//------------------------------// // The Seventh Day: Terminus // Story: You Do (Not) Belong // by 2dextreem //------------------------------// You Do (Not) Belong The Seventh Day: Terminus With a shrill whistle, the nightly train coming across the main track to Canterlot slowly pulled into the station. This late at night -- or early in the morning, depending on who you ask -- it would have been surprising to see any passengers at all aboard aside from deliveries of mail and various other cargo. But tonight was no ordinary night, and the ones on this train were no ordinary passengers. Just as the two ponies awaiting them at the station weren’t just any old ponies. A brief blast of steam accompanied the metallic grinding of the brakes as the train came to a halt. The doors to the passenger car opened, the first to step out being Applejack, and as she came forward followed closely behind by her friends, one look around from under the rim of her hat told her that they weren’t alone. The farm pony’s face lit up with recognition. “Hey, Twi. Look who’s here,” she called over her shoulder to the lavender unicorn who had just stepped off the train. “Huh?” Twilight said back, confused, until she too looked around and spotted who her friend was talking about. She blinked, her mouth falling open slightly. “Hey, Twiley!” shouted one of the ponies who was waiting for them: none other than the Captain of the Royal Guard himself and Twilight’s own brother, Shining Armor. He was decked out in his typical suit of gleaming purple armor, minus the helmet, allowing his cerulean and sapphire blue mane to run free. A wide grin splitting his muzzle, he was waving one of his hooves vigorously, while the pony standing beside him maintained a more reserved, yet no-less happy expression. It was a pony that Twilight had only recently been reacquainted with, but of whom she still held in the highest regard aside from perhaps Shining or Celestia: Princess Mi Amore Cadenza -- “Cadence” for short. The Princess’ mane, tail, and bright pink body were unadorned, except for her short golden crown, the small gold brooch she often wore, and her crystal heart cutie mark. Being an alicorn like her aunts, she possessed a similar build, though her height was a factor more in line with common ponies, to the point where she stood only a few inches taller than her husband. Twilight, surprised and elated at this unexpected reunion, immediately broke into a gallop, rushing over to greet the recently married couple. Smiling from ear to ear, she then turned to face Cadence, and with a look of silent acknowledgement between them, they started in on their customary greeting; one they had shared since many years past when Twilight merely knew her as a beloved foalsitter. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake!” they spoke in tandem, going through motions that felt as ingrained as breathing. “Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Shining couldn’t fight the urge to roll his eyes at the behavior of his little sister and darling wife as they finished their ritual by gayly shaking their behinds at each other. The two didn’t seem to mind in the slightest, however, and they both devolved into a fit of laughter as they moved to embrace. “Oh, it’s so nice to see you again, Twilight,” Cadence said sweetly. “I know it’s only been two weeks since the wedding, but it’s felt like ages.” “Same here,” Twilight replied as the two of them separated. “You two must have so many things to tell me about your honeymoon! When did you get back? Wait, before you answer that, how did you even know we’d be coming?” “We got back just yesterday, and it was Auntie Celestia who suggested we meet you all at the station.” The alicorn gave Twilight a mysterious look. “And you’re right, there’s plenty that we need to get caught up on, isn’t there?” Twilight’s eyes turned down to the side, and her ears pulled back a little. “Yeah… How much do you know?” “The Princess told us what she could, including everything that just happened in Ponyville,” Shining explained before his focus was dragged from his sister over to the train, where a blank-flanked, maroon-red unicorn stallion was carefully stepping down onto the train platform. “So, is that him?” Twilight turned to follow his gaze, and nodded. “...Yes, that’s Connor.” Shining then cleared his throat while pulling at his armor to adjust it slightly. “Well, I guess we should introduce ourselves, huh?” Together, the three ponies made their way to the edge of the platform where Connor stood among the others, taking in his surroundings. He noticed the royal pair right away when the unicorn captain pulled ahead with a friendly smile on his face. “Hey there, I’m Shining Armor. Nice to finally meet you,” Shining said in greeting, casually holding out a hoof. Looking back and forth between the pony’s outstretched hoof and the six-pointed magenta emblem on the breast of his armor, Connor took a second to register the name, knowing that he’d heard it somewhere before. The realization dawned on him quickly, at the same time that he realized Shining was inviting him to shake hooves. “Uh, yeah… I’m Connor. You’re Twilight’s brother, aren’t you?” Connor responded hesitantly, taking his right hoof off the ground and placing it on Shining’s, who shook it; a gesture that felt even more out of place without a hand to grasp with. Next, Connor looked to the pink pony standing beside him. With her horn and wings signifying her status, it didn’t take long for him to guess who she was. “And you must be Princess... Cadence?” The Princess’ eyebrows raised in surprise. “That's right. How did you know? I don’t believe we’ve met before.” Connor coughed, averting his eyes. “Yeah, well… Twilight’s told me a lot about you guys. Congratulations, by the way,” he added as an afterthought. “Why, thank you,” Cadence replied, beaming at him while she leaned slightly against her husband. “Cadence, darling, how was your honeymoon?” asked Rarity. “Less eventful than the wedding, surely?” The alicorn let out a slight giggle. “No changelings, if that’s what you mean.” Rainbow Dash was the next to chime in. “What’d you guys do? Hang-gliding? Surfing? I hear Colta Rica’s got the best wave action in the entire Mareibbean Sea!” “Oh, rest assured, we did all that and more,” Shining said, seemingly prepared to dive into a more in-depth description of the fortnight’s activities. A short clearing of the throat from the alicorn beside him made drew his attention, however, and he looked to see Cadence toss a glance in Connor’s direction, reminding him of the more urgent task at hoof. “Right… I guess that can wait till later.” “Celestia and Luna are expecting us at the castle. We shouldn’t keep them waiting,” Cadence explained. “If you like, we can get caught up on the way there.” “Sounds good,” said Twilight. “You ready, Connor?” Connor looked at Twilight, then to the road ahead. Gazing upwards, he could see where the tall spires of Canterlot Palace peeked up over the rooftops of the city’s other buildings. It seemed so distant… and yet, he knew he was only that much closer to the point of no return. And he was still utterly at a loss as to what he should do when he got there. “...Yeah, I’m ready,” he lied. “Let’s go.” “Lead the way, Your Highnesses!” Pinkie spoke up as she bowed down in an unserious manner. Both Cadence and Shining took up the front, with Twilight quickly cantering up beside them while everypony else stayed close behind. Connor tried to keep up as best as he could, though keeping his concentration on placing one hoof in front of the next meant that he wasn’t particularly paying attention to what the others were saying as Shining and Cadence went into detail about their vacation. That, and the fact that he was also getting his first (and perhaps, only) up-close look at Canterlot, and there was so much to take in. Less than a minute later, the group was making their way out of the train station exit and into the city proper. And what a city it was. Out of the handful of big cities Connor had ever been to; New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, etc, none of them could compare to the royal capital of Equestria. The magnificent view from the castle’s observatory room gave him a good first impression, but actually walking through Canterlot’s immaculate streets, he could truly appreciate just how amazing this place was. Opulence was the theme here; everywhere Connor looked simply exuded class and high society. The dark green cobblestone streets were absolutely spotless and free of clutter, lending a greater impression of space between the buildings, which themselves left very little to be desired. Bleached white stone facades decorated liberally with gold trim, colorful banners, and richly-hued gemstones polished to perfection. Marble pony statues that looked nearly identical to the real thing, wall-hanging floral arrangements of fragrant and exotic flowers, and grand fountains full of crystal-clear water could be seen from every vantage point. The sheer amount of wealth and sophistication on display was mind-boggling to the small-town former human. But while Connor was taken in by the sights, there was something else that couldn’t escape his notice, and that was the other ponies also out on the town. While everyone else back in Ponyville surely must have been asleep, the night life in Canterlot was still very much alive, and there was no shortage of smartly-dressed ponies strolling around beneath the bright city streetlights. And what was most notable to him was the fact that they all paid him next to no attention at all. If anything, Princess Cadence, (Prince) Shining Armor, and their entourage of world-saving pseudo-celebrities were the ones turning heads. Nopony cared about the boring, blank-flanked stallion wearing a saddlebag that was picking up the rear. In a way, the anonymity of it all was kind of refreshing. Anonymity… Yeah, right. Say goodbye to that, Connor inwardly remarked, reminded of the fact that being a pony in Equestria was the farthest thing from being a big deal. But if he returned to Earth… He could imagine all sorts of possibilities upon his return, none of them enticing in the slightest. An honest-to-goodness alien creature with the mind of a human and the body of a colorful unicorn in a world where such things were the domain of pure fiction. A creature with the potential -- if not the immediate capability -- to use actual magic. How would he be treated? There was always the classic “Men in Black” scenario; black-bagged and spirited away to some clandestine government facility to be poked and prodded like a science experiment. And if not that, then there were still natural and ethical considerations to be made. As a sentient nonhuman, was he subject to the same rights and restrictions as normal people? Was he still an American citizen? Would his parents need to zone their property for livestock? It sounded nuts, but these were things that Connor was honestly thinking about as he desperately weighed the pros and cons. Even if he was able to clear those kinds of hurdles and make a life for himself, what kind of living would that be? He was living proof of the existence of other worlds -- other universes. Provided he didn’t live like a hermit, he would probably attain the status of a super celebrity the likes of which he’d only ever seen on TV. That is, if he wasn’t simultaneously condemned by every religious and scientific institution that saw his existence as a threat to their very ways of thinking. Every second of every day, he would have cameras following him around. He would never be left alone. Was it really worth going back if that was what awaited him on the other side? Or was he just blowing things way out of proportion? The uncertainty of it all was well on its way to fraying the bundle of nerves Connor had managed to scrape together since his transformation, and it was made all the more stressful by his rapidly closing window of opportunity. Caught up in his own thinking, Connor wasn’t paying attention as he slowly fell further behind the others. He also didn’t notice when he started focusing on the ground in front of him at the expense of his spatial awareness. A rude reminder of this abruptly came as he was blindsided by another pony moving in a different direction. With a startled yelp, Connor was thrown off his balance and tossed to the ground, bumping his head in the process. “Hey, watch where you’re going!” said an angry, haughty voice, coming from the unicorn aristocrat now standing over Connor’s prone body. The dark-blue stallion contemptibly glared at Connor as he dusted off his crisp white shirt. “Honestly, the nerve of some ponies! Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself? “I-I’m sorry!” stuttered a confused and startled Connor while he cradled the side of his head. But a simple apology such as that wouldn’t be enough for the other pony as he continued to rail into him. “As well you should be!” the other unicorn sneered. “Know-nothing, backwoods yokels, strutting around as if you own the place. You don’t belong here! Why don’t you just go back to wherever it is you came from!?” “I… I-I…” Connor was struck speechless by this untoward display of animosity. His lower lip trembling, he didn’t know what to do or say next, but thankfully, he didn’t have to. “Excuse me, is there a problem here?” came a pleasant-sounding voice from right behind the aristocrat, and he turned on the spot. “As a matter of fact--” he started to say, until he came face to face with Cadence, who, despite her amiable demeanor, had a cross look in her normally kind eyes. The colt was silent for a few seconds, before he willed himself to step back and lower himself into a short bow in front of the princess. “Why, not at all… Your Highness.” “Then I suggest you be on your way,” said Cadence, as Shining and the rest of Connor’s friends came up behind her, wearing matching expressions. The stallion’s eyes hardened and his spine stiffened, but he didn’t say anything more. With a snort of nonchalance, he turned abruptly and started trotting away without looking back. When he was a fair distance away, Rainbow Dash took a few steps forward before raising an indignant hoof in the air. “Yeah, keep walkin', pal!” Another hoof belonging to Twilight reached out and dragged Rainbow’s down. “Give it a rest, Rainbow. He isn’t worth it.” The pegasus’ wings twitched out of annoyance. “Humph. Got that right. Lousy piece of...” Meanwhile, Shining Armor came up next to Connor and offered his foreleg in support. “Hey, you alright?” he asked. With his ears still pulled back, Connor unsteadily righted himself on the floor before grabbing onto Shining. “Y-yeah… Yeah, I’m fine.” “You sure?” Shining asked again as he pulled Connor back up on his hooves. “I said I’m fine,” Connor quickly retorted, exhaling shakily in a way that wasn’t very convincing. “Can we please just forget about it and keep moving?” A few worried glances were exchanged between the other ponies, but they eventually came to a silent agreement with this. “Alright... We’re almost to the castle, anyway,” said Cadence as she took the lead again. This time, whether they were conscious of it or not, the other ponies all took up position placing Connor at the center of the herd. He appreciated their concern, but honestly, nothing they said or did at this point could help him in his current predicament. He didn’t want to admit it, but that pony’s out-of-line comments had thrown him even further out of sorts, and the dull throbbing from that bump on his head wasn’t making this any easier to deal with. All he could do at this point was to place one hoof in front of the other, marching ever closer to the point of no return. Focusing on keeping his balance was as convenient an excuse as any to keep from thinking about anything else. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four… ------------------------ In what felt like no time at all, Connor’s frame of mind was yanked back to the present with Cadence speaking four simple words: “And here we are.” Connor stopped and looked up, past his friends, at the tall, solid white walls and wrought-iron gates of Canterlot Castle’s perimeter. They loomed intimidatingly over him, representing the final barrier between him and his fate. But it was all an illusion; getting past this final threshold would prove no more difficult than the walk there. Two unicorns of the Royal Guard stood watch at the entrance, vigilant and unmoving. With a clearing of his throat, Shining Armor stepped forward to address them, and they instantly responded with a formal salute. “At ease, soldiers,” their captain told them, and they resumed standing at attention. “Go ahead, open the gates.” “Yes, sir,” said the guards in unison, turning to the side and lighting up their horns. Wrapped in a similar glow, the heavy gates behind them creaked and slid apart to allow the group passage. Once they were safely within the castle courtyard, the gates then closed shut. Past the outer wall, the relative tranquility was a great contrast to the bustling capital they’d passed through. The expansive, open space leading up to the castle itself was empty, save for a few flaming braziers placed along the paved roads to light them -- not that they were necessary, given the lights of the city and the moon and stars high above. For what was about to happen, the less bystanders, the better. As the ponies made their way forward, their destination came into view. Waiting at the steps to the main entrance, around the stone foundation still cracked and broken from Connor’s arrival, were Celestia and Luna, watching them patiently. As soon as the distance between them was closed, they stopped. Connor’s journey was finally at an end. General words of greeting and welcome were exchanged, before finally, Princess Celestia addressed Connor directly. “Well, Connor? Have you come to a decision?” she asked. The red colt looked up at the alicorn and tried to speak, his heart pounding, his mouth dry. “I… I don’t…” Struck by hesitation, Connor swallowed nervously and looked away, causing Celestia to take a few steps forward. “The last thing I want to do is rush you, but time is truly of the essence,” she said, trying to sound sympathetic. “I need your answer.” “...Can’t he just have a few more minutes?” Fluttershy pleaded, more than able to sense to conflict still brewing in her friend. Celestia shook her head. “I cannot give any assurances of how long the impression will last,” she said. “All I can tell you is that it is still present, but it could fade to the point of inefficacy if we wait for too long.” Connor breathed in, mind locking up, desperate for anything to forestall the inevitable. “...How is this going to work, exactly?” “If you decide to go through with this, then it will require a massive influx of magic in a very short time,” Celestia explained. “Luna, Cadence, and I will each provide enough energy that, combined, will trigger the spell. After we do so, you will have only a few moments to step past the threshold before the spell activates -- with, or without you.” “And it is only possible to perform this once,” Luna added. “It is now or never, so you must be absolutely sure.” Connor closed his eyes. Decision time; stay or go. If he seemed stressed on the outside, inside was another factor entirely. His mind was an utter scramble. Nothing about this was easy for him, and as Connor’s body started to shake almost imperceptibly, he could smell the sweat starting to mat down his fur. He wanted something to happen; to take him away from this place and time just so he wouldn’t have to feel this way anymore. He wanted someone to tell him what to do, what the best choice was, but all he had was himself. Meanwhile, his seven friends stood back with bated breath, watching him, also anxious in anticipation of what he’d do. Especially Twilight, who could feel her own blood rushing past her ears as the air between them hung thick and heavy. “Do it.” The tenuous silence was shattered by Connor’s pronouncement, in a voice so soft and quick he wasn’t sure if he’d said the words himself. He didn’t really know what he was doing, running on autopilot and simply picking one of the two options. Everything was set up and ready to go, and all of this -- the preparation and the consternation -- couldn’t have been for naught. Did they all expect it to end this way? Regardless, the decision was made. Let the chips fall where they may. As Twilight gave a short gasp, Celestia looked to Luna and Cadence, nodding to them respectively. “Very well, let’s begin at once.” The three alicorns turned and walked away, their hooves clipping on cracked stone as they took up position at equidistant points around the dais. They closed their eyes, and soon, bright cones of yellow, cobalt, and cornflower blue formed around their horns while they gathered their formidable alicorn magic. Meanwhile, Connor, a little more resigned to his choice now that events had been set into motion, turned to the other ponies; his friends. “I… I guess this is it,” he told them, choking up a little. “It would appear so,” Rarity replied first, calmly trying to avoid tearing up. “Farewell, and good luck.” “So long, Connor,” said Applejack next, removing her hat as a gesture of respect. “It’s been one heckuva ride.” Then, going right down the line, came Fluttershy, saying, “We’ll always remember you.” “Hope everything works out for ya,” followed Rainbow, rubbing the back of her neck. “You know… on the other side.” As for Pinkie Pie, she appeared to be so overcome with emotion that she immediately burst into a literal river of tears accompanied by a pitiful, mewling wail. She sniffed a few times, before somehow producing a white hanky and loudly blowing her nose into it. She looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn’t bring herself to form the words. Seeing her having trouble, Spike walked over and patted her gently on the shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay, Pinkie.” He turned to Connor. “I think what she’s trying to say is, she’ll miss you. All of us will.” “Thanks, you guys… I’ll miss you, too,” Connor replied, fighting back tears of his own. Lastly, he directed his gaze to Twilight, who had yet remained conspicuously silent. Not that she meant to, but she found that she just couldn’t seem to get a word out. Her lips parted, but no sound slipped past. Then, behind Connor, three beams of brilliant colored light suddenly appeared, grabbing his attention. They shot outwards from the three alicorns’ horns to meet in the center between them, and there, a sphere of bright white luminescence came into being. Like the surface of a neutron star, it shifted and undulated beautifully, while two concentric bands of light formed around it and began circling it like gyros. As the princesses kept their supply of magic constant, the sphere slowly grew brighter, and eventually started to cast out tiny, almost invisible lines of light, reaching into the air like a spider’s web. They extended out a fair distance until they stopped, and at those points, strange, ghostly apparitions appeared, resolving themselves into some kind of arcane symbols. Connor immediately recognized them as the kind that appeared on the surface of the Terminus Enchantment back on Earth, only these had a shifty, watery sort of appearance as they flickered in and out of reality. As everyone watched, transfixed by the spectacle, Twilight was far from awed by it; inside, she was anguishing. As the events she'd feared would come to pass played out before her eyes, she was now thoroughly convinced that Connor was going to leave for good… and her heart was breaking. It felt as though a piece of it was turning black, shriveling away and about to fall off. She wondered… was this what it felt like to truly lose a friend? Twilight still remembered what Connor had said before, about friends staying friends, even though they might be worlds away. But right then, what she was feeling was unbearable. She embodied the Element of Magic. It was all connected: Her magic, her life, her friends, and the bonds of fate and harmony that tied them all together. So in-tune was she to the magic of friendship that the thought of losing even a part of that was causing her real pain. ...She hated the feeling. Despised it. She wanted to fight it, to rebel against it with every fiber of her being. Twilight never wanted to feel this way again. Ever. “Wait!” she cried out, casting a hoof to Connor. His ears perked up in her direction, and he turned to face her. She then shook her head, fresh tears falling freely to the ground. Then she prepared to tell the truth she refused to keep hidden any longer. “...I don’t want you to go!” “Twilight?” Connor asked softly, unsure of what to make of this. “I know it’s selfish of me, and I know that it’s your choice, but… but you’re my friend, and I just… I can’t…” Twilight sobbed openly, wracked by emotion. “I want you to stay!” Without warning, Twilight broke into a gallop, closing the distance between her and Connor before she desperately threw her forelegs around his neck. She buried her tear-stained face in his fur, her breaths coming erratically. “...Please stay…” she choked out in a whisper. As the lavender unicorn clung to him tightly, Connor quickly got over his stunned surprise to bring one of his legs around and hug her back, closing his eyes. Something peculiar happened at that moment as everything just seemed to… fall away. Time slowed to a crawl, and even after the frantic pace of his journey up until that point, Connor felt like he had all the time in the world. This was just like that time in the library, Connor thought, remembering when Twilight had been there for him when it felt like he’d lost everything. Only now, the positions were reversed. He could feel her squeezing him like she never wanted to let go. He could feel her wet tears soaking into the fur on his neck. Her heart against his skin, beating at a mile a minute… but he could also feel something else. Like an old friend, that comforting, magical feeling returned, burning stronger than ever before. And not only that, but it seemed... different, in a way. In the back of his mind, he felt something click, like the final piece of a puzzle slotting itself into place. This, right now, that very moment… it felt right. Bypassing all logical thought, all conscious emotion. His body, mind, and soul were resonating with that feeling. It was telling him something. For that moment -- that one infinitesimal moment -- embracing Twilight tightly and surrounded by his friends, Connor knew what needed to be done. He’d finally made his choice. “Everything’s going to be okay, Twilight,” he whispered in her ear, while removing his leg and subtly pushing her away from him. She interpreted this as a sign that, despite her pleas, Connor really did intend to leave… and there was nothing more she could do. In her current emotional state, she could do little more than let him go, slumping to the ground, unable to say anything. Connor’s temporary reprieve was over, and now that he was thrust back into the heat of the moment, there simply wasn’t time to explain. He turned away from the other ponies to once again face the spell that was forming in front of him. In the intervening moments, the ephemeral symbols in the air had solidified, and the magical sphere was shining brilliantly, the rings around it moving blisteringly fast. Connor closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath. Then he whispered, in the quietest voice possible -- so quiet that nopony else could hear, “...I’m sorry.” When he next opened his eyes, they were lit from within with a steeled determination. “Celestia… stop.” Visibly straining from the magical exertion, Princess Celestia’s eyes focused on him. In an instant, she understood what was going on. “Are you sure!?” she called out, the tone in her voice communicating the fact that, if they stopped right then, the spell would be lost forever. Connor nodded solemnly. “I’m sure.” And he was. Maybe not a hundred percent, but just enough to tip the needle. The Princess then gave a subtle indication -- nothing more than a flicker of motion -- to both Luna and Cadence, and with perfect timing, they each cut off their magic. The beams coming from their horns halted at once, leaving only the sphere of magic between them. With no source of energy to sustain it any longer, the spell began to fall apart immediately. The bright ball of light, glowing as intensely as the Sun, grew one magnitude brighter before collapsing in on itself in a fraction of a second. With a cataclysmic sound, the spell imploded, splitting off into a million shards of light and releasing a shock-wave that tore through the air. When it reached the floating symbols, they were shattered to pieces and blown into nothing, but other than that, it merely ruffled the fur of the gathered ponies. It was all over in a matter of seconds, and when the dust settled, nothing had changed. Everything was as it had been before the spellcasting even started… save for one detail. While Twilight was sitting, gaping open-mouthed in utter shock at what she’d just witnessed, Connor tenuously looked to Celestia. “Is it…?” In response, the white alicorn closed her eyes and her horn lit up for a moment, scanning the area and searching for a trace of the impression. When her horn faded and she opened her eyes again, she nodded. “It is done. The remains of the enchantment have been… depleted.” Her words bounced around in Connor’s head for a moment before he sat his flank down and truly began to absorb the impact of what he’d just done. But while that was going on, Twilight was nearly speechless, tears still fresh in her eyes as she stuttered. “Wh...why!?” she demanded, glaring accusingly at Connor. She was trying hard to balance her emotions after feeling convinced that her friend was leaving her forever, only to watch him turn it down at the very last moment. “That’s something I’d like to know, too,” said Shining Armor as he walked forward and apart from the group standing back. He was the first of them to recover from this dramatic reversal of expectations. “I don’t really understand what’s going on, but it’s obvious that you upset my sister, and I’m not going to just let that slide.” “I-I know, just…” Connor looked between them all, from the girls, Spike, Shining, Twilight, to the three royal alicorns also drawing closer with curious expressions. “Just gimme a minute, okay? I promise I’ll explain, just… I need a minute right now.” Connor was blinking rapidly, his breath sounding loud to his own ears while he processed the consequences of his decision. A thought bubbled to the surface of his brain, and rather than fighting it, he just let it wash over him: His life on Earth was gone… and his life in Equestria had just begun. He found it surprisingly easy to accept, at least, the fact that his trials were over. Come what may, there was only one future he had to worry about now, and he could feel tangible relief as that terrible weight was lifted from his shoulders. “Okay… I’ll try to explain as best as I can,” Connor started by saying. His thoughts were still organizing themselves, but at a pace he could somehow still manage. “To be perfectly honest… I don’t know what I was doing when I told you to start. I actually think I went a little crazy, there.” Connor chuckled weakly, then sniffed a little and rubbed his mouth with a hoof. “...I couldn’t decide what I wanted. Maybe I did it because… for so long, I thought that’s what I wanted. No, I did want that... before all of this. Earth is where I came from… where I'm supposed to be…” Connor closed his eyes, feeling a little lightheaded, still trying to translate his feelings into words. "I thought I knew what I wanted, but I didn't... Not until just now." Connor paused in his monologuing to gauge the responses of his audience. Most of them were listening patiently, and Twilight at least seemed to have gotten herself under control for the most part. “...What finally made up your mind?” she asked him softly. He turned to her, and without a trace of irony in his voice, he told her, “...It was you.” Twilight gasped and pulled back slightly, a tinge of blush coming across her fur. Connor then turned his attention to the other ponies. “But it wasn't just you. In a way, it was all of you. Twilight, when you said those things… when you held me, it… it made me feel… something. I don’t know if it was you, or the magic inside me, or this place, world, whatever. I guess it doesn’t matter where it came from… because it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever felt in my life.” “And it was then that I realized something. I don’t know what was waiting for me on the other side of that spell. Maybe everything would work out, maybe not… Probably not… There’s no way I could know without trying.” Connor inhaled sharply, trying to recompose himself a little before clearing his throat. “But just then, I realized just how much I was giving up by leaving. I have so much here for me already. I have the best friends anyone could ask for, and a place in this world where I can be myself -- be a pony -- and it wouldn’t matter. A world that’s strange and… wonderful… scary and exciting… and kind.” Feeling his emotions starting to get the better of him, Connor brought up his hoof again to wipe away his eyes. But he still had more to say, and Goddammit if he was going to break down now. “I-I know… it’s not going to be easy. And it’s going to... to take a while. And I’m definitely going to need help. But…” Connor took a deep breath. “I know I can be happy here… and I’m not about to throw that away. For anything.” He sighed, bowing his head forward, finished. “That’s all I got… I hope it’s good enough for you.” For a long while, everypony was dead quiet as they digested everything Connor had just spilled forth. He observed them through the corners of his eyes, worried at first about what they were going to say, or that saying anything would break the fragile peace that was keeping everything absolutely still and silent. And then, as his gaze fell on Twilight, she did something that carried within it all the bundled emotion that had come pouring out of him, putting it right back where it belonged. She smiled. “It’s more than enough,” she told him, before suddenly rushing forward, reaching out to grasp him in the tightest hug she could manage. She started crying again; not tears of sadness… but of unbridled joy. All at once, the other five ponies and Spike said nothing as they joined in for a massive group embrace, each of them wanting nothing more than to communicate their acceptance, their unconditional love, and their desire to make him feel welcome after such a heartfelt confession. To say that Connor was overwhelmed would be a gross understatement, and he finally let go, releasing the tears he’d been fighting to keep inside; letting himself get caught up in the wave of emotions that had swept up him and his friends. In a moment of tranquility, he looked inside himself again, just to be reassured that the magical feeling was still burning strong as ever. And he knew -- deep down, simply knew -- that everything was going to be okay. It felt like they stayed that way for a long time, and in a way, none of them wanted to see it end. But like all good things, end it did. “...As reluctant as I am to interrupt, it’s getting pretty late, don’t you think?” came Celestia’s voice, penetrating the bubble of cottony warmth that had encompassed the eight friends. “You all should really be heading back to Ponyville soon. Unless, of course, you intend to watch me raise the Sun today.” “Hoo, boy. Ya know, the Princess has a point,” Applejack said, being the first one to break away. “It is rather late, isn’t it?” Rarity agreed, herself slightly embarrassed by how much time she’d spent in the huddle. The rest of the ponies soon reluctantly followed their example, leaving Connor in the middle to shakily get to his hooves after feeling like his whole body had been reduced to so much happy jello. “I am curious, Connor,” spoke up Luna, who came forward then. “What do you intend to do now?” Connor looked up at her. “Uhh… heheh…” he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. “I… haven’t really thought that far ahead yet... I guess I’ll be staying at Golden Oak for now, if Twilight will still let me.” “Of course you can,” Twilight quickly said. “Yes, well, there will be plenty of time to square things away later,” Celestia interjected. “You shouldn’t worry about the details yet. We can cross that bridge when we come to it.” “Okay, yeah, sounds good.” Connor nodded to the alicorn. “Thank you so much, Celestia. For everything. And… I’m sorry you had to go through all this trouble for nothing.” “You have nothing to apologize for,” Celestia replied with a wave of her hoof. “I have no complaints. I’m simply glad that everything worked out in the end.” “Alrighty then, let’s go!” said an exuberant Pinkie, bouncing up and down in a mixture of excitement and impatience. “Don’t wanna miss the train!” “Hey, wait up.” Shining Armor held out a hoof to get everyone’s attention. “Me and Cadence can see you guys off, right, honey?” “Absolutely,” Cadence agreed, turning to face her relatives. “We’ll be back soon, Aunt Celestia, Aunt Luna.” “We’ll be waiting,” Celestia said with a smile. “Goodbye, all of you. Until we meet again.” After each of the ponies said their goodbyes to the Royal Alicorn Sisters, they departed as a group down the path leading away from the castle. As they went, though, Celestia and Luna noticed Twilight casually walk over to her brother and gently elbow him. “Hey, brother, it’s ‘Cadence and I.’” Shining shot his baby sister a look, playfully shoving her back. “You just can’t let up for a minute, can you, Twiley?” Celestia snickered slightly as she watched them go before breathing in and out in a contented sigh. “Once again, you were correct, Tia,” Luna mentioned offhoofedly, when she was certain the others were out of earshot. “As it would seem, Luna,” her sister replied, gazing up contemplatively at the night sky. “How did you know that he would choose to remain in Equestria?” Celestia gave an amused huff. “Call it an educated guess,” she replied truthfully. “Humph. You and your ‘educated guesses,’” Luna cryptically replied. “What can I say?” Celestia said playfully. “When you’ve been around as long as I have, you learn a thing or two about the magic of friendship.” Luna was quiet again for a while. Off in the far distance, there was the sound of the castle gates opening and closing. “...Will he be alright, sister?” Celestia got a contemplative look in her eye, before nodding her head. “I think he will, Luna.” Unbidden, she found herself thinking back to the past decade of her life. Back to a timid, yet ambitious little filly, so full of potential, if only she could muster the courage and the drive to realize it. And how, over the years, she watched that filly exceed her wildest expectations, growing into the incredible mare she was proud to call her student. “After all… he’s in good hooves.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The trip back to the Canterlot train station went by with little fanfare. The most notable thing to happen was when the bell tower in the center of the city rang out three times, reminding the ponies of just how long they had gone past their normal bedtimes. Especially Spike. By the time they arrived at the station, the dragon child had taken the opportunity to completely pass out, and the rest weren’t all that far behind him. They collected their tickets, and as they patiently waited for the train to arrive, they kept up a light conversation to pass the time. When the train to Ponyville finally did arrive, they said their goodbyes to Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, before filing one by one onto the train, with Spike laying splayed out across Fluttershy’s back. When the last ones to get on were Connor and Twilight, Cadence stepped forward, right up to the red unicorn, and coaxed him into a gentle hug. “It was nice meeting you,” she told him before pulling away. “Same here,” Connor said, giving her a nod and a smile. Then, the alicorn turned to Twilight wearing a curious expression. “Do you have a minute or two to talk? In private?” she asked. Connor looked over at Twilight, who gave him a reassuring nod. “Go ahead, I’ll be right there.” “...Alright,” he said understandingly. “Goodbye, Shining, Cadence.” With that, he turned himself around and pulled himself up into the train car, with one last look outside, then took a left and headed down the aisle. Cadence was then about to lead Twilight away, but stopped when she noticed her husband still standing close by, watching them curiously. She tossed him an amused glance and a tilt of the head. “Girl talk.” It took a second, but Shining eventually gasped in comprehension, getting the message. “Oh, right… Okay then, I’ll just be… over here.” He pointed a hoof in the other direction, then turned and bashfully walked away. As soon as they were alone, Twilight took the liberty to ask what was going on. “What’s this all about, Cadence?” she asked innocently. The princess got a suggestive look in her eyes. “You know what this is about.” Immediately, Twilight broke out in a nervous blush, lowering her ears and her head to the side, but saying nothing more. “It got pretty intense back there, didn’t it?” Cadence continued. Twilight rubbed the back of one of her legs, knowing exactly what she was referring to. “Yeah…” Cadence flicked her head over to the train car behind them. “He means a lot to you, doesn’t he?” “Of course he does,” Twilight argued, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “He’s my friend.” In response, Cadence’s expression turned sly. “Come on. I think he’s quite a bit more than that.” Twilight’s blush intensified. “You don’t--” “Don’t know what I’m talking about? Please, Twilight. Remember who you’re talking to,” Cadence interrupted, drawing attention to the crystal heart-shaped cutie mark on her flank. “And I know you quite a bit better than most ponies do. I can tell there’s something going on here.” Twilight was quiet for a couple of seconds, pawing at the smooth stone of the train platform. After what had just happened back at the castle, it had grown impossible to deny that Cadence might be on to something. Bashfully, she turned her eyes up at her former foalsitter. “...Do you really think so? I mean, isn’t it absurd to think that something like this could happen? I haven’t even known him for longer than a week! And even before all of this, I never thought…” “That he could be... more than just a friend?” Cadence finished for her, putting bluntly into words what Twilight had been stubbornly refusing to accept. “...Are you seriously suggesting that I might...? I can't see how that's possible,” she tried, desperately clinging to her idea of the status quo. “For all I know, these… feelings... could be something different entirely. So he’s been absorbing magic, and most of it’s been my magic. Maybe I’m just sensing that on some subconscious level and expressing it outwardly as attachment and affinity. That could be why I feel…” Twilight trailed off, shaking her head exasperatedly. “I don’t know… I just don’t understand what’s going on anymore.” Feeling sympathetic, Cadence stepped forward with an outstretched hoof, playfully brushing back a lock of Twilight’s rich purple mane. “Love is complicated like that, Twilight. It isn’t something you can just study, or analyze, or rationalize away. It simply is.” Twilight pleadingly looked up into Cadence’s eyes, looking for guidance. "But how can I know if any of this is for real?" Cadence tapped at her chin in thought. “Hmm…” Then, her ears perked up with an idea. “Tell me, Twilight: When you are with your friends -- the other Elements -- how do they make you feel?” Twilight’s eyes closed as she followed her foalsitter’s inquiry, skimming across the closely guarded memories of her time spent in Ponyville. “It’s like… like I’m a part of something bigger than myself,” she described, getting a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. “Like we complete each other.” “And when you’re with him?” was the princess’ next question. “With Connor… it’s different,” Twilight said. That much was immediately obvious to her. “It’s like… like on some level, we resonate.” She thought back to all the moments when she’d been close to him, and not just the troubling times, but the moments when they were simply together, enjoying each other’s company. “...When I’m with him… I can’t imagine being anywhere else.” Twilight shook her head again, trying to free herself of this certain flavor of sappiness that had infected her speech. “You're the expert. Is that what... love... feels like?” Cadence couldn’t help but giggle a bit at the unicorn’s adorable internal conflicts. “I can't answer that for you, Twilight. Only you can.” She turned her head slightly over to Shining, waiting patiently off in the distance and trying hard not to eavesdrop. "Granted, for me and Shining, it didn't take long. But every case is different. I can't tell you what you're supposed to do." Twilight guessed that made sense… kind of. It still didn’t help her all that much. She still had no idea how to respond. “Can you at least give me some friendly advice?” she asked, paying acute attention. “Alright... At the risk of sounding like a bad cliche?” Cadence said with a smile. “Just follow your heart, but don’t rush into things. You’re a smart pony, Twilight, but you do have a tendency to… overreact.” “Yeah…” Twilight laughed nervously before coughing into her hoof. “The important thing to do at this stage is give yourself some time to figure things out on your own,” the alicorn finished. “In the meantime, I doubt Connor’s going anywhere soon.” It wasn’t exactly a step-by-step road map to this unexplored frontier that Twilight had never anticipated being in, but it was a start. At the very least, her foalsitter’s words had helped make her feel better. “Thanks, Cadence. You’re the best,” she told her, beaming. “Anything for my favorite sister-in-law,” Cadence said with a chuckle. “And if you ever feel like you want to talk some more, you know where to find me.” Suddenly, the shrill whistle of the train engine signaled its imminent departure, drawing Twilight away. “I should probably get going.” “Alright, hurry up, then.” Together, the two of them returned to the train car entrance, with Shining taking his cue that the conversation was finished. “It was great to see you two again,” Twilight told them as they stood side by side, before swiftly clambering up into the train car. “I promise I’ll keep in touch!” Her brother raised a hoof in farewell. “Later, Twiley!” “Goodbye, and good luck!” Cadence added knowingly, also waving. They stayed that way, looking across the gap in the train platform even as the doors slid shut and the train lurched forward to begin its departure. From the window, Twilight watched as the couple pulled away, right up until they faded from view. The unicorn then gave a heavy, tired, yet satisfied sigh. She’d been given a lot to think about recently, and the sheer weight of it sure seemed more than a little daunting. But now… she finally felt free to take her time; to figure everything out at her own pace, just like Cadence said. Twilight turned around, seeing that once again, her friends were together in the forward car while Connor kept to himself towards the back. She was briefly conflicted about bothering him, but considering everything that had happened, it couldn’t hurt to check on him, could it? Her mind made up, she walked over to the seat, catching the red colt’s attention. “Hey… is this seat taken?” Connor directed his gaze over to her from the window, regarding her for a moment, then smiling. “Not if you’re the one taking it,” he said in invitation. He scooted over, trying to give a little more space on the seat next to him. The bulky saddlebag he wore on his side still got in the way, though, so Twilight used her magic to unbuckle the strap and lay it on the floor before hopping up to join him. “Thanks,” Connor said, motioning to the bag. “I’d have taken it off myself, but, you know… hooves.” Twilight snickered. “We’ll have to figure out what to do with that stuff, eventually.” “Yeah… guess so.” Connor then went quiet, returning to staring out the window as the scenery rushed past, his face neutral and lost in reflection. After they both shared a bit of uncomfortable silence for a while, Twilight finally asked, “Do you want to talk about it?” Connor breathed in and out, slowly. “...Not particularly.” Despondently, Twilight looked off to the side, and Connor could see her expression reflected in the glass of the window, and closed his eyes. “...I’m a coward,” he muttered unexpectedly. That got Twilight’s immediate attention. “What?” she asked for clarification, and Connor responded by sadly shaking his head. “I’m a selfish coward,” he repeated. Twilight’s expression fell. She definitely wasn’t expecting anything like this, considering the emotion-filled events prior. “Why are you saying that?” There was more silence, and Twilight patiently waited for Connor to speak again. “...I should’ve gone back,” he said lowly. “It would’ve been the right thing to do.” Oh, no. Is he having second thoughts? Twilight wondered worriedly, wanting to understand why he was talking like this all of a sudden. “What do you mean?” At Twilight’s bequest, Connor prepared to make what felt like a painful admission. One that, to him, made perfect sense, and was something he’d been dreading since the first time he ever considered that he might be stuck in this world. “...My family, my friends back home… they’ll never know. They’ll never know the truth about what happened.” Connor sighed, placing his head against the back of the seat. “They’re going to live the rest of their lives thinking that I just… disappeared one day. They won’t even know if I’m still alive. There isn’t even a body for them to bury.” Twilight stayed still, not saying a word as she let Connor continue to voice the feelings of guilt and betrayal that were starting to build up inside him. “I could have given them that. I could have given them closure,” he went on. “And, sure, maybe things would never be like they were before, but at least they would know. At least they would have something.” “But I didn’t. I chose to stay. I chose to keep them wondering forever, and why?” Connor paused, sniffing loudly and trying to swallow the lump in his throat. “...Because I was scared of what was waiting for me… Because I knew how hard it was going to be for me. Because I wanted to be happy.” He breathed in unsteadily, his voice growing hoarse as he began to choke up. “Does that... Does that make me a bad person?” I tiny stream of tears started to form at his eyes, causing Twilight to immediately place a hoof on his back. “No… No, of course not,” she consoled him, trying to pull him back from whatever dark place he was headed to. “Nopony should ever have to make that kind of choice. You did the best that you could, given the circumstances.” Connor brought a hoof up to wipe his eyes and coughed a few times, trying to recompose himself. “Yeah… yeah…” He didn’t sound too convinced, though, so Twilight decided to press further. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be happy… I’m sure that if they knew, they would understand why you did it…” Demurely, Twilight averted her eyes, and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Besides… I’m glad that you stayed. That counts for something, doesn’t it?” Connor turned around to look at her, face to face, to see the hopeful smile she was projecting toward him. Her kind words and soothing presence performed their job admirably, and he couldn’t help but give a small smile in return. “Thanks… That means a lot, coming from you.” Connor and Twilight locked eyes, the pupils of each pair so wide and dark that they could see each other reflected in them. In the brief shared moment, neither of them was thinking of how it might have looked to an outside observer, nor of attributing any deeper meaning to it, other than it being a moment of tenderness between two close friends. It felt good, and the two of them remained like that for a long time. That is, until the moment was interrupted when Twilight was overcome with the powerful urge to yawn, giving Connor a close-up view of her molars. When she was done, she blinked a few times, surprised by herself. “Wow. Sorry, that just came over me all of a sudden,” she said, blushing. Connor chuckled at the scene, before his expression grew a little tinged with concern. “You look tired, Twilight. Maybe you should get some rest.” “No, I don’t…” Twilight was about to say, but she got cut off as another yawn forced its way past her lips. “Ugh… Maybe you’re right.” “Go ahead,” Connor urged her. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.” “Are you sure?” Connor nonchalantly tilted his head back. “Yeah. I’ll wake you up when we get back to Ponyville.” Twilight gave him a sleepy nod of acceptance, and Connor turned back to watch the window again. He was surprised, however, when he felt a sudden warmth and pressure against his flank, causing him to turn around again. When he did, he saw Twilight resting her head directly on him, making herself comfortable. “Hey, what do I look like, a pillow?” he said in mock protest. In response, Twilight merely shifted around and curled up tighter. “Mmmno, but you feel like one.” Connor scoffed at that a little, then he bemusedly raised a hoof to rub his own fuzzy chest, finding it kind of hard to argue. “Yeah… I guess I do.” When he didn’t hear anything back from Twilight, he looked over to see that she was already fast asleep, nestled up against him. In that moment, she just looked so absolutely adorable, and Connor didn’t even think about disturbing her. In fact, the way she looked now strongly resembled the picture he’d taken on his now defunct iPod, and that, in turn, led him to thinking about a song that would have been perfect for this situation, if only he could play it. “...Sleep well, Twilight,” he whispered, before going back to looking out the train window. By now, the train had entered a tunnel carved into the mountainside, and so the view was pitch black. Reminded of his music, he was naturally led to contemplating all of the things he’d forsaken when he chose this new life over his old one; all of the things he’d left behind and forever shut the door on. The places he’d never get the chance to see, all of the things he would never get the chance to do… All of his favorite hobbies, video games, television shows, movies, books; so many experiences he’d never partake of again, and all of the stories he’d never know the ends to. But upon further thought, those things really didn’t matter in the long run… it was the people he would miss the most. He could still picture their faces clearly. His mom. His dad. His brother. His dog. Grandparents and cousins, aunts and uncles. High school friends, college friends, his Dungeons and Dragons group that didn’t really meet all that often, hell, even the people he’d only ever known online. All of them were gone… and he was never going to see them again. It was then that a harsh reality was revealed to Connor: He could learn to love his new life, his new friends… his new family. But he could never truly be at peace with his choice unless he could bring himself to let it all go. He would never forget everything he’d left behind… but he still had to say goodbye. Connor squeezed his eyes shut, letting one last, single tear fall from his cheek. He then promised himself that it would be the last. “...Goodbye.” It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do. The faint sound of the train whistle flowed from the corners of his hearing, bringing him back to reality, and he opened his eyes again. And when he did, he was treated to a somewhat familiar sight, that even now defied description. As the train left the tunnel, the sky broke open. For as far as the eye could see, a blanket of stars and dust shone brilliantly to every corner of the horizon. Equestria’s rolling hills and distant, snow-covered mountaintops unfolded below, bathed in serene moonlight. It was even more breathtaking than the first time as Connor looked at it through entirely new eyes. Looking at just how radiant and striking it was stirred something deep within himself. To think… every night would be like this. It was a reminder; a sign of everything he had to look forward to in this world. It was so easy to see now the kind of opportunity that stretched before him, the unlimited potential, and he intended to make the most of it. It would be a long and arduous journey, but with one look back at Twilight lying beside him, and over in the other cabin, where his other friends were as well, he was reminded that he would never have to face it alone. With their help, he had no doubts whatsoever that he could make this work. Connor leaned his head back against the seat, smiling softly as he watched the landscape speed by while the train descended the mountain. From here, he could barely make out the lights of Ponyville, flickering like candles off in the distance. But it wasn’t just Ponyville any more. No, it was more than that. It was a place to return to. A place to live and make a life for himself with Twilight and her friends. A place to call home. A place where he belonged.