During the morning, Antonius and the princesses tested the fuels. They found the most suitable one and Celestia promised to create a large quantity of it to fuel the Land Speeder.
With that, the vehicle would basically be operational, but there still was something to discuss.

"Tia," he started,
"to take ponies with me, we need some kind of restraint system to prevent them from getting hurt."

"You really want to take ponies along?" Celestia asked.

"Of course he wants!" Luna interjected,
"and I have been looking forward to such a trip since we discovered this contraption!"

"All right. Have you any idea what we could use?"

Antonius could already imagine how Celestia would react. He still said:

"Can you remember the picture of the mare in a harness you freaked out about? If we use that as a basis, we should be able to come up with a more utilitarian variant of it that will fit our needs."

Celestia did not disappoint him:

"WHAT? Are you mad? You cannot really want to stuff us into such abominable outfits!"

"I said we have to come up with a utilitarian variant. Collar to girth should suffice. Or would you prefer being accidentally thrown out of a fast moving vehicle?"

"My sister and I can fly, Antonius. And even if we would be willing to take your idea into consideration, we still lack somepony who is capable of making those things."

"While it is true that we can fly, sister," Luna opined,
"it would still be much safer with those modified harnesses. I say we give them a try."

"And who is supposed to make them?" Celestia asked.

"How about Rarity?" Antonius suggested,
"she was able to come up with clothes for me, so she seems to be able to adapt to new challenges."

"Antonius," Celestia said,
"Rarity may be an outstanding fashion designer, but I don't think she can make anything like that... she does make corsets, though..."

"So it is settled!" Luna decided,
"we will ask Rarity to help us create a restraint system for this Land Speeder!"

Antonius took a chariot to Ponyville and entered Rarity's boutique. Luckily, she was present.

"Oh, hello, Antonius," she greeted,
"how can I help you? Do you need something?"

"Actually, yes," Antonius answered,
"the princesses and I have a probably challenging task for you. Let me tell you, then you can tell me if it is within your capabilities or not."

He explained the issue to Rarity.

"A restraint system," she opined,
"that is definitely something new. And 'utilitarian', you say? Well, I'm more for 'fabulous', but I think I should be able to come up with something. I need a sturdy material and then I must coat it with something soft... hmm, I already have an idea! Do you have the measurements?"

"No, we thought you could work in Canterlot. A part of the armorium is being converted into a tailor shop as we speak."

"The armorium? That's hardly a place where fashion can happen."

"Then just let seatbelts happen."

Rarity snickered.

"Okay, I'll tag along with you. Just a second, I need to get a few things..."

Twenty minutes and a few suitcases later they were on their way to Canterlot. When they arrived, they immediately headed down to the armorium. Celestia was busy creating more fuel for the Land Speeder, Luna was taking a nap.

"Nice division of work," Antonius joked.

"Luna is so keen on testing your vehicle she persuaded me to take care of the fuel immediately," Celestia explained,
"and she decided to take a quick nap to be rested when it's finally time to do so. I'm afraid we'll have to perform this test today, else she will probably explode from impatience."

Antonius nodded and turned to Rarity:

"Do you think you will be able to create something suitable in such a short amount of time?"

"Don't worry, darling. I just need strong ropes, foam, as well as white and dark blue velvet. And the measurements, of course. I take it that I should make Princess Luna's harness first?"

"That would be much appreciated," Celestia told her,
"I'll wake up Luna so that you can get her measurements. Antonius, if there are any preparations yet to be done, I suggest you do them while Rarity makes Luna's harness and I create the necessary fuel."

Antonius nodded and entered the hangar.

Luna couldn't wait to finally test this Land Speeder. Rarity had taken her measurements and now, she was sewing ropes together to create a harness, checking the fitting from time to time. When this work step was done, she coated it with foam and finally dark blue velvet. It really was remarkable how quick she was, and how comfortable the harness turned out to be.

Having donned her new equipment, she wrapped a scarf around her throat - it was still winter, after all - and went into the hangar, accompanied by Rarity, Celestia, and a barrel of the new fuel.
She noticed that the hangar looked a little different now: There was a metal column that came out of the ground next to the Land Speeder, and the vehicle was attached to it by some sort of wiring.

"Are you ready?" Luna asked eagerly.

"Almost," Antonius told her,
"System checks show all systems are operational. Now we just need to fuel it, bolster your seat and equip it with the complement to your harness, then we can start."

"Okay. Rarity, please take care of the seat, I will help you. Sister, Tony, would you pour in the fuel?"

"As you command," Celestia teased.

It did not take long until all work was done and Luna jumped into the Land Speeder, buckling up to the passenger seat. Antonius seated himself on the driver's seat, put on his helmet and started pushing some buttons.

"Ready?" he asked.

"For some time now," Luna grinned.

"Then restrain your mane and hold on tight."

Luna quickly deactivated her mane's flow and reeled it in, securing it behind her back. Antonius pushed another button, and the vehicle started getting a little noisy. A short time afterwards, Luna almost reflexively tried to unfold her wings as it was lifted into the air.

"Anti-grav within operational parameters," Antonius said, then he continued working the controls.

The Land Speeder slowly started turning around until it faced the open hangar door.

"Luna, be ready to teleport yourself out of the Speeder if anything unforeseen happens," Antonius advised her.

"Okay, just tell me as soon as that is the case," Luna replied.

Now the noise intensified and the Land Speeder moved towards the door. It passed it, and plummeted down towards the small plateau right beneath the hangar door. It did not crash, though. Instead, it ruggedly slowed down its descent and kept hovering above the ground. Luna still screamed. A bit.

"Sorry," Antonius said,
"the anti-grav system needs some adjustments. Wait a second... okay, now the next 'hop' should be more gentle."

Antonius was right with that. They hovered and hopped down the mountainside, using various plateaus. Finally, they reached the ground, not too far away from the road to Canterlot. The sun was slowly approaching the horizon, but there was still more than enough daylight left.

"Is there anywhere you want to go to?" Antonius asked.

Luna thought about that for a second, then she said:

"Not really. Let us just go on a joyride."

"Okay. I'll continue checking the Speeder's systems while doing so."

Antonius had decided to take it slow. He had descended the mountain in little hops instead of relying completely on the ancient anti-grav system. Now, he was flying about 50 kilometers per hour and testing the steering system.
Despite the Land Speeder standing around for ten millennia, everything worked fine. His maintenance had obviously been successful. A smile crept onto his face. Yes, he could be contend.

"Tony," Luna said,
"I really do not want to tease you or badmouth your technology, but I honestly thought this thing would go a little faster."

Oh? Luna wanted to go faster? Well, the engines worked perfectly, so...

"Hold on tight," he smiled.

Luna raised an eyebrow.

"Does that mean that we will finally go..."
Antonius gunned the engines.
"...fastAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

The Land Speeder shot forward, the power of its engines unleashed. He steered towards Ponyville. The environment flew past them, including very confused looking ponies on the road towards Canterlot. Antonius grinned. They surely had never seen such a vehicle.
He took a look into the rear view monitor and raised an eyebrow. A Land Speeder that emitted rainbow-colored exhaust fumes was new to him, too.

"Huzzah!" Luna cheered,
"That is more like it! How fast are we now?"

"About 350 kilometers per hour," he told her.

They covered the distance to Ponyville in a few minutes. Antonius increased the altitude and steered around Ponyville in a wide arc, careful not to hit a pegasus. Leaving the town behind, they swept across the treetops of the Everfree.

"Tony," Luna called,
"how high can this Speeder go?"

"100 meters."

"Can we do that?"

Antonius slowly increased the altitude further, keeping an eye on the anti-grav's readings. The Land Speeder finally reached its operational ceiling, all systems working perfectly.

"Satisfied?" he asked.

"Absolutely!" Luna answered.

Antonius turned the vehicle around and started descending again. They had barely left the forest when they got company.

"Hey! You finally got this thing working?" Rainbow Dash shouted, appearing next to Antonius with buzzing wings.

Well, Antonius had been told that she was fast.

"As you can see," he told her,
"we are currently making a test-drive."

"Wanna race me?"

"No. You are fast. I already got that."

"Come on! Don't chicken out! Ready? GO!"

Rainbow managed to accelerate further and took the lead in their non-race. Antonius was annoyed. She just couldn't resist turning this into a competition. And, to make things worse, she was winning.

"Too bad this Speeder is unarmed," he jestingly mumbled.

"What did you say?" Luna asked over the roar of the engines and the wind.

"Nothing!" Antonius answered and changed direction.

In less than a minute, Rainbow was next to them again.

"I won!" she shouted.

"You don't say," Antonius shouted back.

"Now it's official: I'm more awesome than your technology!"

Gah! That mare...

"Hold on tight," he told Luna and made a sharp turn.

In the rear view monitor Antonius could see Rainbow closing up to them, a little higher than they were to avoid the engines' exhaust. He changed direction again, then he also varied their altitude. He performed several evasive maneuvers, but was not able to shake Rainbow. The blue pegasus was apparently some kind of ponyfied Skyspear Missle.

There still had to be a way to outmaneuver her, Antonius was sure of that.
So, he suddenly decreased the Speeder's altitude and fired the brake jets. As he had planned, Rainbow Dash overshot with a puzzled

"What?"

"There we go," Antonius mumbled and gunned the engines again.

Rainbow had slowed down to turn around, but now she found that she was the one being chased. She tried to accelerate again, but she was a little too slow. Antonius caught up with her and closed a hand around one of her hind legs.

"Hey!" she protested, but Antonius pulled her into the Speeder.

"Gotcha!" he shouted.

"Yeah, okay, you got me," she admitted,
"and since I'm in your flying thingy now, you may fly me back to Ponyville."

"Can do," Antonius grinned and steered the Land Speeder towards Ponyville.

When they approached the town's outskirts and had slowed down, Rainbow shouted:

"Okay, that's enough! Thanks for the ride!"

and took flight.

Antonius and Luna shouted goodbye, then the Speeder accelerated again and headed back towards Canterlot.

"You know," Luna opined,
"it is a good thing we have built this restraint system, else your braking maneuver might have hauled me out of my seat."

"Sorry, but I couldn't let her defamation of human technology go unanswered," Antonius told her.

"I am not complaining. Have you seen her face as you grabbed her? Haha!"

They returned to Mount Canterlot and started ascending it by hopping from plateau to plateau, until they were high enough the reach the hangar via anti-grav. Inside, they were already expected by Celestia and Rarity.

"And? Did you have fun?" Celestia asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Luna cheered, unbuckling herself,
"this Land Speeder is fantastic! You should try it, too!"

"Maybe I will... in due time," Celestia said.

"Well, now that it is proven that your vehicle works without exploding, I wondered if you could maybe take me back to Ponyville?" Rarity asked,
"I guess it is faster than a chariot, isn't it? I have already packed my things and made a harness for myself."

"Sure," Antonius answered,
"the least I can do to thank you for your help."

It took them some minutes so stow Rarity's luggage away - Land Speeders were not really built as cargo haulers - but once it had been accomplished, Antonius strapped Rarity in. She could barely look over the edge of the cockpit, but she certainly would not fall out.

Antonius restarted the engines and maneuvered the Speeder out of the hangar. During their descent down the mountain, Rarity was definitely louder than Luna had been. Antonius accelerated the vehicle, and they swept across the snow covered plains towards Ponyville.

"Yes, it IS faster than a chariot," Rarity screamed.

They soon reached the town and Antonius slowed the Speeder down. They slowly hovered through the roads of Ponyville to Rarity's boutique. The sun was setting now and only a few ponies were present to see the ancient machine pass by. Those who were curious followed them to their destination.

"Here we are," Antonius declared and unbuckled Rarity to set her down on the ground.

"Thank you, that was definitely a fast way to travel," she opined,
"although I think it would be more comfortable in summer... or spring at least."

"Those vehicles are usually operated by power-armored crew, so there has never been a need for a closed cabin."

"Well, perhaps you should think about something like that when designing the successor model. Just a suggestion."

They unloaded Rarity's suitcases and brought them into her home.

"Again, thank you," Rarity said,
"would you like some tea? Or hot cocoa? I definitely need something like that now."

"No, thank you. I'll return to Canterlot."

They said goodbye and Antonius returned to his Speeder. By now, it was surrounded by a considerable amount of ponies at a respectful distance, speculating loudly what exactly it was and how it worked. Three of them had even been bold enough to approach it, and Antonius knew those three quite well.

"Hello, Moonlight, Blackwing and Stormy," Antonius greeted,
"have you had any success looking for a house?"

"Hi, Antonius," Moonlight answered,
"actually, yes, we had. We want to take the next train back to Canterlot and start moving tomorrow."

"So, this night will be the last night of our little living community?"

"Guess so," Moonlight said, then she added with a broad grin:
"but if you should ever feel a need for affection, you can visit us anytime."

"And that from the mare who climbed into MY bed," Antonius laughed.

Now they noticed that the other ponies had become more interested in their conversation than in the Land Speeder. Moonlight blushed a little, turned around and stated firmly:

"What? I was just sleephunting! That's like sleepwalking! That's all! Nothing to see here! Keep moving!"

The crowd quickly dispersed now, leaving only the four of them around the Speeder.

"Well, I better get going," Antonius opined,
"I'm sorry I can't take the three of you with me, but there is no way we can buckle you up."

"Don't worry," Moonlight told him,
"I think your way of travelling is not really the best for me, anyway. We'll stick to the train."

Now, Antonius' vox beeped. Luna's frequency. He answered it:

"Hello, Luna? This is Antonius."

"Hello, Tony!" she answered,
"I just wanted to ask when you will be back in Canterlot."

"I was just about to depart from Ponyville."

"Excellent! Please do me a favor and come to my quarters. Maybe you will have to wait a minute or two, but I assure you I will join you shortly. Bye!"

"Bye."

The connection was terminated.
Moonlight had overheard the conversation and grinned:

"Guess you will get your affection from somepony else tonight."

"Don't let your imagination run wild," Antonius grumbled.

That quirk was already taken by Celestia.

He entered the Land Speeder, but before he could start, Moonlight added:

"Okay, just one question: Should we wait up for you?"

"Not necessary."

Seeing Moonlight's grin, he added:

"I have no idea what Luna might want, so it could possibly take some time."

He slowly steered the Speeder out of Ponyville. Once he had passed the town limits, he accelerated and darted across the plains back to Canterlot. It was almost dark now, but the vehicle's headlights in combination with his auto senses provided good visibility conditions.

He entered the hangar, stopped the Speeder's engines and closed the hangar door. When he entered the armorium, he was surprised to see Celestia, wearing a white harness.

"Tia?" he asked, taking off his helmet,
"what are you still doing here? If you want to test the Land Speeder, I have to ask you to postpone that to tomorrow."

"No, that's not the reason why I'm still here," Celestia told him a bit tiredly,
"Luna made me promise to create some more fuel. And if you wonder about the harness, she also made me promise that I 'get used to it' by wearing it for another hour. So, I'm going to spend this hour wearing this thing and creating fuel."

"Oh... how did she make you promise that?"

Celestia cleared her voice and assumed Luna's voice:

"Come on, sister! Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease..."

"Okay, thank you!" Antonius interrupted her,
"that's bordering on a sonic weapon. I'm going to give you a ride tomorrow as a compensation."

"That's not necessary, but thank you anyway. You better get going now, I think Luna is expecting you in her room."

"Indeed. Do you know why?"

"No."

"Hmm, well, then I'm going to find out myself. Goodnight, Tia."

"Goodnight, Antonius."

He left the imperial base and headed to Luna's quarters. There was a little note on the door:

'Hi Tony! Come in and ensconce yourself.'

So Antonius took the note and entered Luna's quarters. A table and two chairs, one of them very stable looking, had been set up in the middle of the room on a round carpet. Everything else looked quite normal. Feeling no need to ensconce himself, Antonius just waited for Luna to arrive. A few minutes later, she did, with a loaded up tray in her magical grasp.

"Hello, Tony," she smiled,
"I made some stew for us, to thank you for taking care of me and for the ride in your Land Speeder!"

Oh. Antonius hoped that her stew was better than her pancakes.
She set the tureen down in the middle of the table and placed dishes and spoons in front of the two chairs.

"Help yourself!" she smiled.

Antonius took a look into the tureen.
...
Nurgle would probably have been proud.
He still scooped a serving of the 'stew' into his dish, trying to identify the ingredients while doing so.
Well, probably vegetables. Probably.

While Luna took her serving, he tasted the slimy swill.
Not poisonous. Unfortunately, that was the only positive thing to say about that abomination of a dish.

"Luna," Antonius inquired cautiously,
"have you actually tasted your stew?"

"What? Oh... I knew I had forgotten something. Is it not good?"

"Honest opinion?"

"Of course."

"Your pancakes were better."

"But they were disgusting!"

"Indeed."

"That bad?"

"Umm..."

Luna took a little sip, then she made a face and quickly vanished into her bathroom.
When she appeared again, she hung her head.

"Sorry," she said,
"that is not what I had in mind."

"Don't worry," Antonius said,
"it's... not poisonous. That's the main thing. You should probably have stuck to pancakes, though."

"I could not! The royal chef was not there!"

"Royal chef? Didn't you tell me you made them yourself?"

Luna blushed a bit.

"Well, yes, I did make them myself, the chef just gave me the ingredients. Already measured, except for the salt. I mean, what in Equestria is a 'pinch' supposed to be?"

Antonius had to laugh at that confession. Thankfully, Luna also joined in.

"Luna, what do you think of going down and looting the kitchen?" he suggested.

"Splendid idea!" she agreed.

So they went to the kitchen, taking the 'stew' with them to discard it properly.

"I will not give up," Luna told him,
"eventually I just have to come up with something good - or edible at least."

"Please don't stress the laws of probability," Antonius grinned,
"have you ever thought of taking cooking lessons if you really insist on cooking?"

"My sister actually taught me a thing or two when we were younger. My Moon-Rock Crunchies, for example, are delicious! Unfortunately, I am not that good when it comes to main dishes."

"Perhaps you could ask Tia for some additional lessons? She seems to be quite adept at cooking, after all."

"Asking my big sister to lecture me? What a glorious idea," Luna deadpanned.

"Then, just make this 'Crunchies' of yours and leave the main dishes to the royal chef. That's his job, after all."

"Maybe, but I still think it would be nice if friends cooked for a joint meal."

After an improvised, simple dinner, they had a little training session, then they said goodnight and Antonius returned to his quarters.

"Hey, he's returned!" Moonlight cheered.

"Do I look as if I would miss the last night in my favorite living community?" Antonius grinned.

Now the batponies and Stormy told him about the house they had bought today, including turn-to-turn directions how to find it. After that, they got ready for the night. Stormy chose to spent the night with Antonius, as she had done a few times before. While everypony came to a rest, Antonius thought about the whole cooking issue.

Luna was - although animated by the best intentions - a terrible cook. Yet, those shared meals probably would not stop, since preparing a meal for someone seemed to be another activity to further a friendship.
But he could make those meals more bearable: he just had to do the cooking himself - and learn how to cook for that reason. Another piece of mundane weirdness he would participate in, but compared to massages, it was actually negligible, and honestly:
He could file it under self-defense.

Author's Notes:

More than three years of My Little Xeno!

Again, thanks to my editor, my followers, everyone who liked my story and all of my readers!