Despite the hospital visit and the tears shed, Starry and Stone were prepared for the train trip to Canterlot. With the intention of the trip only being a day visit, Starry still packed a suitcase, just in case her uncle insisted that she and Stone stay for the night.

Stone hoised the suitcase down from the top rack of the train car, setting it carefully on the floor as he could, and brushed his wing over his forehead.

"Jeez Star-" He panted "- You fill the damn thing with bricks?"

She chuckled, reaching out with a hoof and lifting the bag with her magic, " No- I'm assuming that my uncle will attempt to get us to stay tonight."

Stone raised his brow, tipping his head to her, "I thought we were going home after this."

"That's the plan-" She hesitated, glancing down as she raised the suitcase towards the door where a cabbie reached out to take it. Starry cantered towards Stone, resting her head on his shoulder "- You have to remember that my uncle is from Canterlot. Hospitality means a lot to ponies here."

"Even if they don't like the pony?" Stone asked with a raised brow.

"Especially then," Starry confirmed.

Stone chuffed and started towards the cab door, pulling her along with his wing. Starry couldn't help the thump in her chest that rose when he touched her, even when she was tugged into the bright light of day at Canterlot Train Station.

And Canterlot it was, Starry had come prepared. It was proper among the Elite for mares to dress when visiting others in their circle, and Starry had gone shopping just for this occasion. Her white half-blouse curled around her chest and up her neck, forming a smooth collar frilled with pale eggshell lace. A long train flowed behind her, covering her back and tail that shimmered a pale pink in the bright sunlight, and to top off the outfit? A large white sun hat was settled over her head, angled up and away from her horn.

She looked like a mare of Canterlot Elite, even if she didn't feel like it. 

Stone looked back at her as he took their bag back from the cabbie, and smiled softly at her.

"You look wonderful-" He trots up to her, reaching out and taking her hoof in his own "- Divine even."

"I feel like a changeling trying to be a dragon," She laughed with a shake of her head ", And you're not helping."

He pressed a kiss to her hoof and raised to her level, " I don't mind spoiling you with praise."

She laughed again, resting her head against his shoulder, her hat tipping against his fur. After a quick fix, the two ponies were on their way, deep into Canterlot and towards the Castle of the Princesses.

It felt natural, walking down the streets and seeing eyes on her, judging her fashion and her trot. It was normal in a way, Canterlot was a place filled with judgment and watching eyes that didn't go away until one was in their home. Starry tipped her nose in the air as she saw a brown pegasus stallion and his marefriend cantering towards her.

"Starry Specter-" The stallion grinned, giving her a slight bow "- As I live and breathe."

"Jackpot Chaser-" Starry responded cooly, allowing the stallion to take her hoof and kiss ", Honey Pot. It's good to see you two again."

Starry turned to Honey Pot, a pale gold mare with a curled white mane. She leaned into the mare and pressed a small kiss to each of her cheeks, Honey Pot returning the action as Starry did. The lunacorn mare pulled back from the two pegasus ponies, and hooked her forearm with Stone's, leaning into him and smiling pleasantly.

"This is Stone River-" She pressed into the bat pony stallion, pulling him as close as she could "- My fiancee. Stone, these are Honey Pot and Jackpot Chaser, my old schoolmates."

Stone nodded, tipping his head to the two ponies. He was larger than both of them, towering over the set of three Canterlot-born ponies without a suggestion of standing down.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Chaser, Miss Pot," Stone answered just as cooly as his partner ", It's wonderful to see Canterlot in the light of day."

The two pegasus ponies exchanged a look, one that Starry knew well. It was a look that meant 'I've heard that name before' and she was sure that they had read the article.

"Fiancee?" Honey Pot questioned in her lilting and faux whimsical voice ", You've only been out of town for a year. Did you meet him on your travels abroad?"

The way that Honey Pot and Jackpot were staring at Stone made Starry want to hiss and spit, but that never worked in Canterlot. If they thought she had gone abroad for a year, then that was the story that her parents had worked with, and what a silly way to rectify a missing daughter.

"Is that what Orion and Penny Vice have been saying about my absence?" Starry laughed pleasantly, shaking her head, and she heard a chuckle sounding from Stone.

"Is that what the lying bastards told you?" Stone chortled, lowering his head to meet their eyes.

Honey Pot bristled, her face flushing with a light pink blush ", Is that not where you were, Starry, dear?"

"Oh, Despina no!" Starry laughed, raising a hoof to her chest to exaggerate her humor ", Father disowned me."

Honey Pot and Jackpot stiffened, unable to laugh at what Starry and Stone chuckled at. Starry turned to Stone and reached up, wiping his face as if to wipe away a stray tear from laughter.

"Oh, my-" She nearly doubled over in laughter ", After my situation with Hoverstep left father very raw and upset, he sent me away and lied to everyone. Stone and I have been living together for the better half of a year."

"Starry-" Jackpot stammered ", I'm not sure that I understand what is so funny."

"We're laughing-" Stone chuckled, leaning forward to meet Jackpot's gaze "- Because you believed that she was abroad and not working her way through life."

Starry calmed herself, resting a hoof on her chest and shaking her head, " Well- I'm back now. And I'm here to take what's mine."

Jackpot winced and tipped his head to her, " And what is that supposed to be, Miss Specter?"

Starry paused, smiling and tipping her head towards the street where her Father's house stood.

"The House of Clever, of course."