A moment forever.

Chapter One - The sadness of success.

The moss covered ledge dropped away into a fearful abyss of shadow - the rock smooth and weathered, the very edge shearing under the weight of my hooves pressing gingerly upon it. My eyes breathed in the sight of Canterlot from above. The city defying gravity's desire to cleave it away from the anchors of solid rock, striking the valley below with each hewn stone. A deceptive distance that seemed a mere hoof away - shattered by the gust of wind across my unsteady flank.

I screamed, fear snapping my mind from the magnificence below. My hoof had slipped down, halted by the only vegetation between me and certain death. A sigh of relief escaped from my mouth,

"Thank Luna!"

I had no idea if my plan for would work. I'd certainly never tested this obscene balloon harness before. Actually, it had never crossed my mind until now, stuck perilously high without a soul to catch me should I fall. Hindsight was a terrible curse; taunting me with the obvious actions that might have spared me the embarrassing dilemma between two extremely unpleasant prospects.

"Ugh. Why didn't I think of that weeks ago?"

It was obvious now. I could become a red smear in the valley below should I turn back and fall, or, jump to my death in a contraption that merely delayed my inevitable redecoration of the bleak grey rocks below. Both options had still been preferable to what awaited my return in Ponyville.

My mind wandered through every possible outcome, graphically mocking me with the gruesome results of my frankly ill-considered journey. The vision of myself plummeting through the sky, only to acquaint myself with mother earth, bursting like a water balloon filled with blood.

Snide remarks were more palatable than this.

"Well, at least everypony may have the last laugh; should I become a pancake."

My limbs trembled with fear, stripped of confidence by uncertainty of what would unfold. Before my hooves lay everything I considered essential. Subconsciously I had known this would be a one-way trip, not wishing to overburden myself with superfluous trinkets of my life. Even food was scarce; my stomach certainly didn't aid matters as I tried desperately not to expunge its meagre contents before me.

Of all the items, a small chipped gem lay glistening in the rapidly setting sun; fastened to a tiny strap and buckle. My recollector. A journal away from home that contained many of my misfortunes and failures. Each mistake, every silly notion that had every been dreamt up. It was as much me as any journal could hope to be.

I had recorded my thoughts earlier that day, before beginning the dangerous ascent above the city. It felt stupid; for years many folk had repeatedly dismissed my desires as pipe dreams. It gave some small comfort to regale myself with plans and ideas. I had little else to ease the monotonous ridicule.

"Earth ponies don't fly."

Perhaps not. But this was my dream.

Small beads of sweat littered my face as I grasped the hastily constructed controls in my mouth. Nervously continuing to inspect my machine and complete seemingly futile pre-flight checks.

It was now, or never.

I would fly. Or fall. Or facehoof myself into a coma for all the good that would do. My dreams forever crushed, only to be reminded of it with unrelenting shame and laughter.

At least my fears could be eased knowing failure would be relatively painless - if impacting rock at high velocity was indeed as slight as my mind insisted.

Recollector, attached and recording.

Goggles, down.

Scarf, secured. I had no idea if it would be cold up there. Oh blissful ignorance.

"Please work, please work, please!"

My life became a blur. Little more than heart wrenching terror as I drew what might be my final deep breath, clasping my eyes tightly shut - I stood ready to launch, a single hop, skip, and jump into the unknown.

My body felt numb, my senses dulled by the constant onslaught of adrenaline as my heart threatened to burst from my chest.

Was I falling? Had, I died?

Had this all been so idiotic that my worse fears came to pass, was I now just a ghost stuck upon a lonely mountain side forever?

I really hoped this wasn't the end, chiding myself in the vain hope I might actually listen.

"Just open your eyes you stupid mare!"

Closing my eyes had afforded little respite from the mental anguish and throbbing headache, though it certainly felt like I was already dead. If not, I soon would be, flying blindly in the sky.

"Oh. Sweet. Celestia!"

My body dropped rapidly.

Twisting uncontrollably toward the ground, I had nearly sealed my own squishy fate in the shock of success. Allowing my mouth to gape wide open as the world glided past. In the brief moment it took for my mind to register where I was, I had stupidly released the controls. I was a wreck, what little adrenaline my body could muster surged through my ravaged body, fighting to regain control.

My shaking had softened, tears gleaming upon my face as I realised this was my moment.

This was everything; every night spent gazing at the stars, dreaming of a life above the clouds. I was finally happy. A perfect moment that would last forever. Nothing would spoil this moment, no words could ever express the exhilarating feel of clouds rushing by, caressing my tired aching limbs.

I wanted to scream, to shout and cheer to the whole world! It didn't matter that I could never be a Wonderbolt or fly with the finesse of Rainbow Dash.

All the exhilaration had dispelled the trepidation I felt as I circled above Canterlot. As though I belonged in the skies; a pegasus soaring into the distant sunset.

A simple grin was all that I dared display. The plunge to imminent death had quickly focused my attention - the surprisingly difficult task of piloting had bestowed a greater appreciation of skills many pegasi displayed almost daily.

"Earth ponies don't fly."

Hrmpft. It didn't matter, I had proven the neighsayers wrong!

My eyes felt seared by the sun; lifting my weary eyelids to reveal a world no longer painted in the vivid colours I had always known. An eerie palette of blues and greys blurred my pained sight. The background throbbing of my heartbeat conspicuously in its absence.

I felt so bitterly cold without my scarf and goggles, my mind unable to recall their removal.

Even my recollector, unaccounted for. I needed to find them.

Screams of terror shattered my thoughts. Cries for help piercing my ears all around as panic filled the streets - a strange pink cloud had almost engulfed the city. Licking at the fetlocks of those galloping in terror, coughing and spluttering blood as it seeped through their flesh.

Blood oozed from the fallen bodies as they fused with pavements, no longer able to escape the fate that had befallen others.

I felt nothing. Death was all around me, powerless to help, much less avert my eyes to from the horror unfolding before me.

I was trapped. Unable to escape.

My body was frozen. Paralysed as mares, fillies, colts and stallions raced toward the stable - only to fall before my hooves, lifeless. Their terrified faces forever carved into my memory.

As the last glimmer of light faded, it was only then that I realised my fate. Gazing upward at the twinkle of light dancing in the air. My goggles. Twirling through the air in an almost balletic way, trailing tendrils of the thickening cloud that they too were racing to escape.

"No, no. No!"

Time laboured forward as they shattered against the ground. Shards of glass exploding upward, catching the last remaining light before darkness.

My knees surrendered. Unable to carry the burden of truth any longer.

Within hours, the sky had been marred black with the results of war. Fleeing pegasi only aiding in the shroud of clouds that grew over Equestria. Silence soon fell upon the city. The last remaining screams faltered into faint gurgles, drawing their final breath, silenced by the cloud's inescapable effects.

In the dark days that followed, those unfortunate to have survived the harrowing effects of the cloud had merely delayed the inevitable conclusion of their lives. Exhausted screeches as their own bodies petrified before death released them.

Few survived long, their minds lost as they continued to rot, wandering the ruins.

The Canterlot I knew was no more. The ruins serving only as a mausoleum to the dead. Bodiless, alone.

I had perished in the fires of war, alone.