"You!" The mare hurried through the heavy beats, dashing in almost a gallop to Skyline. "I was starting to think you were a passing dream."
Skyline turned his ears back to rest on his head. He had gone to a different place, halfway across the city. What were the odds? "Hi."
"Hi yourself." She looked him over. "So, what happened? You vanished! I woke up, and you weren't there."
Other dancers, the ones that could hear, edged away from the charged conversation.
What could he say? Thanks for the snack, but I had places to be? He hadn't even thought about her since then. "Nice to see you?"
"Not the answer I was aiming for." She glared at him with renewed ire. "Seriously, what happened?!"
"You want the truth?" he tried, hoping perhaps it'd ward her away.
"Yes." Flat, final. "Truth, now."
Well... "Alright. I joined the night guard." He spread his leathery wings wide. "And I passed basic training. I'm a full-fledged member now."
"Oh." She sank to her haunches. "Why didn't you start with that? Why didn't you wake me up?! I would have understood..." She curled a hoof to her chin. "Wow, guard member. Congratulations... I though you just liked... Nevermind. Wow." She burst into sudden giggles, vibrating with the force of it. "So you've been busy with Luna, huh? That makes sense... Seriously, why didn't you just tell me?"
"It was complicated..." It really hadn't been, at the time. "I was... I was worried Luna would send me away. I was nervous." That part, at least, true. "Sorry."
"Well." Her tail wagged with rebounding energy. "Found you. Want to dance? Get any better than the first time? I swear, you were trying to shake apart."
Skyline could remember his wild gyrations as he tried to adjust to his new form. "Um... I wasn't that bad."
"I loved it." She leaned in, breath washing over his face and cheek. "The worst part was waking up and you weren't there. I thought... I thought I found a new friend."
"You did!" he blurted with more force than he meant to. "I mean, um... Hi! I'm Skyline." He dipped his head towards her.
"Howdy do, Skyline." She pointed at herself. "Ruby Rails." She fluttered her brilliant red eyes. "Care to do a new dance? You're not busy, are you? The night's young, and so are we!"
Skyline returned her smile, flapping his wings once. "You know, you're right. A little dance wouldn't hurt."
"Not even a little." She brushed past him and lashed her tail. "The beat's lively, so let's get to it." The time for words had passed, and they started the dance she had requested, and soon he remembered he enjoyed just as much. There was a lot less deception that time, but the dancing could not go forever. "I... should go..."
"If you want." She pressed against him, the two belly to belly, standing up just after a soft song. "Want to stop by? I have coffee," she tempted like it was a big pile of bits, an exotic treature to lure him with.
He laughed at the outrageous offer. "Aren't you scared? I might vanish on you again."
"You might." She smooched his cheek and fell to all fours. "You might... But I kinda like you, and I know your secrets. No running! Just let me know when or if you have to go. I won't panic, promise."
Skyline fell to his own hooves, peering at her oddly. He knew at least one secret she didn't know... "Alright..." a little snack sounded pretty good, come to think. He had basically no chances to sup on love while working as a guard. The strict military life had no room for such things. Love between members was a no go, even if one wanted another pony of the same gender. Nope nope. Love life was for off duty.
Lucky for Skyline, he was off duty, so he followed Ruby Rails to her home for the second time.
They had a perfectly delightful evening that ended with her hugging him firmly from below, he resting on top of her, belly to belly. "You are a.. wonderful stallion, just so you know," she got out, panting softly. "But you make a mare scared to even think about napping. If I close my eyes, you'll be gone in an instant, sneaky thing."
"Guilty." He touched noses with her. "That's part of my job, as a guard... Now... Now..." He thought it over. Was it the right time to bring it up? "You're pretty too." Maybe another time... "I won't run away."
"You promise." She licked his nose with a muted giggle. "Promise promise?"
"Triple promise." He crossed his chest and poked himself in the eye. "With a cupcake."
"Ooo, that's serious." She nuzzled him under the chin, working to his throat. "Now... I promised somepony some coffee... I'll get on that."
She slid to her hooves and trotted off in a hurry to make that happen.
Part of Skyline considered fleeing. The poor mare had taken her eyes off him. He could make his escape quietly and she'd return with coffee and an empty room.
"I shouldn't..." He wasn't a changeling infiltrator, trying to sneak a nibble of love. He was a guard! A royal guard! Luna's, if one wanted to be specific. A royal guard would... wouldn't rather, no... They would not treat a pony so terribly as to leave them possibly crying, having done nothing wrong.
"I accept your love," he spoke gently to himself.
A pity she heard it, coffee kettle balanced on her head and cups on her back. Her cheeks were becoming darker by the moment. "I..."
"Sorry." He sat up quickly, facing her. "I was... Sorry. I'm messing this up."
"You can mess that up all you want." She let things slide free, soon offering a cup of coffee to her guest. "Do you really?"
"No," he answered perhaps too firmly and flatly. "Sorry... I... I have a secret, and I'd rather be honest right now. You've been nothing but kind."
She released a soft "Oh" as she carefully poured herself a cup, hoping the warmth of the liquid would help her clear her mind. "What do you see when you look at me then? A fun time? A friend? Be honest, you just said you would be."
"Right..." He examined the mare curiously, fluttering his wings. "Ponies can be so fast."
She recoiled an inch, more of a flinch really. "Ponies? Aren't you one?"
"No." With a rush of flames, a bug sat on her bed, and she scrambled back in terror. "I won't hurt you."
"You're.... a changeling?" She swallowed thickly. "They... They chased me. They..." She shuddered in remembrance. "They... Are you here to catch me?" She tossed a pillow at him, slapping him across the face with it. "I won't let you!"
"Calm down." With a fresh wave of heat, he returned to his batty self. "I'm still me. I didn't catch you last time, did I?"
"Oh... no, guess not." Ruby sank down heavily. "This is a lot to take in... Were.... Did you attack? Were you there, when Canterlot got invaded?" She worked her tongue over her dry lips. "When hope felt like it was miles away..."
"It's my job, among others, to make that never happen again." He brought a hoof to his chest. "I am Luna's guard. Where she orders it, I will be there. When any citizen of Equestria is threatened, I will act. That is my job."
She let out a strangled bit of a laugh. "Wow... But what if changelings attack again? What will you do?"
"I'll fight them." He lashed his tail. "To the last, until they give up, or I can't fight anymore. I owe them nothing. I have given Luna everything, and she accepted." He angled his ears forward, tail lifting slightly. "I know... you see me and you're not feeling very trusting... But they know. Luna knows. All of them know. They trust me at their side. Trust them instead, if that helps. I will uphold the vows I made."
"No pressure," she laughed out a little hysterically, taking a deep drink of the coffee to soothe herself, her trembling calming. "If Luna gave a chance... I'd just be admitting she's a better pony." She set her cup down. "So... Cookies!"
"Cookies?"
"Favorite flavor." Ruby rose up and headed into the kitchen. "I have vanilla, chocolate, nut bonanza?"
"Thank you." Part of it, he reasoned, was her just wanting to stop staring at the problem. Still, she was welcoming him to stay, to eat with her, and not be chased away. She knew the truth, and he was still welcome. "I will have what you're having, and enjoy it."
"Smooth talker." She returned with a tin of vanilla and chocolate cookies and placed them between herself and Skyline. "Say 'ah'." She fed him one, slower than one technically had to, but the sensual slowness of the feeing was a strong hint, a shouted message that her heart was still open. "This scares me," she admitted. "Are you alright with that?"
"If you're alright with me." He inclined his head. "You asked what I saw." He pointed at her and reached to ruffle her chest. "I see a pony I'd like to be friends with."
"Which means you don't see a friend already." She stuffed a chocolate one in her own snout. "That's fair... really... My friends tell me I rush into these things way too fast! I barely know you... I didn't even know your name before today... And here I am, ready to say yes to your marriage proposal. Look at me." She grabbed another cookie to stuff in herself. "That was silly of me. Sorry. Skyline." She offered a hoof. "I would love to learn you. Maybe we could be great friends? Let's find out."
He met her hoof with one of his own. "Let's find out," he echoed with a growing smile. "What do you like to do, besides dancing?"
"I love a stroll through the park." She hopped up to the window and pointed down at some night-hidden park. "The city has so many of them. Celestia loves them, and I agree with her. Nothing like a stroll to clear the head. If you have good company, even better. A light drink on a warm day? Mmm... kinda perfect." She smiled at the pleasing thought, her fear chased away for the moment. "Do you like that?"
"I never tried that." He joined her at the window. It was mostly darkness, but some street lamps at least hinted at the park in the short-distance. "I wouldn't mind trying it, next time I have a day off?"
"Then, I say, that's a date. A friend-date. We're not mare/stallion yet. Cool down!" She was as much chastising herself as anypony else in the area. "When's your next day? You have tomorrow off?"
Skyline chuckled at the thought. "No... This isn't a vacation, just a day off. I'll have to go back to work." He pointed to the door. "Can I leave while you're awake this time?"
"I'd... Part of me wants..." Alright, she wasn't sure what she wanted exactly. "Thank you, for asking. Having you vanish again would have been... just awful." She walked with him towards the door. "You know where I live. Stop by, say hi. Send a letter. I won't be mad to hear from you.
Skyline leaned in, touching nose to her cheek. "Let's take that walk sometime." He stepped free of her apartment. "Thank you. Um... good night. Luna watches over your sleep. We will watch over the rest." He saluted sharply and marched off.
She burst into fresh giggles. "Silly thing..." She closed the door gently and returned to her evening duties.