The Golden Guitar of Silver Strings: Part Three

      "And there I am," the traveler pointed to herself and smiled. "I was the most beautiful girl in the entire town. They used to call me Lolu the Beautiful."

      "So your name is Lolu," Tabatha said, digesting the information. She added, "What a pretty name. It fits you perfectly."

      "As does your name!" Lolu was serious once again. "You carry the name of the strongest of our nation!"

      The crystal ball slowly changed to show the village being overrun by huge, fearsome looking pets on the backs of giant Eyries. As they thundered through the marketplace, the villagers stood terrified on the sidelines.

      "Those are the knights of 'The Black Magic," Lula began. "They were the enemies."

      Tabatha watched as a small Cybunny suddenly crawled out from under a street vendor's cart and began to play guitar. It was the golden guitar! The Cybunny did not seem at all frightened by the knights trampling through the village and continued to play the music.

      "You see, that is Tabatha. She was the leader of our invaded country village, then called Taps, but we later changed our name to 'The Tabatha' after she saved us. And see that guitar? That is your guitar now. You see, you were not named Tabatha for nothing! You are meant to lead us into freedom…" Lolu smiled.

      "The Tabatha isn't free right now? What is happening?" Tabatha was still transfixed with the crystal. She watched as the dark knights ran right by the Cybunny playing guitar.

      "No Tabatha, we are not free. We are once again in a war and we need your help. Only a true Tabatha can save us, and you are just that. That guitar has magical powers. When played the right notes, it can cause the strongest army to fall weak! That Cybunny playing the guitar… was your grandmother. Her name was Tabatha, along with your mother and with you." Lolu looked deeply at Tabatha.

      "You knew my mother? Well then can you tell me this… why did my mother leave me?"

      "You see, she did not want to leave you. But it was her duty to protect The Tabatha because we were in another war not too long ago. I am sorry to say that she is not here with us today." Lolu had a tear drip down her cheek.

      Tabatha was crushed. Years she had waited to see her mother and now her dreams were completely shattered. Everything she had hoped for was gone. Her faith was lost. Tears swelled in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

      "Tabatha, I know it is hard for you to go on now, but please do this. Do this for your mother."

      "I will," said Tabatha behind tears. "I will do my best."

          * * * * *

      Lolu brought Tabatha to a similar village as the one that she saw in the crystal ball. The streets and shops were a little more modern than the crystal ball village, but there were still the same types of citizens. No one looked scared or frightened, and there weren't any black knights anywhere!

      "I thought you told me that the knights were coming?" Tabatha said.

      "They are," Lolu explained, "but they don't know it. Ah my child, not everyone has the convenience of a crystal ball." Lolu chuckled. "Now, before anything happens, I should show you the notes to play."

      Lolu brought out a small flute from her back pocket. She played four notes. Each one sounded more beautiful than the next. Tabatha tried the same. But on the guitar, the notes were beyond amazing! The two each tried the notes a few more times, in unison, and then began to walk again.

      "So, how can a few notes scare away dark knights?" asked Tabatha.

      "You see, that is not any guitar, as you may believe. That guitar is magical. With those four notes, all of our enemies see their greatest fear right before their eyes! If one is afraid of Spyders, he will imagine hundreds of Spyders crawling on the roads of the town!"

      Tabatha still did not understand how a guitar could do such a thing, but she continued to walk down the dirt road of the town without inquiring further. The village looked perfectly normal. There were bakers selling hot and sweet bread that you could smell a mile away. There was a young Shoyru trying to sell 'The Neopian Times'. Tabatha went over to the boy to buy a copy.

      Just as she was handing the Shoyru the money, she heard a scream. It was high pitched and louder than anything she had ever heard before. Tabatha soon found out that it was actually a town alarm ringing as loud as it could. The knights of The Black Magic were coming. Tabatha panicked. All she could do was sit and wait.

      At the sign of the first knight, Tabatha was ready to pick up her guitar and start playing. Lolu told her it would be best if instead she waited for them to fill the village; that way she could scare them away all at once.

          * * * * *

      The Black Knights were pouring into the village. Each one of them had a sword, a shield, and was sitting on top of a gigantic Eyrie. There were hundreds of them.

      Hear we go! Tabatha thought to herself.

      Then everything all happened at once. She played the correct notes, and the terrible knights and Eyries ran swiftly out of the village. On the way out, one of the huge Eyries, as if ignoring Tabatha completely, plowed right into her. Tabatha blacked out, and woke up many hours later, in an unfamiliar house.

      Then she saw her. A beautiful blue Cybunny; her mother.

      Tabatha couldn't breathe. Her mother was standing right in front of her while she had thought she had been dead! Lolu was there too.

      "Ok," Lolu started before Tabatha could comment. "So I lied about your mother dying, but I had to keep you motivated somehow!"

      Tabatha sighed with relief and went over to hug her mother. As she did, the younger Cybunny began to cry.

      "How come you never came to get me?" Tabatha questioned.

      "I wanted to, really I did!" her mother exclaimed. "But it wasn't that easy. I was told that you had to grow up on your own until you found the guitar. I thought it might take about six years for you to find it… but I guess I hid it too hard. I am so sorry."

      "Mom, don't be. I know it was for my own good, and without what happened, I never would have been able to come to the village." Tabatha was crying harder. "I'm just so glad to be home!"

      Tabatha and her mother left the village and went back to the city were she used to live. Tabatha thought about showing her mom The Center and how everything had burned down, but she decided against it, and the two simply walked past the charred remains. Tabatha didn't want to bring back bad memories, after all.

      As they continued down the street, now way beyond The Center, Tabatha suddenly noticed an adorable little house. It had blue windows with a green trim. The outside wood that covered the house was a yellowish white. The roof was brown and the door was purple. It looked like a perfect home to live in. And Tabatha suddenly remembered the place- nothing had changed!

      "I know where we are," Tabatha started. "This is our house!"

      "No." Her mother smiled. "This is our home."

      The two walked in. It all came back to her, every last detail. Tabatha remembered the kitchen. She remembered the smell of homemade cookies. She remembered her room. She remembered the pink walls and the squeaky sink. Tabatha remembered the yellow sofa and the leaky ceiling and the pink chair! She remembered everything. There was still the stain on the grey rug. Out of the ten cups in the kitchen, the four were still chipped. It was as if she never had left! She started to cry.

      "Tabatha, what's the matter?" her mother asked.

      "It's just… it's just that it's too good to be true!" she hugged her mother and her tears stopped. "I love you Mom."

      Her mother smiled and hugged her back, "I love you too Tabatha."

      Tabatha froze. She had forgotten about the golden guitar!

      "Mom, I have to go get it! I just have to! I left the golden guitar with Lolu!"

      "No," her mom said, "you don't need to because I am having her bring it over." A huge grin spread across both Tabatha and her mother's face.

          * * * * *

      There was a gentle knock on the door.

      "I'll get it!" yelled Tabatha.

      Although she had been expecting her, Tabatha was still surprised when she opened the door to find Lolu, and the precious guitar! She picked up the guitar from Lolu's hands and looked at all the engravings. Everything was still there… Hopper, Buttercup, Thumpy, and even Chip! Her name was still written in golden ink on the silver strings.

      "Thank you," she said and hugged Lolu. "Really. Not for bringing this, but for all your help. You were kind of like my mother in a way when I thought mine had died. Thanks."

      Tabatha looked at the beautiful guitar. There she saw a small Cybunny hopping around in the flowered meadow. He looked up.

      Well, hello there!"

The End