The sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky as Connor flew gently through the air, making his way to Canterlot. He had received a message from Celestia earlier in the morning requesting his presence in Canterlot. The letter gave no details, only that he was urgently needed. After finishing his breakfast and kissing his fiancée goodbye, he made his way over.
Landing in front of the main castle entrance, he walked up the steps and greeted the guards on duty.
"Hey guys," he said, repositioning his goggles to around his forehead.
"Hey Connor, go on in," one of the guards replied, "The Princess is waiting in the throne room."
"Thanks."
The doors opened and Connor walked in. Within a minute he was at the throne room doors which were already open. Walking straight in, he saw Celestia sat upon her throne, talking to her Private Secretary, Black Rod. Hearing Connor's footsteps, Celestia looked up and smiled delightfully at the sight of her friend.
"Connor, I'm delighted you could make it," she said as she embraced him in a hug.
"Same here, but I am curious as to what is so urgent."
"Yes, I'm sure you are; so let's not waste time and go down to the laboratories."
"Why?"
"You'll find out when we get there my little human."
Celestia stood up from her throne and made her way to the throne room doors, turning back to Black Rod on the way, "You may take the rest of the day off."
"Thank you ma'am," he replied, "Good day to you ma'am."
"Good day to you too Black Rod," Celestia replied.
Black Rod left Connor and the Princess by walking out through a side entrance reserved for Palace staff and the Princesses. Turning back to Connor, Celestia's cheery smile lit up the room once more, "You're looking resplendent as usual in your flightsuit Connor."
"Thanks, I wasn't going to wear one today but they're a lot easier to fly in."
"How are things at home?"
"Great. Spitfire's still as ecstatic as ever over the wedding."
"I understand you have informed her parents."
"Yeah, it's already been a week since then."
"How did they take it?"
"Pleased......mostly."
"Mostly?"
"Spitfire's father and brothers were understandably irked, but Stormy Flare assured them there was nothing to worry about."
"That's good to hear."
"Are we still good to have the ceremony here at the castle?"
"Of course you are, I won't revoke the offer Connor."
"It's just that Spitfire and I first met at the castle, it feels like the most appropriate place."
"I understand Connor. Is Luna still your choice to officiate the wedding?"
"Yes, you're not offended are you?" Connor asked nervously. He and Spitfire did plan to ask Celestia, but given that Celestia has officiated over weddings in the past, and Luna is still struggling to gain ponies' trust, Luna seemed the ideal choice; that and Connor is her student and one of her first real friends.
"Not at all, I fully support your choice and I guarantee that Luna will be as happy as the bride."
"I'll ask her when she wakes up, then she can talk to Rarity about a dress for the occasion, if she's interested."
"She will be Connor, I guarantee it. How is you wedding attire coming along?"
"I'm definitely wearing a suit of sorts. I was thinking something with reds and oranges with a draping cloak, something resembling fire."
"Sounds interesting. What does Rarity think?"
"She says she'll see what she can do."
"What about Spitfire?"
"I've no idea what her dress will be like, and Rarity won't tell me. Apparently I have to wait until the wedding day itself BUT before anyone asks, no I will NOT wear a dress. Just because the ancient Roman men did doesn't mean I will....again."
"Ancient Roman men wore dresses?"
"Well not quite, skirts would be more accurate. They saw trouser wearing as a sign of barbarism. Anyway, I WILL be wearing a suit."
"If you insist Connor, but speaking of outfits, I assume you will be wearing the 'Assassin' outfit for tonight?"
"Tonight?" Connor asked confused.
"Have you forgotten my little human? Tonight is the opening night of Swan Lake. I believe you promised you would attend."
Connor went wide eyed on fear and his breathing stopped. How could he have forgotten? The very thought of attending a ballet made him shudder. The formality of the occasion, the dreary venue, boring attire, the snobby attendees....he could think of many things he'd rather do than attend any ballet. He'd even rather try on a whole wardrobe of dresses made by Rarity than attend a ballet performance.
His head sinking low, he sighed; deflated and defeated, "Yeah, I did. How long will the torture last?"
"Oh don't be like that Connor," Celestia replied gently, "Just give it a chance. Have you even been to a ballet before?"
"Yes, once, and it's an experience I hoped I'd never go through again."
"Well maybe this time you will enjoy it."
"I doubt it."
Nothing more was said as they continued walking to the labs, a journey that took them into the more secure areas of the castle. Walking down a set of stone steps down a narrow corridor, Celestia opened a reinforced wooden door and walked in, followed by Connor.
Upon entering, Connor saw a typical laboratory with various tables with experiments set up on each of them. Bottles with all manners of liquids were stacked on shelves along with complicated set ups involving test tubes, Bunsen burners, graphite rods, beakers, flasks, filter funnels and so on. Various ponies were working on several experiments, but what exactly elided Connor.
"What is it you were wanting to show me?"
"It's in another room," Celestia replied, "If you'd follow me."
Connor did so and they came to another door. Opening the door and walking down another narrow corridor they came to an open doorway revealing another lab, but this time the lab seemed to pertain to Physics rather than Chemistry. Looking around the room, it didn't take long for Connor to notice a large object obscured by a blanket.
"What's under there?"
"This is what I wanted you to see," Celestia replied, a glint of glee in her eyes.
Lighting up her horn, she quickly pulled the covers away, revealing the object. Seeing the object before him caused Connor to freeze with shock and take his breath away. He tried to form a response but his words came out as little more than utterances. Noting his shock, Celestia walked over and gently placed a hoof on his shoulder, "What the matter Connor? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"You could say that," Connor replied quietly.
"What do you mean? Do you know what this is?"
Connor nodded his head, "Yeah, yeah I do."
There was a few moments of silence as Connor tried to process what he was seeing and the possible outcomes it presented. Curious at Connor's reaction, Celestia enquired further.
"Connor, what is it?"
"It's something from my world. It's a type of vehicle called a car, specifically a 4x4. This particular one is a Range Rover L405, or more specifically.......it's my dad's."
Celestia's eyes went as wide as dinner plates, "Your father's?!"
Connor nodded, "Yes......how long has it been here?"
"It appeared in the Whitetail Woods during your second night in Las Pegasus I believe. Arch Mage didn't want to risk bringing it here sooner until he could thoroughly examine the magical field in the area. As soon as he deemed it safe, he had it brought here under extreme secrecy."
"So secret it was deemed I wasn't to be informed sooner?" Connor asked, a trace of venom in his voice.
Wincing from the verbal venom, Celestia gently placed a hoof on Connor's shoulder, "I'm afraid I am to blame for that. I didn't want to risk the press finding out and having the Whitetail Woods swarmed with over eager press ponies getting in the way of the investigation team. That, and I didn't want to distract from you from your engagement."
"So why tell me about this now?"
"Because the investigators are sensing another build up of magic. And this time, they believe it will be much bigger than before."
"How much bigger?"
"Several times the size of your dad's car."
"You think something else might be coming over from my world?"
"That is our hypothesis."
Sighing deeply and rubbing his face with his hands, the prospect of what Celestia was saying quickly dawned on him. Something from his world would most likely be coming to Equestria. Maybe his family would be coming next time. That very thought gave him a glimmer of hope that he may get to see them again.
But before he could get bogged down with wishful hopefulness, he moved to the present situation.
"Speaking of teleporting, I'm assuming Arch Mage teleported the car in?"
"Yes, but we are having difficulty trying to get inside the car itself."
"You'd need the keys to unlock the doors, which I don't have."
"Yes, the scientists were quite.....startled, when they attempted to force the door."
"The alarm went off didn't it?" Connor asked, barely holding back snickering.
Celestia nodded, frowning unamused, "It gave them quite a fright."
"So....what now?"
"As you are unable to gain access yourself, there is little more than we can do, but this....vehicle....will remain here for the time being, where it is more secure, but I will allow you access whenever you so wish to come here."
"Fair enough, but there is one thing I'd like to ask?"
"Yes?"
Connor was going to leave it, but changed his mind as the question would only gnaw at him in the coming weeks, disturbing his sleep and studies.
"If my dad's car is here, what are the chances of my family arriving also? Except for my mother they would be taken from everything they've ever known. As much as I want to see them again, I'm not so selfish that I want them taken from everything and everyone they know. But, if my sisters have grown wings like me, Equestria might be a more suitable place for them."
"I honestly do not know Connor. There is still a lot we do not know about magic, they might come, they might not."
"So we'll just have to wait and see?"
"I'm afraid so, but let's not worry about it. Come my little human, let's go to the garden and have a nice cup of tea."
"OK, but you will let me know if anything comes up, right?"
"Of course. Just one thing Celestia?"
"Yes?"
"You can't unlock the doors on the car?"
"That is correct."
"Sooooooo.....why not just teleport inside?"
Around the room, the assembled ponies began looking at one another; embarrassed at overlooking such a simple solution. Many went back to their experiments, pretending they hadn't heard. Celestia meanwhile, after looking at her embarrassed ponies, looked back to Connor looking and feeling a little silly herself.
"We may have overlooked that option," she said, scuffing the floor with her hoof.
MEANWHILE ON EARTH
Bellatrix, Connor's oldest sister, walked into the front room; concern etched all over her face.
"Mum, have you seen Elizabeth anywhere? I can't find her."
Star Light was laid on her belly reading the day's newspapers, and without looking up she answered her daughter, "I've not seen her since breakfast. Is she not down at the rabbit hutches? You know how much she loves them."
Bellatrix shook her head, "She's not there, nor is she in her room or the conservatory."
Star Light looked up, "Well she can't have gotten far. We are under close protection, remember?"
Bellartrix rolled her eyes, "Yes, 'protection'; it's not at all like we're prisoners being held here against our will."
"Don't be like that Bella, you know why we have to remain here."
"For how much longer though? Because I am NOT spending the rest of my life cooped up in this house!"
"We won't Bella."
"How would you know?"
"Bella please," Star Light pleaded, "Please don't start arguing, I'm worried enough as it is about Connor."
Sighing and walking over to her mother, Bella sat down and gave her a hug, "Sorry mum, we're all worried; but the thought I might never have a 'normal' life again......."
"I know how you fell darling, when I first came to this world and before I turned into a human, I wondered the same thing. I thought that I might never see daylight ever again."
"You thought you'd be kept inside a science lab all the time?"
Star Light nodded.
"That wouldn't have happened, Dad wouldn't have allowed it."
"He would have had he been ordered to."
"Are you sure about that?" Bella asked, sceptically raising an eyebrow.
"Point taken. Alexander does seem to disregard rules when they inconvenience him. Something one of his daughters seems to have inherited," Star Light said, looking knowingly at Bella.
"What? Are you suggesting I take after dad when it comes to obeying the rules?" Bella asked, aghast that her mother would dare imply such a thing.
"I'm not suggesting, I'm making an observation."
"Name one time when I ignored the rules because they 'inconvenienced' me."
"You have six points on your driving licence for multiple speeding violations."
"Apart from that," Bella replied, rolling her eyes at hearing that for the umpteenth time.
"You got a ban from the park for refusing to keep off the grass."
"Well that's a stupid rule, if you put a sign up saying 'keep off the grass' then people are going to walk on the grass just because they don't like being told what to do. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!"
"Then there was the time you was suspended from school calling that teacher a 'fat cow'."
"She tried to confiscate my Mars bar. There was no rule against having them, she just wanted to have it for herself. And I didn't call her a fat cow."
"'Yeah I bet you want me to hand this over, wouldn't you fatty, shove it down that massive hole in your face. Are all cows as fat as you?', that is what you said, is it not?"
"Like I said, I didn't call her a fat cow."
"Not directly, no."
"Anyway, I seem to recall you were slightly amused at what I said; you never liked her anyway."
"True, what happened to her anyway?"
"She was made redundant a few years later, and I missed out on her going away party. Connor would know more, he was there for it; he couldn't stand her either."
"Well, when we see him again I'll ask him."
"You think we will see him again?"
"Yes, I've always believed I will, and see Equestria again for that matter. Now, would you like your wings preening? They're looking a little tattered."
"There's a question I doubt I'll ever get used to being asked," Bella replied, turning around so her right side was facing Star Light, and opened the cyan blue right wing out slightly, allowing Star Light to properly preen them.
Star Light giggled, "I felt a similar way when Alex asked if I wanted foot massages. Speaking of your father, where is he?"
"He's in the garage."
"He's still doing impressions of George Banks?"
"Yep. Good thing there isn't a fireplace in the garage."
Star Light rolled her eyes, "Why am I not surprised? Anyway, what about Angela? Where is she?"
"In the kitchen still, making a mess. Apparently we're all in need of some cakes."
"We are indeed a strange family," Star Light sighed.
BACK IN EQUESTRIA
Spitfire was drinking tea with Rarity inside the fashionista's boutique, having completed the final sketch of Spitfire's wedding dress. The floor length sleeveless dress which would be in traditional white, had a train about three feet long which wrapped around at the waist before forming into a three tiers skirt. The dress's neckline went over both shoulders to form a v-neck style neckline, leaving room for a necklace to be on full view. A floral headband consisting of white roses made up the headpiece, complete with shoes which fastened using straps that went up the legs to the knees/elbows.
"How long will it take to make?" asked Spitfire, looking over the sketches.
"It will be done in time for the wedding, don't worry."
"How much?"
"I would do this for free, but I get the feeling that I may have to concede defeat to Connor this time."
"We just feel we should pay you for the time and effort you put into it, you can't make a living by doing things for free all the time."
"I suppose not, but could I at least offer a discount?"
"Go ahead."
"Thank you darling, I estimate that including discount the dress will cost roughly 18,000 bits. That includes labour and cost of materials."
"18,000 bits?" Spitfire repeated, slightly shocked.
"Yes, but remember the dress is made from a very exquisite silk-like material, I could make the dress with a different material to reduce the price but-"
"No, the material will be fine. I'll be back in a few days anyway with my mother, sister and the Wonderbolt mares."
"Bridesmaid dresses?" Rarity guessed.
"Yep, that should be enough to keep you busy for a few days. And leave you laughing all the way to the bank."
"All those spa days I'll be able to have," Rarity said dreaming, excited of all the pamperings she'd be able to indulge in after the massive pay day, "Anyway, a few weeks is more likely, now, come darling, I feel like a spa treatment and I'm taking you with me."
"Sure, I guess my wings could do with a massage."
"You need a hooficure more than anything."
Spitfire lifted a hoof to examine it, and noted the rough and cracked surface, "Yeah I guess so, it'll be from all the rough landings."
"Haven't you thought about having your own masseuse?"
"We would, but it's finding one that can work at our high standards, walk on clouds and not get carried away working with the Wonderbolts. That and there's the pressure in making sure we're all able to perform at peak efficiency as often as possible."
"Who oversees your physical health at the moment?"
"We have a team doctor, but he's not a licensed masseuse."
"Well, we can ask Aloe and Vera, they may be able to recommend somepony."
Rarity placed the sketches into a lock box and placed a powerful protective spell over it to deter would-be thieves or nosy husbands-to-be. Spitfire followed Rarity out of the boutique and headed towards the Spa, the sunlight gently warming Spitfire's fur and illuminating it in all its radiant glory.
"You seem to enjoy being out in the sun," Rarity commented, "I can't say I blame you, your fur looks beautiful in weather like this."
"Thanks. I do try to take care of it the best I can. Connor helps occasionally, particularly when it comes to my flanks."
Rarity groaned and rolled her eyes, "A stallion who likes getting his hooves, or hands on Connor's case, on a mare's flanks...imagine my shock."
Spitfire shared a small laugh, "Yeah, but he's not a jerk about it; he's careful to do it properly. And his hands are better than hooves when to comes to my wings. Those nimble fingers of his, especially when he scratches right behind the ears......"
Spitfire went a little wide eyed in embarrassment and looked to Rarity, the latter of whom was biting her hoof trying to refrain from laughing.
"What?!" Spitfire spluttered, her cheeks bright red, "Do you have any idea what it feels like to have fingers scratch you right behind your ears?"
"I take it is simply divine?"
"Divine? I feel like putty in his hands!"
"You two truly are in love. Where is he by the way?"
"He was summoned to the castle by the Princess, but why I don't know."
"We'll have to ask him later, in the meantime.....the spa awaits."
MEANWHILE IN VANHOOVER
Cara and Theo stood side by side as work ponies installed display cabinets, tables and chairs in their new Downtown Vanhoover store. Originally it was going to be Cara's first fudge shop outside of Cloudsdale, but after meeting Theo and getting well acquainted, they decided to have a joint venture and have a fudge AND chocolate shop.
"I can't wait to see it when it's finished," Cara said, watching on.
"Same here. I never thought that I'd be back on my hooves so quickly, especially after how much I lost."
Cara smiled sweetly and nuzzled Theo's cheeks, "And the funny thing is you stand to gain more than you had before."
Theo laughed a little, "It's a funny world we live in. And to think, I may not have been in this position had your brother not been in Las Pegasus, who was there himself for other reasons that could have been avoided."
"A blessing in disguise."
The pair continued to watch as work ponies continued to put up display cabinets, both optimistic for the future.
As they continued to watch however, Theo felt something repeatedly hitting his flank. Looking over to what it was, he saw the brown tail of Cara swishing about excitedly. Seeing out of the corner of her eye what he was looking at, she looked behind her and saw her tail acting like it had a mind of her own. Eyes widening in shock and going red in the cheeks, she shot a hoof back and grabbed hold of her tail.
"Sorry," she said, blushing profusely.
"No problem," Theo replied, blushing a little himself.
Several seconds of awkward silence passed as the pair tried to ignore what just happened.
"Would you-" they both said simultaneously.
"I'd like-" they said simultaneously again.
"You first," Cara said, pointing at Theo with a hoof.
Theo's blush reddened as he summoned up the courage to ask, "I-I w-was w-wondering, i-if that's OK, if y-you'd like t-to go for a c-coffee?"
Cara smiled sweetly and gave Theo a quick peck on the cheeks, "I'd love to."
Cara walked out of the store, leaving a stunned Theo standing for a few seconds. A huge grin slowly formed and he soon turned around and began happily chasing after Cara, leaving the work ponies to carry on furnishing the store.
MEANWHILE IN THE WHITETAIL WOODS
A solitary figure with light blue, feathery wings slowly woke up and examined her surroundings, slowly realising she wasn't where she was before.
"Where am I?"