I regained consciousness in a warm softness, thought of my location I could not initially be sure of. In fact, my first moments back in the land of the living were not moments of clarity, nor even vision. My first moments were of a sobbing sound next to what I quickly began to assume was a bed. At first it was very far away, as if I were in a tunnel, but the sound quickly became louder as I regained my faculties. I then recognized it.

“Aurora?” I asked with a voice I could swear wasn’t really mine as it sounded too weak and slurred to have come from my mouth. “Is that you…?”

The sobbing stopped. I felt movement against the sheets, but not from within them. So, from that I guessed Aurora was at the bedside, not in the bed.

“Aurora?” I asked again, “Where… where am I?”

A sniffling sound replaced the silence before she spoke, “You’re in Ponyville General H-hospital…”

Aurora put a hoof to my face, stroking my cheek gently.

I opened my eyes just a little, but the light was blinding which forced me to shut them tight again.

“What… happened?” I asked, “Where’s… where is Trixie…? Do I have wings yet…?”

Silence. Silence until a new voice spoke out against the dark slurry that filled my thoughts. It was a factual voice, a voice that was very precise but very confident as if she’d seen it all before and been there and done that.

“No, Mr. Ramp. Those ‘wings’ as you would have called them were removed.”

“Removed?” I asked, trying to move, “Why?”

“Because they would have killed you, you great dolt. Their growth was sapping calcium and nutrients from your body… I’d go so far as to say they’d have grown on without you even in death, that’s the price of Dark Magic.” the doctor, or at least I assumed it was a doctor, sighed, “We had to put you on heavy doses of tranquilizer… it’ll wear off by the end of the day, but we’ll be around again to administer painkillers until you can be off on your own again.”

I didn’t understand. I didn’t want to. I felt like I’d spent a week in Tartarus. My body hurt everywhere, and I could feel two nubs sticking out of my back from where I assumed that the wings had once been.

“Keep him in bed, Aurora.” the doctor warned, “I don’t want him moving for the next few days.”

“Wait!” I coughed, “Wait… what happened to Trixie?” I asked.

“She’s been apprehended for the use of forbidden spell matrices and casting dark magic within the limits of Ponyville.” Aurora told me as I heard the doctor turn away, her hoofsteps echoing down the hall, “She’s in a lot of trouble…”

“Great…” I groaned, the revelation making me feel even worse than I had moments before.

Silence fell between us both. Somehow I could tell, even though I couldn’t see it on her face due to my drug-induced sensitivity to light, that something was on her mind. I took her hoof from my face and held it.

“What is it?” I asked.

Aurora heaved a small sob, “What, between the dark magic, the hospital, and your dreams?” she asked, “You were screaming all night last night… you scared me… I thought you were going to die and the doctors couldn’t tell me of you were going to be okay!!”

I frowned, looking down in shame. Or I would have, if not for the fact that my eyes were tightly shut.

“No more…” Aurora said at last before standing up and taking her hoof away.

My heart jumped in fear, “No more…? No more what?”

“No more looking for ways to fly…”

I began to protest, “B-but!”

“Please…” she pleaded, “Please… no more.”

I heard her walk away, leaving me alone to think. A passing thought about the ‘dreams’ Aurora had mentioned made me ponder. I hadn’t had any dreams that I could remember. I felt awful. Both mentally and physically. Even my heart hurt, because I had gotten a pony I barely knew thrown in jail because of my own stupidity. Worst of all, I’d caused Aurora distress. What had gotten into me…? Thinking back on the events, everything seemed really fuzzy and vague, almost like a dream. As ill-connected I was in Ponyville, even I’d heard of what Dark Magic could do to a pony. Why had I insisted? What had compelled me to allow Trixie, a pony well known for treachery and suffering, to use powers beyond even some of the brightest Unicorn’s comprehension on my body?

Nothing made sense. Aurora came back into the room and settled onto a chair or stool next to me, judging by the sound of fabric being shifted and the creak of wood. She said nothing.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered as I fell back into darkness, the strength of the drugs taking their toll once more and forcing me into slumber.

It was not until the next day that I awoke. I assumed that it was early morning, because it was dark outside and I was able to open my eyes as a result. Aurora slumbered quietly wrapped in a blanket next to me, soft breaths escaping her mouth as she did.. I watched her there for a moment, and for the first time in a long time, I felt at ease. Maybe she was right,and had been all along. Did I really ever need wings? I had doubted it once, and was beginning to feel I could doubt it again. I could go back to my job and we could live in Ponyville without any troubles, really.

At least, that’s what I wanted to believe but, somewhere in the back of my mind, I just couldn’t. There were so many questions now, many of which I’d probably never be able to answer. Most of them were about what had happened, but I’d have to be versed in magic just to even begin to understand it. In fact, the more I thought about the whole thing, the more I was convinced I’d just have to live with not knowing. It bothered me for a moment, before I got up out of the bed and stood shakily upon my own four hooves. Making my way to the door, I decided it would be a good idea to go for a walk. Besides, I really had to use the bathroom. You would too if you’d been in bed for two days without going. Staring back at Aurora before I exited the room, my thoughts turned to what sort of trouble I’d caused her. It was going to take a lot of time to make up for this, I was quite certain of that. I had no idea how to, though. There certainly was no quick fix, and it was really the first time that Aurora had been truly disappointed with me, I felt.

I made my way into the restroom, but not before my ears picked up a small sound that made me look back down the path I’d come. No one was there. I shrugged and went inside to do my business. It didn’t take long, and I washed my hooves before heading back outside into the hallway where I was greeted by a mirror that I hadn’t seen on my way in. It was large, wall-spanning, and probably just a part of the decoration. Still, my eyes were drawn to it, and then to refectioin of myself.

My blue coat was faded, unhealthy-looking. I had red stubble growing from where I hadn’t groomed my face for the past few days. My mane was messy and, as I ran a hoof through it, felt oily and dirty. Bags had formed under my eyes despite the sleep I had apparently been getting, which made me wonder if I really was having bad dreams and just didn’t remember them. I stared at myself and what I’d become, how bad I looked. This was all a result of my own greed. I’d wanted to be something I wasn’t, and this was the price. I turned sideways, and stared at my bandaged side and shoulders. Two nubs, the nubs I’d felt earlier, reinforced my belief that it had all been a massive mistake.

My eyes turned to someone in the mirror. Aurora. At first she said nothing. She just stared at us both in the mirror. I could scarcely recdognize her. She was worse for wear than I was, heavy lids stared at me listlessly and her mane was a complete wreck. I turned away, ashamed. She, however, put a hoof on my chin and brought it back up so that she could kiss me on the lips. It wasn’t passionate, but it was reassuring, loving, and warm. She didn’t have to say it, but I knew I was forgiven, at least a little.

“Let’s get you back to bed.” she said as we parted, “You’re still really weak.”

I laughed a little, “No points for surviving?” I asked.

She smiled, but it was hollow. I immediately felt bad for saying that, but then her eyes lit up a little.

“You never change.” she smirked, “Come on.”

I was led back to bed, where Aurora helped me get covered up, kissing me on the forehead as she did, making my ears pin back in reflex.

“The bed’s big enough for two if we try.” I suggested.

Aurora only gave me a look of incredulity, raising an eyebrow and drawing her mouth to one side.

“I’m just saying.”

She shook her head, “If we did anything right now you’d shatter into a million peices.”

“Oh…. no, no.” I insisted, “I just… want you next to me, is all. It’s not as comfortable without you.”

Aurora smiled a soft, loving smile and climbed into bed next to me, settling half-way into the sheets because they were just a tad too small for us both to fit under. Silence settled between us as I snuggled into her mane for what I’d hoped would be a more restful night’s sleep for both of us.

“... Air.” Aurora said with a warning tone.

“What?” I asked.

“That better be your leg.”

“And if it’s not?” I asked. “I can’t help it, you know that.”

Aurora sighed, “Just go to sleep.”

Seriously, it’s not like I WANTED to… She was just… well, you know. I’m a male, alright. Deal with it. It’s not exactly something I can always control.

When I finally fell asleep, I began to dream. I began to realize what it was that I had been screaming in the night about. For the first time in my life, I was exposed to a concept foreign to most Equestrians for what had been over a thousand years.

War.

it was a word that I had never actually heard spoken and was a concept stranger than all the legends I’d ever heard of in my entire life. Violence wasn’t in our nature. Nor was predation. But in my dreams I saw both. Soldiers, dressed in the same armor that Celestia’s guards wore, attacking and being attacked by creatures I’d never seen nor heard of. They were enshrouded in darkness, as if they were more element than substance. For the first time, I witnessed death first hoof.

And it was my hoof that did the killing, a spear lodged into an enemy from above as we fell from the sky above to the ground below. Even as it died, the creature fought.

Kill. Another word that I was not familiar with. Another word lodged into my brain like a sharp knife between the creasings of the armor I wore.

More and more words came to me. Concepts and ideas that I did not know nor did I want to. I saw other ponies, ponies I could have sworn I recognized, fighting in the sky alongside me and against the tide of creatures. The creatures were as bats, but did not move with the grace of such creatures. They were twitchy, mechanical. An engineering project taken to the extreme. Something piloted the machines, something vaguely pony-like.

I yelled something, and broke for the ground. The ponies beside me took to the ground with me as we headed for a great construct, filled with what seemed to be harnesses. I flew into, literally into, one of them but was not caught. I could feel the weight of it, though, as I rose into the sky, I straightened my wings and they locked as I suddenly…

...awoke with Aurora hovering over me at the bedside. She looked distressed. I realized that I was breathing heavily.

“Are you okay…?” Aurora asked.

I sighed, pressing my head back into the pillow, “I think so.” I said simply.

“What was it?” she asked, “A bad dream?”

I nodded, “Worse than I could have imagined…”

She brought herself over to me and knelt with her hooves on the bed next to me.

“What about?”

“Hm?”

“Your dream… what was it about?”

I looked away, staring at a crease in my blanket. My head shook. I could scarcely believe what I’d seen. Angry words still buzzed about in my brain. Words that were still foreign to me.

“I think it was a battle.” I began, “I don’t know why we were fighting, or even what they were.”

Aurora’s face was filled with worry when I glanced back up at her.

“It’s… it doesn’t matter. It’s a dream.”

Aurora shook her head, “If I had a bit for every time someone’s said that in one of the legends we were told as kids…”

“I don’t want to talk about it… besides… this is real life, not some legendary story from a thousand years ago! Things like that don’t happen to regular ponies, anyways.”

Aurora smiled, “Stubborn as always. You do realize how cliche’ this is, right?” she asked as she stood and stepped away.

“Besides… it doesn’t matter because we agreed. No more searching. In the dream, I was flying. If I’m not going to search then it won’t matter no matter what I’m dreaming.’

Aurora and I stared at each other for a second. The quiet built between us, and eventually she turned away.

“I’m going to write a letter… can you send for a courier?” I asked softly.

Aurora looked over her shoulder, “To whom?” she asked.

“My boss… he needs to know I’ll not be returning to work just yet.”

“Oh… yeah…” Aurora sighed and walked out.

I crawled up onto the bed and faced a side-table. I was fortunate that there was pen and paper already there. Taking the pen in my mouth, I began to write.

Boss,

I won’t be returning to work at the end of the week. I’ve been injured in an accident, and am unable to leave the hospital. I’ll be needing rehabilitation. A full doctor’s recommendation will be sent to you as soon as I get it. Sorry about that. I’ll explain when I’m well enough to return.

Sincerely,

Air Ramp

It was short and succinct and would hopefully be enough to satisfy my boss, though I suspected he would have a lot of questions when I returned. I stared at the paper until Aurora returned with a courier, a skinny young stallion with a feather for his cutie mark.

“This is… what did you say your name was?” Aurora asked the young tan stallion.

“Featherweight, miss.”

Aurora nodded, “Featherweight. He’s fast. I saw him running a letter to someone just before II hired him. He didn’t stop of course, but he delivered the letter and was back within ten minutes.”

I huffed a small laugh, “Alright. I’m convinced. If Aurora says you’re fast, then I trust her.”

Rolling up the paper and hoofing it over to Aurora, who gave it to Featherweight, I stepped off the bed and addressed the stallion directly.

“This letter’s going outside of Ponyville. Don’t worry, it’s not far.”

I waited for an objection, none came.

“There’s a field just past Sweet Apple Acres. It’s an airfield, you can’t miss it. Deliver it to the main office. Can you do that for me?”

The stallion puffed out his chest and looked at me with determination, “Of course I can.” he insisted.

“Good. How much will that be?” I asked.

Aurora shook her head, “He’s already been paid.”

I rolled my eyes, “I’m broken, not broke.”

Aurora just smiled and shooed the stallion away. “Be quick, dear!” she called, as the stallion took off into the hallway where a crashing sound followed his exit only moments later “But be careful!”

I could feel my eyebrows raise, “I hope he doesn’t lose the letter.” I mumbled

Aurora only smiled and settled on a small couch across the room. She patted the cushion next to her, prompting me to heave myself and my reluctant to move body off the bed to join her. As I approached, she adjusted herself to settle strangely, somewhat like a specific mint-colored pony often did, so I could lay my head in her lap. When I did, she took to stroking my hair.

“What am I going to do with you?” she asked with a soft smile, “Dreams… dark magic… and you still need to recover.”

“I know of at least ONE thing you could do with me.” I suggested, raising an eyebrow.

My only reward was a pat on the head.

“Silly stallion, I’d break you. We talked about this. Besides, we can’t do that here, it’d be improper~” she sung.

“Was only a suggestion, love.” I shrugged, “Can’t blame me for trying.”

Aurora giggled. It was almost lyrical to me, so beautiful a sound. I was happy she could smile again, laugh at something. I felt like I hadn’t heard it in years.

“I suppose I can’t.” she admitted, “Tell you what. I know a small orange filly who might be able to help you get back into shape.”

I tilted my head up at her, and stared at her with a questioning look.

“Scootaloo, dear. She’s Rainbow Dash’s little sister. You know, the Wonderbolt?”

I was familiar, of course, with the Wonderbolts. I serviced their gear when they stopped in at the CCC. I went to their shows. They were my idols as a child, despite the obvious fact that I had no wings and probably never would. Rainbow Dash was also friends, as far as I’d come to know, with the Princess.

...The same princess whose student I’d landed in jail.

“...maybe that’s not a good idea.” I suggested, explaining what I’d just thought of to her.

Aurora seemed to consider it for a moment. She then shook her head and took my hoof in hers.

“The Princess can’t really blame you for that, knowing Trixie’s history. Besides…” my blue-eyed fiance’ insisted with mock seriousness, “...you need to get back on your hooves as quickly as possible. We need to start planning the wedding, and your boss will be mad if you’re not back as soon as possible.”

I concurred, still not liking the idea. But, I knew when to let something lay when it came to Aurora so instead I took her hoof from where she was stroking my mane so I could hold it in my own.

A few days later I was released from the hospital and, with permission from Nurse Redheart and one of the doctors, my fiance’ and I set off for Scootaloo’s residence, or at least as close as I could get. Aurora headed up to Cloudsdale without me and told me to stay put in the park at the center of Ponyville.

Scootaloo was a capable flyer and a great trainer according to Aurora. I suppose it came from being a Wonderbolt’s sibling. From what I understood, Rainbow Dash had been raising Scootaloo for quite some time, since before the Princess’ coronation. With that sort of guidance, I was almost inclined to bet that the young Pegasus was going to end up being a Wonderbolt herself.

I found myself silently cursed myself for being unable to fly as I thought about the Wonderbolts, how Aurora had to go up there and get Scootaloo for me, and for all the trouble I’d caused.. How could I not? The dream was still fresh in my mind, and nightmares hadn’t let me rest the night before. I hadn’t told Aurora. There was no reason to because I felt it would have just brought… something. Anger? No. Resentment? No. Disappointment?

… Disappointment was the word, so I kept my mouth shut.

When Aurora returned from Cloudsdale with Scootaloo, I was sitting in the park on a bench.

“Are you Air Ramp?” a somewhat tomboyish voice asked, as I glanced up at the sky to see Aurora and Scootaloo fluttering down in front of me, “You look smaller than I imagined.”

I smiled a little, “Well, if you came down to eye level maybe I wouldn’t, then.”

The two landed in the grass near where I sat. Scootaloo was just barely still a filly, entering marehood, judging by how tall she was. She was very lithe, even more so than Aurora, reminding me very much of the Wonderbolts that I’d watched year after year. I smiled just a little and tried to set the thoughts that made me curse under my breath to rest.

But I couldn’t. A hissing in my ear promised otherwise with images and visions behind my eyes.

“You okay, dude?” Scootaloo asked while waving her hoof in front of my face, but turned to Aurora before I could break the trance, “Is he even awake?”

I looked to Aurora, who furrowed her brow and tilted her head worrisomely.

“Let’s just get started…” I suggested.

“You two play nice.” Aurora said suddenly before taking off, “I have to get back to work today. I’ll be home tonight!”

“Okay!” I yelled back, “Stay out of trouble.”

Her response was just to stick her tongue out at me. I smiled and laughed a little. It felt good to be back in the norm, hissing brain-stuff notwithstanding. Of course, this left me alone with Scootaloo, and the new form of torture that she was about to impose upon me.

“Alright slowpoke!” she barked, catching my attention, “Miss Bright has tasked me with something she thinks is super-mega-important!” she grinned with a dark and challenging look, “To get you back on you hooves and turn you into a complete hunk of stallion hotness!”

“Do what?” I asked, confused but laughing, “Stallion… hotness?”

“Yup, paid to do it too.”

A whistled made me jump, “DROP! I want at least TEN push ups!”

“Wait a minu-”

“DO EEEEEEHT!” she hissed, frowning at me, standing on her back hooves and flexing her fores as she hunched over at me to the point that she was in my face, “Don’t want to disappoint Miss Bright do you?

So Aurora had paid a filly to get me back in shape? It was almost ridiculous. But Scootaloo was right, I didn’t want to disappoint my love any more than I had. Besides… this WAS Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash’s little sister. Chances were that the pink-haired pegasus knew a thing or two about fitness.

I dropped, and started doing push-ups. About halfway through, my bones were aching. The felt like they were dripping molten lava.

“Sorry… I just can’t.” I said, “Do ten… I mean.”

Scootaloo just shook her head, “Looks like I have my work cut out for me.”

I stood, shaking a bit as I did, “Did Aurora tell y-”

“Duh. Of course she told me. Your bones are weak enough that a baby Unicorn could beat you in a hoof-to-hoof fight.”

I didn’t like being interrupted. Or being called weak.

“Do you even know what I do for a living?” I asked, seething as I spoke, “I lift-”

“Marshmallows?” she asked with a smirk, “To your mouth, pick up another, repeat?”

My anger surged, the hissing came back and urged me to speak.

“No, you daft foal!” I roared, “I move boxes day in and day out. Ones big enough for you to LIVE in. What kind of PEGASUS even RIDES a scooter? I saw you doing that this morning, you know! Too weak to flitter your little butt around Ponyville like a real one?”

Let me just say something. I had no knowledge of Scootaloo’s history, really. I didn’t know that she was actually adopted by Rainbow and weren’t biological sister, just that she’d been taken in by her. I had no idea that she’d had trouble learning to fly or that she was sensitive about the subject. That being said, I hit a nerve, one that made the normally rough-and-tumble little underdog of a Pegasus cry and, as tears streamed down her face, I immediately felt pretty freaking awful.

“I-I’m not a foal!” she screamed at me, “And how could you even KNOW that? ANY of that?” she asked, distraught, “I didn’t HAVE parents to t-teach me how to fly and- and…”

Scootaloo took off, flying into the sky, leaving me behind to think about what I’d done. In my mind I was justified at first. She’d picked on me! Insulted me! After what I’d just been through, I did not need some little foal telling me how *I* was weak. I walked off, murmuring to myself. The hissing returned, giving me a headache.

“Dammit… go away.” I told it out loud, just loud enough for somepony to catch part of it and look at me in worry.

But the hissing did not go away. And the more I tried to justify my actions, the worse it got until I realized that Scootaloo had been using negative reinforcement, and I’d acted like a child. Of course, that didn’t stop the hissing. It only got worse, forcing new images into my head. Images of Scootaloo alone and… younger? It was strange, but I suddenly understood. I felt what she’d felt after being abandoned, left to a dirty gutter, alone. What it was like to survive on goodwill and understanding. What it was like to sleep in a tree with no place to go home to. It wasn’t a completely unfamiliar feeling.

I’d felt some of the same feelings when I had found out my parents had passed away, at least the loneliness bit.

Eventually, the sheer weight of emotion and the crippling effects of the noise in my brain brought me to my knees where I sat, unmoving until a small voice broke through it all.

“Sorry…” Scootaloo apologized, sitting in front of me, “I shouldn’t have said those things. Called you weak.”

I took a deep breath. It was then that I noticed how cold the air was despite the sun being unobstructed by clouds. I frowned at the little orange Pegasus.

“I shouldn’t have either.”

Scootaloo nodded, bit her lower lip. I looked to the side.

“I’ll pay Aurora back, don’t worry about returning the bits.”

Scootaloo laughed a little, “Miss Bright was right.” she grinned, looking up at me from over her nose.

I swallowed as I sat in the grass, “What do you mean?”

“You’re kinda strange.”

I stared at her with an eyebrow raised and a frown on my face. I didn’t know what to make of the young Pegasus. What had my fiance’ been thinking? Moreover, why was I still hearing the noises that I had when Trixie had used her spell, and where had the pain that accompanied it suddenly disappeared to?

Scootaloo interrupted my thoughts. A little bit of aggravation flared in my stomach, but I did my best not to let it cross my face for fear of breaking our somewhat uneasy truce.

“We should get started.” Scootaloo suggested, “Don’cha think?”

I huffed, “Yeah, I suppose we should…”

The rest of the day was spent exercising in silence except for the sounds of exertion. We ran, we did pushups, and we climbed over things. By the end of our session, I was in a lot of pain, but somehow felt satisfied. Scootaloo looked up at me as we did our final stretches to prevent me from locking up.

“Well…” she started, “I think you’re sturdy enough that Aurora won’t shatter your pelvis, but I’m pretty sure she knew that already.”

Blinking at her, I was somewhat shocked, “What are you talking about?”

The orange Pegasus laughed and rolled her eyes, “Please, Aurora told me all about you in the hospital bed.”

I flushed, wondering what could possibly have compelled my fiance’ to speak with a child about our bedtime activities. Scootaloo caught onto this and just grinned.

“Come on, Ramp. You don’t live like I have and not hear about things that most fillies and colts don’t learn about until they’re older.”

I shook my head, “Still! Why would Aurora tell you about that?” I asked.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, “I think it should be obvious. Look, ya did good today. Go home, get some rest and we’ll do it all again tomorrow.”

I nodded and started for home.

“And don’t forget to eat properly. You need extra calcium in your diet!”

I came to a stop and turned as Scootaloo fluttered up, preparing for the journey home.

“Wait!” I called up to her, “One thing!”

She flew over to me and hovered, frowning in curiosity, “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Thank you.” I told her, “For helping out even though I was a big jerk.”

Scootaloo smiled a little, “Hey. No biggie. Besides, I was paid to, so it’s not like I’m doing it for free.”

With that, Scootaloo took off into the sky and zipped away into the clouds. I could swear for a moment I heard the sound of dragonflies, but it was dead winter. Where would dragonflies be at this time of the year? In any event, I gave up on wondering and started my way home. The fall wind was losing its pleasantness and beginning to take on a cold more characteristic of winter. Fortune was mine in that I spent most of my time outside when it was night time, and therefor I was more accustomed to colder temperatures than many ponies were. I smiled. Winter was probably my second favorite season, coming close in terms to fall. It was primarily due to snow. I loved snow. But that’s a little off topic.

My hooves clattered softly against the cobblestone streets of Ponyville, occasionally sending chips of stone or rock skittering away a short distance. This was the best time of day, when the sun was setting and the moon was slowly moving towards its traditional place in the night sky. A time where everything seemed surreal. I revelled in it all. The way the dying light of Celestia’s sun cast shadows where I was walking, the way the wind ran through my mane and across my coat. The only thing that was missing was my fiance’ to share it with. The thought in mind, I hurried home, crossing streets and alleys and climbing, careful to ensure I didn’t work too hard while I did it, over walls and ditches.

As I opened the door, my nostrils were greeted by the smell of steamed vegetables and my vision by an ice-blue eyed, purple maned Pegasus, dressed in something from Lacey Things, that store I mentioned yesterday.

“Don’t worry dear.” Aurora assured me as she sauntered forward to pull me through the door, “I’ll be gentle.”