed and we leave tomorrow for Penrith. The house is yours.”
A grin slowly appeared on Orville’s face.
“I have a house? My own house?”
“It needs a little work, especially the garden, but I have a feeling it won’t be long until it’s the loveliest house in Muridaan Falls.”
“Proto could help with the garden. He’s really good at growing stuff. I can’t believe I have a house.”
“You and Sophia have a house. I’m sure you will have many happy years together, just as we did.”
“Oh, thanks, we don’t exactly have plans to marry just yet, but… um… when she finishes school…”
“I understand, you’re both still young.”
Orville heard a cough from the kitchen doorway. He looked up as Proto stepped into the living room.
“We have our own house? This is marvelous, I can plant my experimental poisonous vegetable garden. I’ll need a small laboratory, of course, and a storage shed for my equipment. Nothing too fancy. I still have thousands of unidentified seed packets back at the Cube I’ll have to get, and all those frozen eggs, some kind of dreadful talking lizard creature, I think. Mirus can take me there in a Dragonfly, maybe a blinker ship. I won’t be back until late tomorrow, so you’ll have to make your own dinner. And breakfast. There’s a bowl of red snackles on the kitchen counter if you need a snack.”
Proto darted out the front door, slamming it behind him.
Orville put a paw to his forehead.
“Creekers.”
The front door swung open. It was Sophia.
“Where is Proto going in such a hurry?”
Chapter 44
Aislin’s Gift
“I can’t believe we own a house.”
“I like having the Metaphonium here, it makes it look kind of mysterious.”
“Most mice will just think it’s a strange looking piano. We should get new furniture, this is nice but it’s kind of dated, a bit old. Aislin was telling me Miraculum’s has lots of beautiful antique furniture.”
“Wouldn’t antique furniture be a lot older than the furniture that’s already here?”
“Are you trying to be funny?”
“Not exactly. It seems like we should get brand new furniture, because it’s our brand new house. Maybe Myrus Mouse could build us some furniture, he’s really good at building stuff.”
“Orville, I don’t want a duplonium powered flying couch with a cloaking device, I want a comfy antique couch I can relax on. Look how beautiful Ebenezer’s antique desk is, that’s what all our furniture could look like.”
“It is nice, it kind of glows. Maybe you’re right.”
Orville strolled over to the desk and flipped it open.
“Lots of storage space with all these little drawers, plenty of room for pens and ink and paper. I could write in my adventurers journal here. Plenty of light from the window.”
Orville absently slid open one of the drawers.
“Hey, they left something behind, a little wooden box. It’s nice, inlaid with silver stars and moons. Pretty.”
“I hope they didn’t forget something valuable.”
Orville flipped the box open.
“That’s weird. It’s a note addressed to you, and something wrapped in tissue paper.”
“What does it say?”
Orville unfolded the note and read it.
Dear Sophia, in this box you will find a small token of my appreciation for everything you and Orville have done. It’s from Elysian, something the Shadow King gave me. He said he found it in a cave, but he wouldn’t say where. I was going to take it with us, but had the strangest feeling last night that I should give it to you. The Shadow King taught me to listen to those feelings, so the ring is yours.
With best wishes and eternal gratitude,
Aislin
“Whoa, this is a nice ring, it looks really old, like some of the rings they have at the museum. It looks kind of familiar, like I’ve seen it before somewhere.”
“The stone is beautiful, look how it sparkles and reflects the light.”
Orville studied the orange stone, turning it slowly.
“I don’t think it’s reflecting the light.”
He cupped the ring in his paws, holding it up for Sophia to see.
“You’re right, the light is coming from inside the ring. That’s odd.”
“Let’s look at it in the coat closet.”
Orville and Sophia squeezed into the hall closet, their eyes on the glowing orange ring.
“Whoa, what is this thing?”
The ring was shining brightly, pinpoints of light moving across the walls and ceiling.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I don’t think you should wear it until someone looks at it. It’s from Elysian, we have no idea what it might do.”
“You’re right, we should have Master Marloh look at it, maybe show it to Mirus Mouse. He knows a lot about old technology. I’m getting a strange feeling about it.”
“Let’s not show it to them just yet, I’m not ready for another adventure. I need to relax, have some quiet time, enjoy our new house. I’ve had enough excitement for a while. Proto said there’s a new pastry shop near the Book Emporium. He said they make snapberry pie. We should stop by there tomorrow for lunch.”
“You’re right, we should wait. It’ll be fun, give us time to paint all the rooms in our new house, maybe put in new wood floors, and the kitchen definitely needs some work, a new stove
for sure. I was thinking a warm yellow color for the living room, maybe wide alternating stripes, nice and cheery during the long winters. Pale green for the bedroom would be nice, that’s a calming color. I noticed the window in the back room is cracked, so we’ll need to replace the glass. What color do you want to paint the kitchen?”
“Um… on second thought, this ring could be really important, maybe we shouldn’t wait. Let’s take it over to Mirus and see what he says.”
Sophia grinned in the dark, trying not to laugh. She put her arms around Orville and kissed him.
“I like the way you think, Orville Wellington Mouse.”
Chapter 45
Treasure
“I still can’t believe Aislin and Ebenezer gave us their house.”
“The only house in Muridaan Falls with a Metaphonium. Think of all the worlds we can visit.”
“Not the ones with giant centipedes.”
Sophia smiled, her eyes on the rolling blue sea, the sound of screeching gulls filling the air, thirteen sails snapping in the brisk ocean breeze, the three masted ship plowing through the azure blue waters.
“You named your ship ‘The Sophia’?”
“After my truest love, just like Captain Tobias did.”
“I like this dream.”
“So do I. Do you think this eye patch makes me look too scary?”
“Not scary exactly, but sort of like a pirate.”
“It’s kind of hard to tell how far away things are when I’m wearing it. I think I’ll take it off.”
“You’ll still look like a pirate with that three cornered hat.”
Sophia gazed up at the crisp white billowing sails, squinting her eyes in the bright sunlight.
“Did I tell you about the watch Captain Tobias gave me?”
“What about it?”
“It turns out it’s not identical to the one Papa has.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I took off the front cover I found something etched inside it.”
