It was a good ways down for five stories. It's cliché to admit, but things really did slow down for me. That was fine; it gave me time to take in the sights. A last look at the world as it passed by. Maybe even a chance to reflect, or find the meaning of life. Hmm, might need a skyscraper for that one.

What I first noticed was a patch of freshly painted wall, featureless and boring. Much like my childhood, and especially my parents. Accountants practically bred for such a purpose, spending their days stamping and filing forms. No doubt they expected me to follow in their hoofsteps, but their offspring had aspirations of being artistic. Instead of filling patent forms he insisted on filling sheets of paper with stories. Admittedly they were amateurish even for a young colt, but it still hinted at a threatening degree of life, and that was a risk they couldn't take! More drab wallpapers, more dull family outings to the stock exchange. Alas, though their efforts were commendable, I still chose to write stories that were anything but about accounting.

Now I passed a window with a tray of flowers on the sill. The midday light made them brilliant, almost as brilliant as she was when I first saw her. Barely an adult and sitting out by a cafe when she trotted by, in a powder-blue dress and a silken cream mane that can drive a colt wild, and asked what I was writing. At that point my stories were slightly less amateurish, but even so I was surprised that she actually liked it. I don't recall it being one of my better works, but it piqued her curiosity enough to ask me my name after offering hers. Chrysanthemum, but Chrissy for short, which she claimed to prefer. No matter what she called herself, she was beautiful. With looks like that, even Mud would be a knock-out.

A screaming mother holding her foal on the third floor caught my attention next. Yeah, hers was much like the looks I got when Chrissy took me to one of her garden parties. A scandal if there ever was one: high-class Canterlot intermingling with Midtown worker drone stock. She didn't seem to mind at all, and frankly I didn't give much crap either. Seeing her laugh and smile whenever I talked to her was all the validation I needed.

I was blinded by a glimmering shard. Seems some of the window has reached my eye level finally. The way it shone was much like Chrissy eyes the night we consummated. It started out all tender and romantic, with a stroll and a dinner and some time on the couch, eventually ending with a modest invitation to her bedroom. I never saw her more beautiful then I did that night, as we embraced and kissed and felt one another. A never more lovely spirit, not to mention surprisingly wild. Just got to love those repressed upper crust types to really make your evening. Better than most dreams come true, I'd say.

I smiled at that thought when the ground finally came into view and took up all my field of vision. It was going to be hard, much like the hoof that knocked me out the window. Who knew a rich guy like Chrissy's dad could have so much hate over a few simple words? Fathers being overprotective was one thing, but this was just plain overkill. Well, at least he won't have the satisfaction of just scaring me away from his daughter.

I hit the ground before I could contemplate the way of the universe. A crack and then everything went black. Last thing I saw before it went quiet was that first smile she ever gave me. All things considered, for a no-name aspiring writer cut in his prime, it was totally worth it getting this far. Totally.