Morning in the hidden grove was beautiful, even more with Aurora next to me. At some point during our hours of passion we had passed out together and fallen asleep in the ferns at the edge of the spring. My eyes fluttered open to be greeted by a painted sunrise that had set the sky ablaze with orange light, and where clouds meandered lazily above the opening in the canopy reflecting the tangerine fire of Celestia’s rising sun. Dew dripped off of the ferns around us but, despite that, we were not cold. Aurora was wrapped around me in a soft embrace with her wings covering our forms, so I took the next hour to enjoy her warmth. When she awoke, her head nuzzled into my chest and she let loose a small yawn. With her own eyes batting as she roused, my fiance’ let loose a small moan of what I could safely assume was satisfaction before the young mare cuddled back into me again. It was some time again before she said or did anything futher.

“Good morning dearest.” she eventually sighed with her eyes still closed and her lavender mane pressed into my chest.

I simply nipped her ear softly in greeting and, feeling her shiver, smiled.

“Still frisky, I see.” a sultry voice whispered from my love, “Well…”

Suddenly I was upended and pinned with my back in the ferns. She was wearing the bangle.

“You’re mine.” she declared as she traced circles in my chest fur, “And so is anything attached.”

I was doomed, knew it, and loved it. Needless to say, we spent a good portion of the remainder of the morning together, with Aurora putting every applebucker to shame that I’d ever known.

The journey home was refreshing, but found us both walking a little awkwardly, she more than I.

“Are you going to be able to fly in that condition?” I asked, staring at her disheveled mane, awkward walk, and dirt and leaf covered coat.

She stuck her tongue out at me obviously trying not to grin, but hold her head high and dignified, “I don’t need my hips to fly.”

She let loose a snort though, which broke into a laugh, prompting the same from me.

“Come on, I’ll carry you.”

Aurora lit upon my back and draped herself across like a rug.

“Such a gentleman. Won’t I get your tuxedo dirty?” she asked, teasing, and rolling over on her back to play the ‘damsel,’ “I’m so glad I have a big stallion to carry me.”

I looked back at Aurora and kissed her on the cheek, leaving it at that.

Aurora pouted, “You’re no fun.”

“After last night, I’m not sure you can claim that, Ms. Bright.” I shot back as we entered a golden field of uncut wheat, “I had you begging for more, remember?”

Aurora blushed, and flittered her wings laying longways across my back so she could play with my mane. I could tell she was happy. She still wore the bangle. It felt a little odd giving her the bangle so early, we were certainly months away from any sort of wedding. I began considering where Aurora would like to have the wedding most.

“So… Aurora?” I asked slowly, “Where do you think we should have the wedding?”

She stayed silent for a bit, and I wasn’t sure if she’d heard me.

“We could have it in my hometown.” she offered, “It’d be one of the first places I feel we’d go once you got your wings.”

My heart sunk a little.

“What if I don’t get them, dear?”

A hum that I had come to understand as contemplation lulled around my ears.

“I suppose you’re right…” she paused, “Well, there’s always Ponyville proper.”

It seemed so… normal. Too normal for us. Ponyville was home, sure, but not the way most ponies saw it. Our home was in the night, on the street and out and about at the clubs, dancing the night away and hiding out on rooftops. We were adventurers, it only fit that we should have a wedding in a place that reflected that.

“What about in the Crystal Kingdom?” I asked, “The hinterlands are harsh and beautiful there. And then there’s the Kingdom itself.”

Aurora hugged my neck, “I think that would be wonderful. But where are we going to get the bits, dear?”

I hadn’t thought of that.

“We’ll figure something out. Maybe there’s ponies around Ponyville who need extra help. I could probably work for Applejack and her kin after work at the cargo company.”

Aurora shook her head, I could feel it, “No. A second job? Dear, you work enough as it is. Little jobs here and there are one thing, but you’ll be exhausted!”

I snorted, “Then what should we do? I won’t let you work a second job either if I can’t.”

Then it came to me, “I could sell the house.” I suggested.

Aurora practically bit my head off, “No! That’s your parent’s home! You can’t sell that! Besides, where would we live? I know I have my home in Cloud Nine, but… you won’t have anywhere to go!”

I grinned, “Sure I will. I just have to get wings first.”

“No.” she said forcefully, “No, no, no. I’m putting my hoof down on this one. You are NOT selling the house.”

“I’ll do what I wan-”

She tugged my ear harshly, “Not if you want any more of me in the next month.” she threatened as her voice softened, “Look, dear… I believe you will get your wings, or at least I really want to, but you need a back up plan. Just in case.”

She was right, I needed to be aware that everything might not go according to plan. Aurora’s stomach growled and rumbled, scaring me a little because I could FEEL it on my back. She laughed and told me that I shouldn’t be surprised after all the exercise we’d gotten the night before, this morning, and the fact that it was actually lunch time. My stomach protested as well at the mention of what time it was and so, with Aurora on my back, we made our way into Ponyville once more. I was glad that Pegasi were lighter than Earth ponies and that I worked in a physical vocation because I was certain that it would have been much harder to carry an Earth pony Aurora.

For obvious reasons, I never said that out loud.

The broken cobble at the edge of town greeted my hooves as Aurora ‘dismounted’ from my back to hover above me.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked me, looking around at some of the buildings at the edge of town, “Personally, I’m up for a lettuce-head or two.”

“Two?” I asked, “And you wonder why you’re” I put sarcastic emphasis on my next words, “gaining weight.”

She huffed, then hovered down to my level. I just smirked.

“I thought you liked big flanks.” she jeered back at me, “And besides, I beat your butt last night in the race AND everything else.”

“You think so?” I asked.

Aurora looked back at me as she hovered up and away, “Who was carrying who when they got stuck in the crowd?”

She had me there so I ceded and started walking, “Two it is.” I said under my breath, rolling my eyes and smiling a bit.

I was certain she heard me anyways, because she grinned at me herself before we made our way into the business section of town.

In the daylight hours, I found everything so much less alluring. There was no moon to cast dark shadows, nor ethereal light to create a sense of mysticism. And it wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate Celestia’s sun, it was just that I wasn’t as big a fan of it as Luna’s night sky. Sure, the sun gave us food and warmth, but the moon was something else. It provided light when the sun did not, and provided shadows to lay in as a result. It didn’t make sense to most ponies, but it didn’t have to. I understood it, and that’s all that mattered.

In spite of my ‘misgivings,’ as they might have been called, the daylight hours weren’t all bad. Restaurants were open, ponies played in the fountain square, and it was much more lively outdoors than during the night typically was. Of course the best part was the open restaurants. I stared at the places and shops in front of me like I was a visitor from another world.

“Can we go, dear? I’m starving.” Aurora pleaded as her stomach growled.

I nodded, “Yeah, and we should probably discuss what to do next. What about that one?”

I watched Aurora look up at the sign across the street, “Carrot’s Cabana?” she asked, “I was hoping for lettuce, carrots make me feel bloated sometimes.”

I rolled my eyes, “Anything that weighs ANYTHING makes you feel bloated, and besides, they actually sell more than carrots.”

“You do know I fly everywhere right?” she asked, ignoring the last part of my statement, grumbling, “I hate being weighted down by food.”

I started walking towards the place, “You know if I had wings, I’d hug you right now.”

Aurora sighed, made a face and fluttered after me, gliding lazily at my side. We passed by a few ponies who waved as Aurora and I entered the building. We waved back. The owner, Carrot Top, had come to be very successful as of late, despite some quarreling between her and the Apple family. I wasn’t sure what exactly had occurred between the two, but Carrot Top’s establishment now proudly sported a sign stating that they sold Sweet Apple Acres fruit and vegetables as well as Mrs. Top’s locally famous carrots and vegetables. The building was well kept, and we were greeted promptly upon entering.

“Welcome to Carrot’s Cabana!” a perky young unicorn smiled as she addressed us from behind the counter, “How many?”

Aurora spoke before I could, surprising me a little as I shot a glance at her, “Two.” she said, “How long’s the wait?”

The unicorn glanced down at the sheet in front of her, “About fifteen minutes.”

Aurora groaned, “Honey, can we go somewhere else, I don’t want to wai~it.”

I sighed. She became impatient when she was hungry, “Aurora, by the time we find somewhere else to go with a shorter wait list, we’ll have already been seated if we stayed.” I offered.

She puffed out her cheeks at me and grumped, “But I‘m hungry now…”

Those moments when Aurora acted like that were part of her appeal to me. She was smart and thoughtful sometimes, competitive and challenging at others, but then could also turn around and act like a complete foal. I found it endearing, while others had warned me against it. Those others had been wrong, and I knew they were still as I slipped a foreleg around her middle and pulled her close as we sat on the booths in the waiting area. A loud rumble from her stomach drew eyes of those around. She blushed and looked as if she was trying to make herself seem smaller, as if it would avert their attention. I chuckled a little.

“It’s not funny.” she hissed at me.

I drew her closer to my side, “No, it’s adorable.” I ‘agreed.’

“I want to go outside…” she mumbled looking out the window behind us.

“Table for 2?” the young unicorn asked us as she trotted up while levitating two menus at her side.

I nodded as Aurora stood and began following the unicorn. I trailed closely behind with a purpose. Aurora seemed to be more concerned than usual about her weight. Maybe it was just the fact that I had said something earlier that I shouldn’t have, even if it was a joke. Even so, I felt a little guilty as I appraised her discreetly from behind.

She DID look a little bigger, but only from behind. It was scarcely noticeable and not at all a bad thing in my opinion. I certainly wasn’t a fan of anypony being overweight but she was always so skinny and sometimes I worried that she didn’t eat enough, though I kept thoughts like that to myself most of the time. I shook myself free of those thoughts as we arrived at our table.

“Can I get you two anything to drink?” the unicorn asked, “We have fresh blends today.”

“Water.” I told her, looking to Aurora, who was scanning the menu.

“Can I get the Vegetable Blend?” she asked the waitress who wrote it down promptly using her magic and a pen.

The waitress smiled, telling us that she’d be back momentarily with our drinks and to take our order. Another growl sounded off from my fiance’s stomach.

“...Noooo, come baaaack…” Aurora reached out with her hoof dramatically, “Awwwe…”

I looked at Aurora over my menu, “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a stomach growl as loud as yours.”

She shrugged half-heartedly as she picked up her menu again, “Well… it’s always sort of been like that. My parents were particularly scared the first time I came home from flying almost all day. Of course, so were my friends, but a lot of them thought it was pretty neat that I could “roar from my stomach.” It worried my parents so much that they even took me to the doctor.”

“What did the doctor say?”

Aurora giggled a little, “That I was a very hungry pegasus, and that they should feed me more.”

“So I should feed you more, then?” I asked, “Start packing double for our excursions?”

“No… no, I’m already starting to look chunky after only a few days of easy routes…”

I rolled my eyes, “You look great.” I paused, thought and then continued, “Tell you what, if you’ll promise to tell me if I’M getting too heavy for your tastes, then I’ll tell you if YOU’RE getting too heavy for mine. Deal?”

Aurora smiled and put her hooves on mine, “It’s not the most suave you’ve ever said, but alright. Deal.”

“Then order whatever you want, I’m buying anyways.”

We turned to our menus and began reading through them, scrolling along our options, and discussing what we think the stranger dishes might be like, and if we thought they’d be any good. Eventually, I settled on a toasted bowl of various vegetables like carrots, celery stalks, and beans. Aurora on the other hoof ordered a fruit bowl and a head of cabbage, separated into leaves. She always had a bit of a sweet tooth. As soon as the table was set with our food, we began eating. Aurora scarfed down as much as she could as quickly as she could. To that date, I don’t believe I’d ever seen her eat so quickly.

It was only after we had finished that Aurora spoke again, starting with a satisfied sigh.

“So… we should start looking for Twilight soon.”

I looked up from my empty plate, “Didn’t you say she was in the Everfree Forest?” I asked, “That’s a lot of ground to cover.”

She nodded, and resting her hooves on the table to cradle her head Stared up at the ceiling, seeming to consider the fact.

“Well… Maybe you don’t have to grow wings… Maybe somepony could just… magic them.”

I looked at my fiance incredulously, “Just… magic them into existence? I actually talked to my boss about that, and a spell like that costs a lot of bits per use unless you’ve got sompony in mind who would be willing to do it every day.”

Aurora frowned, “Well… maybe some can be made or enchanted?” she suggested.

“Do we know anyone who could do something like that?” I asked.

Aurora smiled, “Yep. Do you remember that fashion designer that we went to for clothes to go to the Summer Sun Celebration last year in Manehattan?” she asked me.

I nodded, “Rarity, right? We haven’t really talked to her in ages…”

A short discussion about other options came to be fruitless, so I paid our tab and we set off. Aurora decided not to fly, and judging by how full she looked, I couldn’t say I blamed her. I asked if she was alright to which she responded by nodding and bumping me lightly.

“Thanks for the meal, Air.” she said, “I don’t think I’ve eaten that well in a while.”

I let her lean on me a little as we walked, “I don’t think either of us have.”

“You know, dear… you don’t have to do all this… searching, trying to get wings. I’m happy with us the way we are.”

My heart skipped, and I believed her. But there was something else driving me, something that I had said to Applejack a day or so ago, and that I felt was true now.”

“Aurora…” I stopped, looking very seriously into her ice blue eyes, “I just… I have to do this. The way you describe it, how you talk about it… it sounds amazing, flying. But it’s not just that, you know?”

“Then what is it?” she asked me frowning just a little out of what seemed to be curiosity, “Why do you want wings so bad?”

I looked towards the sky where clouds rolled lazily about above us, “I’ve always wanted to go there, be up there. Ever since I was a foal, the sky was something I would look up at with wonder. Aurora…” I stopped, “...I want to touch the stars, bathe in the clouds. It’s just that now… I’d rather do the same with you, giving me more than enough reason to try.”

Aurora stifled a laugh, and I glared at her.

“I’m sorry, dear. But that… was incredibly cheesy.” she then smiled, her laughter melting away, “I understand though. And if I can, I’ll do whatever is possible to help, if it’s really what you want.”

My glare softened and I nodded, “Thank you Aurora.”

“YOU have to do something for me in exchange though.” she warned, catching me off guard.

“What is it?” I asked with a little worry in my voice, “What do you want me to do?”

Aurora just smirked, “You’ll find out later. Let’s just get to the Carousel Boutique.”

A short walk through the cobbled streets and into Craftside, the new district name for where the most businesses revolving around things such as metalworking, cart-repair, and fashion-design now took place landed us at Rarity’s and knocking on her door.

“Come in, come in!” A rich-sounding voice called out from behind the door, “Just give me one moment, as I’m in the zone as it were.”

As Aurora and I entered the foyer of the now expanded Boutique, one which now saw regular business from all around Equestria, we were greeted by a flurry of fabric, needles, thread, and jewels. Rarity was a talented unicorn of her trade, but I had no idea just how talented she actually was until that day. At the moment, she was sewing three dresses at once, behind her, drawing on a pad and paper to presumably make adjustments to one of the designs, and closely inspecting a few jewels… all at once.

“Sweet Celestia…” I mouthed, my jaw dropping.

Aurora used a hoof to push my jaw back up, “No gawking dear.” she smiled, “It’s rude.”

I shook myself from the stupor that had overcome me, “I had no idea she was this busy… or this skilled. Maybe we should come back later.” I suggested.

“Nonono deary, just stand there a few more moments,and I will be quite done with this line.” she insisted as Aurora tilted her head at one of the dresses that graced a mannequin.

Despite Aurora’s joy of flying and being outside, she also enjoyed wearing nice clothes and shopping on occasion. I hated shopping, but felt it was best just to let her do her thing while she browsed. I stared at Aurora as she went from dress to dress until her wings fluttered just enough for somepony to notice. It was something that I don’t think she was ever aware of, but that little motion was how I knew she’d found something that struck her fancy. She smiled, her eyes brightening as one of her hooves tested the fabric. Aurora’s eyes glanced up towards the ceiling, which was another thing she did that I knew had a meaning, she was imagining herself in the dress. A pretty little orange and cream number, it would suit her well and bring a bright splash of color to the coming winter months whenever she wore it.

“She speaks quite highly of you.” Rarity whispered, suddenly appearing next to me.

I smiled softly at the unicorn, the returned my gaze to Aurora, “She does?” I asked, “Has she told you that I work a low-wage job and am living off of what my parents left me?”

Rarity smiled in turn as well, “She has, but she says you spend it well. So that begs to question: What brings you in today dearie?”

Aurora peeled herself away from the dress, “Wings, Ms. Rarity.” she stated bluntly, “We were wondering if you could fashion my fiance’ some wings.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide, “Fiance’?” she exclaimed, “Oh, congratulations Aurora!”

“Thank you, Rarity” Aurora said with grace, imitating Rarity somewhat, “I’m quite happy with the engagement bangle that my dearest has given me. It will double as the wedding one.”

Rarity glanced at me like I was a monster, “How could you be so cheap, and after she’s spoken so well on your behalf?” she huffed, almost whining when she asked, “How could you?”

I was too caught off guard to say anything. I had not been prepared to be suddenly accused of being a cheapskate.

“Now, now, Miss Rarity…” Aurora began, “What he’s gotten me is more than enough, and is one of the rarest bangles in the world.”

“Is that so?” Rarity glared at me, then stuck her nose up, “Well, let’s see it then, shall we?”

Aurora lifted up her hoof without saying another word as I frowned, barely having time to regret not being able to afford an engagement bangle as well before Rarity gasped at the opalescent band around Aurora’s forehoof.

“Oh my… I see now why… My apologies…” Rarity blushed in embarrassment, “T-that’s a Rainmetal…”

Aurora smiled and stood next to me, quite happy with herself. Rarity cleared her throat.

“Ah... Well then, back to business. What is it can I do for you two today?” she asked, “Something about wings was it not? Getting ready for Nightmare Night early this year?” she smiled quickly, still clearly nervous about how she’d reacted earlier.

“Actually,” I started, “We were hoping you could make some… functional wings, Miss Rarity.”

Rarity blinked, “I… I don’t really know, I suppose I could try.” she shrugged a little, “But what you’re asking is… very hard to do, I would imagine. In fact, I have never heard of such a thing.”

Aurora began to turn around and head towards the door, “Well, if it’s not possible, then we shouldn’t waste your time.”

I nodded in agreement and began to head toward the door as well because, after all, I was certain she had a lot of clients that were waiting for whatever she had been working on before we had entered her shop.

“Wait!” Rarity cried out, then collecting her composure, “Why do you need functional wings, if I might ask?”

A short explanation from me had her sold.

“You would do that for your love? That’s marvelously sweet, dearie.” she exclaimed, “I’d love to give it a whirl, and besides, it would be good business if it were to work. Enchanted fabric isn’t easy to make, but I’ve been practicing in these recent years, and actually happen to have some that is literally featherweight no matter the amount used in ANY design. It’s marvelous, really.”

I smiled, “Thank you Miss Rarity. I appreciate this. How much do you think it will come out to?”

“Well… I’d have to charge you for the fabric at least. But there are a few things I could definitely use and I would have to go out and get those things myself. If you get them for me, everything else is on the house, if you know what I mean. Just stay right there for a moment.”

Rarity went into another room and came back with a small sack of bits, “Now, I trust you two with the task of gathering them. If you do, the rest is free, aside from the fabric.” she reiterated, “Try to get these things” a list hovered over to Aurora, “by the end of the day, before sundown.”

Aurora pocketed the list, because ponies do indeed have pockets (so stop wondering), and started for the door with me at her side. We waved to Rarity once we were back out onto the cobblestone streets of Ponyville, and then set off on our way. The “base materials” section of Craftside would be our next stop. The sun was bright, and a light breeze wafted through the air, just enough to cool a pony and prevent them from getting too uncomfortably warm in the high-noon of an autumn day.

In other words, it was a perfect day to be outside enjoying Celestia’s gifts. Even if that meant running errands. I still preferred the moon, though.

“So what’s on the list, Aurora?”

Aurora drew the list from her pocket unfolding it in her hooves, “Well… There’s wood of various sizes… specifically Far East Wood, Binder’s Thread, a size of needle I’ve never even heard of, glue, and Solution Powder.”

From the look on her face, I guessed that my blue-eyed fiance’ was about as confused as I was. Some of the stuff on that list I was certain neither of us had even heard of, much less bought at any time in the past. Aurora pocketed the list once more and hoofed over the sack of bits to me.

“Hold onto that for me, please.” she asked as I tied it around my neck to hang like a necklace. Pony pockets were not infinite after all, unless you were Pinkie Pie or somepony who used them a lot. Don’t ask questions.

“Still feeling weighted down?” I asked with a sly grin, pointing a hoof are her tummy, “I can carry the note too, if you like.”

Aurora stuck a hoof in my chest lightly, “You keep talking like that and I’m going to sit on you. Then you’ll feel the full wrath of my extra weight.”

“Maybe I’ll like it.”

“Maybe you will. But you won’t be experiencing anything, new or familiar, if you keep it up.”

I was pretty sure she was kidding, but… well, we really did need to go and get the things on the list before sundown, and it was well past lunch hours by then. So, down the smoothed, well maintained main road we went in search of Rarity’s rarities. Our search brought us to a small carpenter shop, the “Hobby Horse,” more specifically. It was a neat little place that smelt of sawdust and was filled to the brim with various crafted wooden toys and furniture. I could hear a roaring rotary saw in the background somewhere near the rear of the shop. I reasoned that it must have run off of the new power grid that now laced Ponyville.While we waited, Aurora browsed the little toys, seeming to think about something as she stared intently at each one. Seeing her act like that always caught my interest, because she always had something on her mind when she did.

“What’s up, hun?”

“These would make great toys for a pegasus foal…” she whispered, pushing a small wooden train a few inches on the shelf it sat, “If only they’d stay in the clouds.”

I considered that for a second, “Well, if there’s a way for me to acquire wings, maybe there’s a way to make toys made down on the ground light enough to stay in the clouds.”

“Can I help either of you?” a voice interrupted.

I noticed then that the sawing noise had stopped, and turned my head to see a wood-shaving and sawdust covered pony with goggles still over his eyes staring at us both. His mane was a tousled mess, and he did not seem terribly amused with our presence. Aurora and I ignored that as she removed the list from her pocket.

“Yes, um… we were in the market for something called... Far East Wood.” Aurora began, “It’s for-”

“Miss Rarity, I would assume. She’s the only one who ever buys it around here.”

“Yes… we need them cut into sizes based on the directions on this note.” Aurora put the note on the carpenter’s table and stepped back a little.

“Easy enough.” he said as he scanned over the paper, his head moving more than I felt was necessary until I remembered that he was wearing goggles, “Same price as always, 200 bits.”

I untied the money bag from my neck and sifted through it until I found two gold pieces, each worth a hundred bits. It was a new thing in Ponyville to have multiple types of currency, each worth a different amount of the standard bit. No one had bothered to name them yet, which was fine with me as I didn’t like the idea of having to memorize what different silly names somepony could come up with for a piece of metal worth a hundred bits, or fifty bits, or whatever.

“I’ll get to work on the cutting immediately. Just come back in about an hour, it’ll be done.”

Without another word or before either of us could thank him, the carpenter pony went back into his work area, and the saw started up again. Aurora and I stepped out into the street once more and ran down the list one more time. Aurora seemed a little perturbed by the behavior of the carpenter.

“Well he was certainly…”

“Interesting?” I interjected.

“That’s one word for it…”

I shrugged, “He was probably just busy, dear.”

“...Probably.” she mused before we both started looking at the list again, “Next up is… Binder’s Thread…”

I squinted at the sheet, “Binder’s Thread being…?”

Aurora folded up the note with a sigh, “No idea. Let’s get started.”

It wasn’t hard to find a fabric shop. Anypony that had met Rarity might have asked why she did not sell and import her own thread, but then anypony who might ask that clearly did not know how much time the Unicorn actually spent crafting. I suspected that, after what I’d seen earlier that day, Rarity really,truly did not have time to sell fabrics and threads in addition to creating, crafting and selling her designs once they became a reality.

The shop was named “Lace ‘n Things” which was not to be confused with “Lacey Things,” a store not too far from where the previously mentioned shop was actually located. I won’t talk about what that store sold. You can guess if you’re old enough, but I’ll say that Aurora sometimes frequented the shop and surprised me upon my return home.

.”Shall we go in?” Aurora asked me.

“Oh yeah…” I said in a low, unintentionally growling-but-sultry voice, not realizing that I still had my mind on the other shop for a moment before catching myself, “I mean… um... yeah, let’s go.”

“Are you okay?” Aurora laughed.

I started trotting towards the door to Lace ‘n Things, “Yep, totally fine. Just… had something on my mind.” I told Aurora as she raised an eyebrow at me before following me in.