Heartbeat. A thudding, pumping heartbeat in tune with the legs that carried me after her into the night. The tune of her wings and my hooves crushed out a tempo against the ground and air to come together into a crescendo of sound. A beautiful, well tuned sound, a music. Even back then she and I were literally two birds of a feather, and the moonlight that thrashed across her feathered wings and deep lavender mane truly made her visage into a work of art to be admired.

Especially from behind.

This was how we always started our dates. A race. Blue moonlight cast soft shadows against the passing buildings and ponies. My hooves splashed through a lunar-spirited puddle as I propelled myself into the air and onto the roofs of homes and businesses. I had to be careful when we’d first started this, but after many months of chasing her across rooftops and through alleyways, across fields and over rivers, I was a regular parkour-pony. I could keep up with her, as long as she stayed near the ground. Initially, she had outdone me in both stamina and maneuverability, but now she only really had me on the maneuverability part. Wings afforded her that much, and I was happy to let her have it. After all, racing isn’t as fun unless there’s good competition, right?

I jumped, clearing a two-story drop and coming down with practiced accuracy on the nest rooftop in my path. Calling out, I tried to tease Aurora.

“Hey, I thought you wanted me to show you that spot I was talking about!”

She didn’t stop. I knew she wouldn’t, but instead called back.

“Well then catch up and take the lead, slowpoke.”

She was teasing me. She always called me slowpoke, and I could have sworn she intentionally shook her flank at me before speeding up again.

The race continued with her in my vision until I caught up with her. I bounded forward, increasing my own thudding tempo against her wingbeat, eventually pulling up beside her and sticking my tongue out. She gave me an incredulous and mischievously-knowing look as I nearly ran off the edge of a building, barely managing to wrap my fore-legs around a horizontal flagpole and fling my body back up onto the rooftops above. Aurora mocked me with a mirror-image of my face only moments ago by sticking her tongue out at me and speeding ahead. I huffed. My love was being very hard to get that night. I probably shouldn’t have taken so long in the shower. Still, she’d be surprised when I brought out that bangle. Thankfully, I’d not forgotten to put it in my pack as she’d dragged me out the door and… wait… when had I put my pack on? I tried to think back but could only just barely remember having something thrown on my back by Aurora before she took off, with I after her.

Okay, so I hadn’t put the bangle in my saddlepack. But it WAS in my pocket.

Yes, we have pockets. Everypony knows that.

Up and over another roof I went, chasing the light-blue mare through ponyville. A right, a jump, another right. Where was she going? Down a level, up, down again, my hooves beat against the rooftops until…

“Stop right there!” a familiar voice called out. A heavy-set, muscular pony in steel plate armor appeared. His massive frame hid a natural stamina that was unexpected with a pony his size.

Aurora humored the voice, as did I.

Another voice joined in. This voice was depressing, and also familiar.

“Yeah. Come on guys. Make it easy on us tonight, please?”

In entered the mysterious partner that was always with him. He wore lighter armor, something almost rougish, with a flapping cape and a funny, shallow-coned hat. He was the subtle one.

Aurora just made a face at them and barked her decline to the offer over her shoulder.

The two night guards looked at me for a moment, waiting for an answer. If I agreed to stop, generally so would Aurora.

“Sorry guys, the lady’s got me by the ear tonight.”

I heard a loud, obnoxious, single bark of laughter from over a rooftop away. She was close. Maybe I could use the sudden appearance of our well-acquainted night-guard pursuers to my advantage.

“Come on guys! You’ll wake everypony up!” the larger, more masculine of the two guards bellowed as I hopped over the edge of another rooftop and into the alleyway below.

“Be quiet!” a pony yelled out his window, “You’re the only one waking anypony up!”

I bolted. These guys knew our tricks and our favorite paths, as it was definitely not the first time they had chased us through ponyville at night. It had become something of a spectacle for the nocturnal ponies that lined the streets and enjoyed the moonlight out in the central plaza to watch us be chased, but I wasn’t about to give our pursuers any advantages that I didn’t have to. The uneven streets before me threatened to trip me up in the low blue light of a cool Equestrian night while I searched for my love. We typically met up at the Mayoral Building near the Plaza Central, so that’s where I headed. My hoofbeats against the cobbled alleyways took me past closed up shops and homes, darkened windows with the occasional lamplight or candle emitting a soft glow from within. Turn after turn, alley after alley, until I broke out into the Plaza Central. I hadn’t heard any hoofsteps aside from my own since before Aurora and I had separated and the second chase had begun.

Assuming I was in the clear was the biggest mistake because, just as Aurora landed in front of me, the statue atop the fountain that decorated the midpoint of the open yard we found ourselves in moved.

“Got you.” a monotonous and bored voice sighed, “Now, can you come with me? Please?” I’m tired and-”

“Nope, sorry. Not today. I have something important to tell Aurora and it would be ruined by being stuck in a cell all night.”

Breaking into a hard gallop, I lead Aurora into a crowd of Bat Ponies, who greeted she and I with the usual laughs, jeers, and cheers that accompanied the “Midnight Run” as it was called. I weaved in and out of the crowd that had gathered but Aurora became impatient, or maybe she did it on purpose, and took off, flying above the crowd. Of course the ponies below cheered because, with much suddenness, a very much angry looking “Lawpony” appeared at the edge of the courtyard from between two buildings.

“Y’can’t run forever!” he bellowed as he stomped his right hoof, “So ya might as well run while y’can!”

A few ponies cheered at the entrance of a “new player” in the Midnight Run. The big, armored stallion rushed at the crowd, and right at me. With a jolt, I felt somepony clasp their hooves underneath my fore-legs and lift me off of the ground. A few ponies gasped, also surprised by Aurora’s appearance. A huge smile was plastered across her face as she lifted me off the ground and took me into the air with her. The feeling was odd but I did not have time to contemplate it.

“Let’s go!” she barked at me over the crowd as a further enraged guardpony stomped his hoof, calling obscenities after us.

Aurora flew as fast as she could, but only a short distance later she was forced to drop me off on a rooftop, where I came to a sliding halt as a result of the inertia that we had built up together.

“Have you gained weight? Geeze.” she huffed, fluttering with a small amount of uneasy exasperation above my head, “I used to be able to carry you further.”

I glanced up at my lover, and smiled, “I don’t think so, but you’re looking a little pudgy, dear.”

Even in the moonlight, I could see a clear and obvious flush cross her face.

“I’m not pudgy!” She insisted.

I just flicked my tail at her and bolted across the rooftops.

“I’M NOT PUDGY!” she called after me.

I turned my head and stuck out my tongue at her, in retaliation for her earlier mischief. She surged forward, then suddenly pulled back, surprise crossing her face. I glanced forward just in time to see the lanky, skinny pony from before standing right in front of me as I skidded to a halt.

“Air Ramp.” he greeted cordially.

I grinned, bowing slightly, “Lieutenant Cold Thorn.”

Some of the crowd from earlier, including a few Batponies who had taken to the sky, had found us, and awaited the inevitable.

“Shall we?”

I nodded, “Let’s.”

I heard Aurora mumble something about not being pudgy. She typically sat out fights between Cold Thorn and I. I think she enjoyed watching.

The lanky officer in front of me threw up his head, casting off the hat that covered his face, revealing himself to be a unicorn with a scar across his snout and snow-white hair. I braced myself, forehooves splayed forward before me, preparing to pounce. Aurora caught his hat and wore it, teasing him by making faces under it and pretending that it was a bonnet. The crowd giggled a little.

And then he was gone.

I looked about not understanding how it was possible, even after the history we had together, that he could just disappear. I had seen him do this before, but never with such blatancy. Mutterings from the crowd signalled that none of them had seen him disappear either. A rustling above my head alerted me to something heading my way from on high. I moved quickly to the side as two pony hooves struck the ground where my head might have been had I not. A short slide was all it took to regain my footing atop the thatched-roof cottage we were battling atop of. I lunged, and was greeted by a dark mist, and a tap on the shoulder. Not thinking, I ducked just in time enough to avoid a blow to my jaw by the hoof of Cold Thorn. Bringing up my own hoof, I managed to graze his cheek.

He had the power of shadows, but I had years of experience on the street. It was barely enough. His hoof-to-hoof combat was skilled and accurate, where my methodology was sloppy and entirely dependent on raw endurance and the strength which had been honed in the belly of an aircraft and by my fiance’ who was more of a handful than a gryphon.

A swift kick reminded me that I was fighting, the blow landing on my ribs. Naturally, I had clenched the muscles around it, which helped soften the blow and prevent ALL of the wind from being knocked out of me. I recovered with a quick grunt and threw a feint, then pulled back just as the mist appeared, which sent me impacting into the Leiutenant. He staggered backwards, thrown off-balance, which allowed me to deliver a punishing buck to his chest armor. He teetered over the edge, flailing his arms a bit, before falling to what would certainly have injured a pony in his position. I ran to his aid, despite our opposition to one another, but when I arrived he was gone.

I Should have known better. He was behind me. I jumped, sending a gasp into the air from the crowd below. I freefell onto a fabric awning, and bounced into hoof-range of a pole which I grabbed,and swung myself up and over onto the roof across from where I’d started. Twisting my form in midair,I righted myself and faced the quiet and determined aggressor.

The crowd cheered.

He called out my name, then posed a question.

“If you fail… are you prepared to face the consequences?”

I stared at him from across the gap.

“Are you prepared to face hers?”

He was referring to Aurora. I said nothing.

“What will she become without you should you fail? Perhaps a mare of the night for a foreign stallion from a far away land?”

His grin was malicious. It ticked me off. I roared and jamped across the gap at him. His cloak came off, and wrapped itself loosely around me. I shook it off as he landed a particularly hard punch into my lower-right back leg’s muscle. The leg crumpled, sending me careening down the pitched roof of the cottage. I tried to grip the roofing as I slid but failed and slid off of it and fell to the cobbled, hard street below.

I blacked out, but it wasn’t long before I came around, at least for the most part. My ears rang as a blurry image of the Lieutenant loomed over me. I could hear a few ponies yelling for the crowd to keep back. The Lieutenant’s voice was strained and whispering.

“Hey… Hey! Are you alright, Air?”

I nodded, and managed to choke “What the hell… Cold…”

I could hear ponies crying in the background about how I was dead. It wasn’t the first time.

“...sorry.” he began, “I didn’t think you’d fall…”

I laughed, coughing a bit. “... I get a free one… tonight’s important, I can’t afford to be taken in…”

He smiled a little, “Yeah… Aurora told me…” he lowered his voice, “Just make sure you don’t hurt me too mu-”

I decked Cold Thorn in the side of the face and bolted upright, righting myself on the cobble. Aurora swooped in and carried me over the crowd. I didn’t even look back as I reassumed our act.

“Try harder next time!” I bellowed over my shoulder as Aurora dropped me.

Cold Thorn picked himself off of the ground, his eyes shining menacingly in the lunar twilight. A smile crossed his face, giving him a wicked appearance.

“AIR RAMP. YOUR DAYS. ARE NUMBERED.”

The crowd parted as he galloped after me and Aurora. His aura shimmered, turning black and blue as he teleported through the shadows over and over again.

Aurora let loose a nervous laugh that segued into, “Run!” as she took off.

I took no second glances and increased my gallop into a hard dash out of town. Through the streets, down an alleyway, left, up, right. I dodged an incoming blur of shadow. I jumped over a barrel-pile as he crashed through it, sending them flying in such a way that they stacked perfectly upright in a cube, whereas once before they had been stacked sideways in a pyramid. That’s all I saw before I looked forward again and saw him appear right before my eyes.

“That… HURT, Air.” he seethed, “I didn’t mean to send you off a roof, you know.”

I shrugged as Aurora circled above, then slipped down into the alley with the Lieutenant and I before he could object.

“Guys, the crowd’s not far behind, and I want to go on my date with my boyfriend before one of you stallions kills him please.”

Cold Thorn simply nodded, sighing.

“Come on.” he demanded, “Let’s get you two out of the city.”

Since the years of Twilight’s Coronation, ponyville had experienced a boom. While at the time I hadn’t been considering the history of the town, I did appreciate the fact that with the sudden boom in population came a sewer network that housed the electrical grid (something new to ponyville entirely that many ponies still ignored in lieu of candlelight), and a secret way out of the city. The latter was something I was much more aware of and happy about, as Aurora and I would never get a chance to go on our date if the entire crowd followed us.

We moved through the stonework and like most other things in Equestria the sewer was a work of art. Etchings and patterns defined the walls and ceilings, and statues enchanted with a subtle, white glow illuminated the wide, arched corridors that interlaced the small, growing city. Even the smell was carefully masked, as in an emergency the sewers also served as a sort of bunker which was safe from magical and physical attacks of a large scale. The underground aqueducts were initially commissioned on the behest of the Princess, as a direct result of past… indiscretions on many ponies’ part.

“When are you two going to settle down?” the Lieutenant asked me, “I mean… sure y’all make our nights a whole lot more interesting, and the night crowd loves it to the point that we’ve all become a tourist attraction, but…”

The gruff voice of the larger stallion began reverberating off of the well-kept catacombs, “You guys can’t keep this up forever, and neither can we.”

My mind wandered to what it would be like being fifty and doing this kind of thing. I couldn’t really see it in my mind’s eye. I looked to Aurora. She rolled her eyes and sighed. I didn’t know what to make of it, but decided it was best left alone, even in the company of friends such as these.

“Well,” I began, my ears twitching a bit at the sound of our hoofsteps echoing off of the walls, “I figure that when she and I have foals… we’ll get ours back in full.”

Aurora seemed to stagger and blush a little, but quickly recovered. The two guardponies with us did not seem to notice. I bumped her with my shoulder as silence settled over our small party. She smiled a little, then frowned. I tilted my head, but she just huffed and turned her nose up at me. I stared at her, confused by the light-blue pegasus’ actions. She then smiled, opened one eye and pecked me on the cheek, trotting ahead to talk to the larger stallion.

“So, how’s it going at home, Thunderstep?” she asked, drumming up a conversation about the home life of our pursuer and listening intently.

This left me to my own devices, and to ponder what it was I had done to garner such a strange reaction from her. Perhaps I had made her wait too long while I was in the shower earlier, after all. Maybe she was still mad about us nearly killing me… again. I thought back to what the Lieutenant had said earlier, about what would become of Aurora if I disappeared, or got killed. What if he was right? I know we were just acting and that Cold Thorn hadn’t mean what he said but…

My thoughts were interrupted by Thunderstep, “Alright, you two. Up here is the field before nearest the Everfree Forest.”

I nodded, casually trotting past our friends and up next to Aurora, “Thank you both. It was fun, despite… well, you know.”

Cold Thorn laughed a little and rubbed his cheek, it was bruised from where I’d smashed my hoof into him earlier after I’d awoken from the fall, “No hard feelings, I’ll just have to explain to the Captain that I got punched in the face by a ruffian.”

I grinned, “See you both around.”

“We get to win next time, got it? Thunder Step can’t run as fast as I can, and he’s getting on in years.”

“Do what now?” Thunder Step asked, “Speak up, boy! I can’t hear you in my old age.”

The two laughed a little.

“Seriously, though. We get to win next time. You two won the past two times, making this the third time in a row. We’re going to lose our jobs if this keeps up. “

After waving back at our friends Aurora and I moved up through the archways to ascend the spiral stairwell that would eventually lead us into the open air. As we walked, listening silently to the echoing of our hoofsteps, Aurora seemed in good cheer, but would not look at me. Thoughts from a few minutes earlier cross my mind once again, but I was unable to figure out what exactly would have caused her to act that way.

In time those musings were forgotten as we broke into the open air. The autumn night was alive with lightning sprites and the chirping of the snow crickets that had come out of their summer hibernation early that year. Luna’s Moon hung low in the night sky, surrounded by the stars that dotted the canvas of the sky. We had stopped just outside the archway that lead to the underbelly of Ponyville, surrounded by long grass with wide blades and the occasional moonbathed winter flower. Aurora was staring at me, expectantly while standing, instead of her usual hovering.

“It’s this way.” I motioned with my head, flicking an ear to the towards the wall of trees that was the Everfree Forest, “Shouldn’t take long to get there.”

I made the first move and Aurora followed. She was smiling silently, as if she had something on her mind but at the same knew something that she shouldn’t have. We crashed softly through the grass, cold dew collecting on our coats as we made our way to a spot that I had discovered a few weeks ago. A beautiful spot, just inside that fabled wood.

Aurora sighed, looking back at what I could swear was her own flank. But what would she be sighing about, I wondered? It couldn’t have been her Mark. Her mark was a shimmering display of the Crystal Kingdom’s Northern Lights. Why she was a delivery Pegasus, I could never figure out, but I could swear it would change color as you walked by it. My thoughts wandered down the path it had so often that night, wondering what it could have been that had her so strangely silent.

And once again, like so many other times that night, those thoughts were pushed to the back of my mind as we broke into the wood with a small animal path leading us down deeper into the forest. The moonlight penetrated the canopy casting near-magical shadows and causing moonrays to cast themselves up us both. Aurora seemed intrigued and lost in wonder. Soft mosses grew on boulders, glowing blue in the moonlight, while lush ivies and vines draped themselves lazily over tree branches and along the ground. It was as if the seasons never changed within the Forest and that the warmth reflected that.

She broke our silence with a question, “When did you find this place?” she asked, taking in the sights with a near breathlessness that I could remember having myself as I travelled this path weeks ago.

I casually glanced over my shoulder back at her and smiled at her reaction, “It gets better.” I told her.

A smile etched itself across her lips back at me. We continued, making our way downhill and past a small cliff until we could hear water. Steam lazily wafted over the ground, creating a pocket of further warmth where our hooves were concerned. We were close.

A happy gasp loosed itself from my dearest’s throat as I stopped and pushed away a curtain of soft-leaved vines. Before her was a spring. A warm spring. Steam wafted about from water as clear as the sky above, contained in a bowl of sand softer than even the Spa Twins could afford. The canopy above opened up above where ethereal moonlight pierced the scene as a shaft, playing across the surface of the pool and between the clouds and swirlings of the steam. A large, multicolored, shimmering rock overlooked the pool, perfect to sit and talk upon.

Two pony forelegs wrapped around my neck, “It’s wonderful, Ramp.” Aurora smiled, pecking me on the cheek and fluttering up above me to perch upon the rock at the opposite end of the pool.

Her form shimmered there, wrapped in steam-born dew, beckoning me silently to her side. I answered her call, and went around the waist deep water, to meet her atop the rock overlooking the spring.

“Something’s been on your mind.” I stated, “It worries me a little.”

“It has. You’ll think I’m being crazy when I tell you what it is.”

I shook my head, denying the claim, “Probably not, and don’t you mean: If… you tell me?”

She smiled, scooting closer and looking out into the water, “No, I mean when.”

I glanced sidelong at her, “Is it that important?”

“Do you really think I’m pudgy?”

I deadpanned. She recoiled a little.

“I’m serious! I know I’ve been slacking a little on exercise, and the package route’s been a little slow lately.”

She was pacing. Pacing meant she wasn’t flying, and not flying meant she wasn’t kidding. I had to be careful with how I approached her, because despite her demeanor, and despite how much she usually understood, Aurora was sensitive. Especially to my opinions. Not overly so, but sensitive enough that I could cause her a lot of trouble if I said the wrong thing and didn’t explain myself. So, deciding to say nothing for a few moments, I put my hooves on her shoulders and sat her down softly, stepping back. Confusion crossed her face as I tilted my head, seeming to observe something, looking her up and down. I approached, put my hoof on her forehead, pushing her purple mane up from her eyes for a moment, as it had become disarrayed during the chase, and probably moreso as she had fretted.

“I’m not sick, Air.”

I just smiled, and stepped back again and then began a walk-around. She turned her head to face me as I did so. I could tell she was catching on to what I was doing, but she stayed silent, smiling nervously. As I came back around to her front I sat in front of her.

“So?” she asked, her ears twitching nervously.

I laughed once, “Well…” my voice was playful as I stood back up and approached her until my snout was right in front of hers, staring into those beautiful ice-blue eyes, “In some stallion’s eyes, a bigger flank was never a bad thing.”

Her ears drooped a little, “And… what does this stallion think?” she asked me.

“This stallion thinks…”

And I kissed her softly without another word. As we parted lips, she smiled. But just before we started again, her stomach let loose a small sound.

“...speaking of which…” she sighed, “I’m hungry.”

I nuzzled her in response, “Don’t worry, dear.” I attempted a reassurance, “You look great as ever, and you’re still the most desirable Pegasus mare in Ponyville.”

She smirked, “Even with my fat flank?”

I gave her “fat flank” a squeeze, “Does that answer the question?”

Her ears perked up and she continued to smile, it broadening from its smirk to a relaxed happiness.

“Then feed me before I waste away.” she remarked, as I removed the pack from my back, “I made us some food while you were away, just for our date.”

I set the bag down between us and opened it to take a look inside, smiling. Some simple sandwiches were inside, along with a bottle of aged cider that I’d been keeping around for the past five years. I had found it in the cellar of my parent’s home, and upon it was a note: “Save it for something special.” Aurora had a good feeling for what was special, and I was actually glad she had put it in the bag because tonight was a very, very special night after all. I set out the plates that somehow had survived the chase and me falling off a roof and unwrapped the two sandwiches that Aurora had made, setting them down on a plate each.

She set out two glasses as I uncorked the bottle of cider. Even in the moonlight, I observed, the cider itself had a golden glow to it. Bubbles fizzed up to the top of the glasses, frothing nicely. All was set and so we ate and talked about the future, the chase, and the past. We laughed and enjoyed each other’s company until about halfway through, when I decided it would be a good idea to finally ask her the big question and reveal the bangle that Jasper had given to me.

“This cider is awesome.” Aurora commented as she swallowed the last bit, “Where’d you say your parents got it?”

I stood up and sat between out plates, figuring it would be the best place to put myself for a question like the one I was about to ask.

“Aurora?” I asked.

She tilted her head sideways and seemed a little concerned about the seriousness of my tone.

“I have something very important to ask you.” I began, as I reached back behind me to pull out the bangle, “And you don’t have to say yes… but I’d love it if you did.”

I pulled out the Rainmetal bangle. In the light of the moon, it swirled with an ethereal blue and green light, an aurora in and of itself to match her name. Aurora stared at it for a moment, and for a second I thought she’d just say yes.

But she didn’t. What she said next surprised me, and what she did afterwards even moreso.

“Air… put it away.” she said solemnly.

My ears drooped, and I was speechless, powerless to do anything but what she asked me to. She stood, and without a word, flew off into the moonlight, leaving me alone. Sadness sunk into my heart, and I felt as if I was drowning in that little beautiful puddle behind me. I even considered it for a second, as a passing thought. After all that time, all the times we’d spent together and all the love I’d shown… I’d been rejected.

I stood, feeling sick, and began to walk towards the edge of the outcropping. I stared into the water there, back at my own reflection and cursed my fate. I was an Earth Pony… what had ever made me think somepony as beautiful and wonderful as Aurora would ever want to marry a grounded-

“Yes!”

My ears flickered. That was Aurora’s voice! It was also the last thing I heard before I found myself crashing into the warm water of the spring with her as she tackled me into the pool below, hugging me tightly in her forehooves. I gasped as she let go and I broke the water’s surface. I scowled at her as she laughed.

“You scared me… TWICE.” I grumped, “I thought you weren’t coming back.”

Her laughter died down to an adorable giggle, and she just stood there smiling.

“I thought…”

She put a hoof to my lips, “Stop…” she whispered, “I’d love to be yours. Besides…” she dropped her hoof to the ground and turned, shaking her flank at me, “I had to get you back for earlier.”

I growled playfully while lightly grappling her and nipping her ears, and then the night was rife with the sounds of our love until the morning light shone through the canopy of the little grove. I can honestly say that if I hadn’t flown before then, well… she certainly made me feel like I was in those moments.