//------------------------------//
// 1 
// Story: Ruin 
// by Undermine 
//------------------------------//

At 3:00pm, Spike and Rarity are just above the clouds. The two are one their way to a rock field south of Ponyville. The previous site for gem hunting has been permanently claimed by the local Diamond Dogs. Despite Rarity's insistence on handling her own around them, Spike and Twilight agreed not to quarrel with them any longer and decided instead to scout out a new location. Up here the only visible landscape is a sea of clouds and Canterlot Castle piercing in the distance. Here and there small flocks of birds drift by, undisturbed by the giant balloon and its two passengers.

At 3:10pm, Spike pulls out a compass and Rarity sips at her tea she had carried on board. Rainbow Dash had kept her promise to direct the winds south for the day and, at the instruction of Twilight, to be "brisk but gentle." At this pace they should start descending in a half hour.

At 3:15pm, Rarity asks Spike with one brow raised why he eats the exact same gems she uses in her fabrics. Spike chuckles and tells her that she finds the best of best and the taste is too irresistible for a young, hungry dragon like himself. Rarity agrees but asks why does he, and all dragons for that matter, like to eat gems in the first place. Spike shrugs and guesses that it's just a quirk all dragons have. Rarity thinks for a moment and wonders out loud what all the other "quirks" dragons could have before taking another sip of tea. Spike tells her her guess is as good as his. 

At 3:25pm the clouds begin to thin and Spike can barely make out Ponyville behind them. He looks foreward and sees the rocky landscape of the desert beneath them. The spot Twilight told them about should be teeming with extravagant gems untouched by the Diamond Dogs and ponies alike. He asked her why no one went there if there was so much value to gain, and Twilight's response was that it was said to be haunted with the ghosts of ancient dragons who once ruled the land. After regaining himself from fainting and asking her why in the world anyone should go there she reassured him that ghosts are not real and that Rarity will once again need his company. Looking now at the barren landscape an anxious chill vibrates down Spike's spine. But he has to keep his cool for Rarity otherwise he'll faint again in front of his crush.

At 3:30pm, Spike turns away from the rocks below and looks at Rarity. She has finished her tea and is now quaintly munching on a biscuit. She looks beautiful at this angle, the wind blows through her hair and the light from the afternoon sun falls on her face. He wants her to know how beautiful she is and he can say it right now. He doesn't, and he looks back out towards the desert.

At 3:35pm something flashes in the sky above them. Rarity drops her biscuit and Spike careens his neck upwards. He smiles and says a meteorite has just entered the atmosphere. Rarity begins to worry but Spike reassures her that it's too far away to hit them and it'll burn up before it reaches the ground, probably before it even reaches the height of their balloon. Rarity sighs and gives Spike a small hug before levitating her biscuit again. Spike's heart races, not from the meteorite but from Rarity's small gesture of affection. He regains his composure and prepares their descent.

At 3:40pm the meteorite slices through the fabric of the balloon. The wooden basket is flung around and launches Spike out into the open air. In a instant, Spike sees Rarity stare right into him. There's terror in her eyes, a kind he's never seen before. Both of them have their arms outstretched towards each other, as if it would somehow close the distance between them and he'd be pulled back into the safety of her hooves. The instant passes and Spike is barreling towards the earth, catching glimpses of the falling balloon in his tumble.

At 3:41pm Spike crashes into the ground.

At 3:42pm the balloon crashes 2 miles north of Spike.

At 5:28pm Spike wakes up and sees a glowing dragon staring at him.