For the next bit to make sense, I need to explain a little bit about myself. As you know, I am an amazingly awesome flyer, and everypony knows it. But there was a time when I wasn't. Embarrasing, I know.
Back when I was a foal, I was just one of five. FIVE! Siblings. Utterly ridiculous, and I have no idea what mom and dad were thinking when they did that. Oh well. I had the misfortune of being stuck somewhere in the middle of the pack, and when you're the third of five, very few ponies pay much attention to you. I had to fight for it, as my oldest and youngest brothers always got the most attention, and life rarely catered to those of us inbetween.
One day, we are all outside playing buckball. Dad was busy tossing the ball about and it never came my way, which got pretty annoying after a while. It was clear something really impressive had to be done in order to get them to FINALLY give me the attention I deserved. So I flew up into the air, and tried to complete a flipping loop multiple times, to no success.
When I was on the verge of giving up, I suddenly found I could do it! Didn't make them pay attention, but it was then I heard the voice that would change my life.
"Wow! That was amazing!"
I turned to look who had spoken, and there she was. Vapour Trail. We became friends that very moment, and started flying together pretty often. I thought I was a very strong flyer and capable of joining the Wonderbolts with my eyes shut.
To say I was cocky and arrogant was an understatement. Heck, I still am now. But at least I admit it, unlike a certain pegasus. I mean, come on, she busts clouds into shapes that look like her face! One day, I was moved to theoreticals away from the practical stuff by Twilight. Why an Alicorn was poking her snout into pegasus matters was beyond me, but she threw the book at me. Literally. Wind tests, speed tests, agility tests, how wings work, aerodynamics, all the stuff I already knew and was bored to death of.
Then all I had known came crashing down. Vapour flat out admitted she had been boosting me, and when I tried to pull off a loop...
...I couldn't do it. I dropped like a stone to the ground as gravity caught up. To say I was angry was an understatement. Not only was my confidence shattered, I learned that my best friend, my wingpony, had been lying to me for years. I knew from then on there was no point in trying, and just gave up.
But life wouldn't be life if it didn't chuck a few curveballs your way. I was eventually got back into my spirits by Twilight, reunited with Vapour, and passed the entry test with flying colours. Then, I was accepted into the full ranks of the Wonderbolts, flying the toughest stunts and hardest regimes with Vapour by my side. Simply going into a full dive was something I enjoy the most.
However, there is something I have been keeping secret. For my whole life, much like Vapour got that time at the cafe, I have been getting these odd 'flashes'. No, not that thing naughty mares do sometimes. This was something different, something worse. I kept getting these odd images of tall buildings that couldn't possibly be in either Stratusburg or anywhere in Equestria for that matter. Tall beings moving along kept appearing in my dreams and visions. That was how it started. It would flash up for a few seconds in my vision, then just as suddenly the interference would clear and everything would be back to normal. But then it continued to build. Sometimes they would come with audio as well, and odd snippits of words and other things. Two that constantly appeared were 'Hert' and 'Lon' for some reason. For years I had absolutely no idea what that was referring to, to be honest. What were these things? As time continued to go on, I tried to ignore it, but then I learned Vapour got them too, which were somewhat random but nontheless left me very worried. What in Equestria was going on? Were we somehow cursed or something? I has to figure that out. It kept on getting worse. I would get these flashes in flight, doing tricks, or just cutting vegetables (I don't always eat at the canteen. It's not pay, as pay's good, it's just not always convenient for me). I'm so lucky I didn't injure myself in the process or else I'd be in a real mess.
It got to its worst one night not long after I'd proposed to Vapour. I was asleep one night, as I slept most nights, and had a horrifying nightmare about a fleshy thing touching something, followed by seering pain. I pulled myself out of bed when I woke up. I was dripping with sweat and my heart was pounding in my chest like a drill was slicing a hole in it. I had only one question.
What the buck was going on?
But that was it for a few days. At long last the day I had been waiting for arrived. I had stayed at my brother's the night before, as it is unlucky for the bridge and groom to be together for 24 hours before the ceremony, and got myself down to Stratusburg cathedral at soon as dawn broke to get ready. Soarin' had agreed to act as the best stallion, and he looked hilarious in a suit, I have to say. I was a complete nervous wreck as everything that could go wrong kept flashing through my mind. In the end, I steeled my nerves and my mind, and stepped forward to the front, in order to wait for the main event to start in earnest.