D E A T H w i s h / meso, strato, tropo

by The Red Parade

Anything Worth Doing

I hereby solemnly swear that I will support and defend Equestria, and boldly do whatever is asked of me, to never shrink or falter in the face of danger, and to defend those who cannot defend themselves. I swear to wear my uniform with pride, and to uphold myself to the highest standards. I swear that I will never lie, cheat, steal, or be dishonest, to both myself and my fellow Wonderbolts. I will never waver in the line of duty. May Celestia lead the way.

---

When some birds are born
Their mothers throw them from the sides of the nest
And tell them to fly.

Somehow they are expected to know
What their wings are for
And how to use them.
They’re never taught to fly.
They just.
Do.

It’s a funny thing, but I guess
It works.
Sometimes. Maybe.

To be picked up
And thrown aside
And to be be told
“You better start flying.”

When I was still a filly
My mother said to me,
“Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.”

She smiled and was patient
As I came dead last in every flying contest.

Even when dad complained that flight camp
Was just a waste of time.
And asked me what I was good for.

“You should just know how to fly.
Every pegasus does.”

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.

---

The mesosphere is the third highest layer in the atmosphere. Its reach is significant, and meteors tend to burn up once they hit it. Although it is easily identified and segmented, little is known of it: no pegasus has yet been able to fly above the mesosphere. The weather continues to decrease as altitude increases, posing yet another challenge for exploration.

Weather devices and spells have also not yet been able to pierce into it, leaving much of the air here undiscovered and unknown. Because meteores tend to disintegrate within this layer, the air is thick with metals and residue left behind. Noctilucent Clouds can also be observed forming within the layer.

An odd phenomenon is the recorded presence of Sprites, which resemble sporadic discharges of lightning.

---

When some birds are born

They don’t succeed in flying

The fall towards the ground, spinning and

Spinning and spinning

Until something happens.

Maybe the mother saves them.

Maybe they die.

I never bothered to find out.

Anything worth doing was worth doing badly.

But that’s not an excuse

For sucking at flying.

I would fly.

I would fly so fucking hard

And so fucking far.

A bird that cannot fly is useless.

Just feather and bone, a meal

For something stronger,

Something better.

(Because there is always something better.)

I would not fly badly.

I would not fly badly.

I would not fly badly.

I would not be a stupid bird

That splatters against the ground

Into a cloud of blood and feathers.

Tumbling to the ground.

Failure is a sin.

Failure is for cowards.

I am not a coward.

I will not fail.

---

Below the mesosphere is the stratosphere. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, something crucial for all life on Equestria to exist. Ozone molecules in this layer work to absorb ultraviolet rays that are pushed from the sun and convert them to heat, allowing life to thrive below. The temperature gets warmer as the altitude increases, in stark opposition to the behavior of the mesosphere.

This disparity in temperature makes the air stable, without turbulence or wind currents that may be more unpredictable in higher layers. The air is also incredibly dry, with little water vapor meaning that clouds cannot form frequently.

Skilled pegasi are able to thrive flying within the lower levels of the stratosphere, and elite fliers are able to reach the middle to high levels without difficulty (provided they possess the necessary equipment and training. It is ill advised for pegasi to make this trip unassisted and without a team).

A phenomenon unique to the stratosphere is the formation of “blue jets:” an electrical discharge similar to lightning that often appears above thunderstorms.

---

A bird with a broken wing

Is useless.

A bird that can’t fly

Is no good to anyone.

I was not a bird with a broken wing.

So why am I

Still

Useless?

Because I did something wrong?

Because all of a sudden

It is wrong to look out for yourself?

It is wrong to try and prove yourself

To the world? To everyone?

To prove that I matter?

Maybe it is.

Maybe it isn’t.

“Lightning Dust.

Return your uniform immediately.

You are hereby expelled from the Wonderbolts Academy.”

Fuck them.

Who are they

To pick me up

And throw me off the side of a cloud

And say “fly, fucker, fly.”

I will make them see what I am.

I.

Will.

Fly.

---

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere, beginning at ground level. This is where all life on Equestria exists. The majority of clouds form here, and all pegasi capable of flight are able to navigate the air with ease.

Air is warmest at the troposphere towards the ground level. As altitude rises, temperature continues to drop, allowing high-altitude areas such as mountains to maintain snow coverage even in the summer. Air pressure and density continue to decrease as one reaches the stratosphere.

A phenomena unique to the troposphere is Lightning Dust.

---

(I will boldly do whatever is asked of me.)
Anything worth doing

Is worth

Doing badly.

(To never shrink or falter in the face of danger.)

I will fly.
(To wear my uniform proudly)

I will not fail.

I will fly.

(To uphold myself.)

It gets colder then warmer
(I will never waver)

Then warmer then colder

It’s so cold.

(Never shrink or falter.)

Keep going

Higher and higher

It’s making my head hurt.

Wings are aching

Throat is screaming

Push harder. Keep going.

Body failing now

Getting dizzy

Not flying anymore. Falling.

Falling

Falling faster

FalllingFallingFalling

Fly, fucker, fly.

Fly, fucker, fly.

Fly, fucker fly.

Or fucking die trying.

Comments

[RangerOfRhudaur]

In just 1000 words, you manage to paint a vivid picture of the void at the heart of Lightning Dust's philosophy; if you are defined by what you succeed at, if it is a "fly or die" world, there's nothing to fall back on if you fail, even for reasons outside of your control. A philosophy that defines people by the fact that they are people, warts and all, is thus more resilient than one where either you're a winner or a loser. In the former, if you fail you're still a person, still an agent capable of changing their circumstances. In the latter, though, either you fly or you die, leaving you devastatingly vulnerable to misperceptions such as glass walls or chance in the form of random gusts of wind. Rather than freeing the individual to become their best, Lightning Dust's philosophy yokes its believers to random chance, tying their self-worth to a roll of the dice. The philosophy that we live in a dog-eat-dog, fly-or-die world isn't just wrong, it fails in its main goal, that being the unchaining of the individual. It's both repugnant (if you're a winner, why should you bother listening to losers?) and pathetic. I can only hope that, as she chases her dreams into the abyss, as the phantoms behind her eyes chant "fly or die" as they call her to join them, Lightning Dust is able to leave this nightmarish worldview behind and find peace in another, better one.

[Love_Bite]

I love the mixture of colors by the end. The way the words are recontextualized through Lightning Dust’s experiences really gives insight to the world view of someone in her position; the pressure, the desire to rise to meet those expectations, the inevitable failure and bitterness of defeat are all portrayed succinctly and elegantly and in a melting pot of prose and poetry. The colors and unique spacing only amplify the word’s meaning.

Dividing the text into three sections using the definition of the different layers of the atmosphere was well executed. At first they seem only tangentially relevant, but I think they can be equated to the different layers of Lightning’s perspective. The troposphere is the mundane reality of her existence, the stratosphere is the far away dream she’s striving for and the mesosphere is the unknowable future. At least that’s how I saw it.

Nice work! Faved!

[Accurate Balance]

A phenomena unique to the troposphere is Lightning Dust.

Wow, just, wow. Such a weird, weird, touching line. I bow my head to this brilliant piece. "Isn't phenomena the plural form of phenomenon, though? Is that intentional?

[SigmasonicX]

This was really well done, with the different texts showing growing tension, and of course the line about lightning dust really stood out.

[Bicyclette]

I hereby solemnly swear that I will support and defend Equestria, and boldly do whatever is asked of me, to never shrink or falter in the face of danger, and to defend those who cannot defend themselves. I swear to wear my uniform with pride, and to uphold myself to the highest standards. I swear that I will never lie, cheat, steal, or be dishonest, to both myself and my fellow Wonderbolts. I will never waver in the line of duty. May Celestia lead the way.

oh i do absolutely love this being the oath that the Wonderbolts do

When I was still a filly
My mother said to me,
“Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.”

ooh that does not sound like the Lightning Dust we’ve come to know!

She smiled and was patient
As I came dead last in every flying contest.

rip

The mesosphere is the third highest layer in the atmosphere. Its reach is significant, and meteors tend to burn up once they hit it. Although it is easily identified and segmented, little is known of it: no pegasus has yet been able to fly above the mesosphere. The weather continues to decrease as altitude increases, posing yet another challenge for exploration.

ooh, great pegasus worldbuilding! a ready-made challenge

Failure is a sin.

Failure is for cowards.

I am not a coward.

I will not fail.

and aww, the colors reflecting the influences behind each of Lightning Dust’s thoughts here, very cool!

A phenomenon unique to the stratosphere is the formation of “blue jets:” an electrical discharge similar to lightning that often appears above thunderstorms.

and ooh, the way the electrical phenomena seen in each layer themselves fit the themes of the colors is very cool

I.

Will.

Fly.

and ooh, new color. contextually, the Washouts?

A phenomena unique to the troposphere is Lightning Dust.

hey that’s the horse!

Or fucking die trying.

and ooh, love how all the elements introduced in the story so far come together to form this section, just like how all the different strands of Lightning Dust converge onto this moment so close to ambition and death. i think this might actually be my favorite study of Lightning Dust out of any of the ones i’ve ever read, this whirlwind of thoughts being a truer reflection of her than anything i can think of. thank you for writing!

[FanOfMostEverything]

Brilliant work with descent through the spectrum—for Lightning’s life will always be defined and defeated by rainbows—representing loss of altitude and loss of purpose, from the ideals of the oath to a death wish in disguise (even if the title gives a hint. ) Even the fact that a story is read from top to bottom plays into the theme. Thank you for a breathtaking piece in multiple senses, and congrats on the silver.

[Loganberry]

Hello! Here's your courtesy note for my review of this. This was my favourite of all the fics of yours I read from this contest. Gripping and worrying, and I thought the non-standard formatting enhanced the story. Faved!