It was a clear August 8th on the edge of the Ghastly Gorge. Most ponies steered clear of the area, with its quarry eels and harsh winds, but Confetti Surprise supposed it did have a certain beauty to it. The air wafting by was cool and refreshing, the rocks did have a unique structure to them, and the field and trees surrounding it were lush and green. Besides, it was her daughter’s birthday and what she wanted was what they did today.
 
After having visited the canyon with her Great-Auntie Maud, Chocolate Bomb had fallen in love with the unique place. For her eighth birthday, she had begged to go back and her loving parents obliged. Confetti and her husband Lightning Bolt had packed all of Chocolate’s favorite foods for a birthday picnic. Rubens with extra sauerkraut, apple fries, coleslaw, chocolate chip cookies and a chocolate lava cake. There was also milk and triple berry soda. Spread out on checkered blanket overlooking the majestic gorge, it was a spread any pony would love. But still, trotting up to it, Chocolate Bomb looked slightly sad.
 
“You okay, Coco?” Confetti asked her daughter as they sat down.
 
“Yeah Mommy,” Chocolate smiled slightly, “it looks delicious.”
 
“Then why the long face?” Lightning asked, passing her a sandwich.
 
Chocolate shrugged, accepting the ruben. “I guess I’m a little sad the rest of the family’s not here…”
 
“But that was what you wanted, Coco.” Confetti was confused.
 
“I don’t want them to feel left out…  
“It’s okay, C.B.” Lghtning ruffled her mane with his wing. “This is your birthday and if you want some special alone time with Mom and Dad, that’s perfectly fine.”
 
“Besides, with the littlest ones so eager to test their wings, it wouldn’t be safe for them here,” Confetti added, popping some apple fries into her mouth.
 
“Right…” Chocolate nibbled halfheartedly at her sandwich. “Wings…”
 
“Hey now,” Confetti stroked her daughter’s shoulder. “Remember what we talked about a few months ago?”
 
Chocolate nodded.
 
“So don’t fret so much cupcake.” Confetti grinned slyly. “Besides, you know what they say about golden birthdays…”
 
“What’s a golden birthday?” Chocolate cocked her head.
 
“Well, C.B., it’s when how old you are matches the day of your birthday,” Lightning explained. “And for you, that’s today! You’re eight years old on August eighth.”
 
“Plus, it’s August, the eighth month of the year!” Confetti exclaimed. “That’s triple eights! Super special!”
 
“But why?” Chocolate was starting to perk up.
 
“Well, on golden birthdays, you get to make a very special wish. It’s a special privilege that you only get once in your life. And you know what, it always comes true!”
 
“Really?! Honest and true Mommy?!” Finally Chocolate was bright and eager.
 
“Your mom’s right,” Lightning nodded. “Mine was when I was five and I really wanted a little sister. It took a few years, but sure enough, I got her.”
 
“Auntie Paint? Wow…” Chocolate’s eyes were as big as saucers.
 
“I was three,” Confetti smiled, “And you can be sure I devoured my super special strawberry ice cream cake!”
 
“Gosh!” Chocolate was wiggling her tail like an excited puppy. “A special wish! Anything I want?”
 
“Absolutely anything, Coco!” Confetti promised. “But for now, eat your sandwich. Let’s enjoy our time in this beautiful place and eat up this meal. You’ve got all day to think up the perfect wish.”
 
Chocolate nodded, but before she bit into her sandwich she mumbled, “I already got the perfect wish.”
 

 
An hour or so later, nothing was left but crumbs on the blanket. Lightning, who could never resist his wife’s cooking, was sprawled against her shoulder in a food coma. Confetti was grooming him gently while Chocolate, with the endless energy of a filly, was trotting about, looking for unique rocks to add to her collection. Confetti smiled at her daughter; it was good to see her so happy for once. She had her difficulties growing up flightless in a wing-filled family. But things were looking up for her, especially with the scheme Confetti and Lightning were planning.
 
“You sure we can trust Cherry and Cotton with putting it together?” Confetti asked.
 
“Absolutely,” Lightning mumbled, blissed out in his wife’s embrace. “The only trouble they’d have is if Angel and Marzi try to help.”
 
“True.” Confetti chuckled. “You really think she’ll love it?”
 
“Absolutely.” Lightning looked up at his wife. “It’s completely perfect Connie. From what I’ve researched, this swing is used by therapists to help pegasi with wing trouble adjust to the feeling of flight. I think my mom used to push my sister on one when she was little as part of her physical therapy, even though it didn’t accomplish much. Picture it Connie, we get back from this outing and it’ll be waiting for her in the tree in our backyard, along with all her friends and family for the best surprise party you’ve ever thrown. She’ll be floored, then she’ll never set hoof on the ground again as she soars through the air!”
 
“I hope you’re right Bolty,” Confetti nodded halfheartedly. She couldn’t explain it, but she’d had a weird feeling in her gut all morning.
 
Lightning caught her face with his wing and drew her close. “You’re giving your earth pony daughter the wings she’s always wanted. You’re the best mom ever.”
 
Confetti grinned. “Don’t forget the prettiest wife in Equestria.”
 
“I’d never forget that, babe,” Lightning purred before kissing her tenderly. Confetti let herself get lost in her husband’s touch. She was worrying over nothing. Her daughter’s birthday was going perfectly. No need to stress.
 
“Mommy! Daddy!”
 
Confetti and Lightning broke apart to see their daughter perched on a high peak at the edge of the gorge. Chocolate’s mane was blowing in the wind and she was stretching forward, eyes closed in bliss.
 
“I can feel it! I can feel the wish working! I’m gonna fly, I’m gonna do it!”
 
“Coco-“
 
“FLY!” With that, the filly leapt. Her legs arched gracefully and her shoulders wiggling fast, expecting wings to sprout forth instantly. For a single second, she was airborne. Then Chocolate plunged down out of sight below the rim of the cliff.
 
Confetti didn’t even remember getting up and galloping forward. She barely heard Lightning’s shout of alarm. She simply bounded forward as her wings beat the air. Not hesitating at the rim, the pegasus mare dove off, rocketing like an arrow towards her daughter, who had begun to scream when she realized what was happening.
 
Confetti blocked everything out but her. Her wings slashed through the air like blades as she desperately forced her chubby mom body forward to catch her terrified daughter. She stretched out her forelegs to grab her when suddenly an intense pain shot through her right wing. Looking to the side, eyes watering, she saw streaming blood and scattering feathers. She must have snagged her wing on a ledge; now she couldn’t even move it and her flight wobbled violently as it threatened to just flop in the air.
 
Everything seemed to move slowly as Confetti realized her options were slim. But it really wasn’t a choice what had to happen, not to her anyway. She could hear Lightning a decent distance behind her, but knew it wouldn’t matter. The fall wouldn’t go on forever and at this rate, Chocolate would crash down first. The time to act was now and, Celestia willing, it would work.
 
Stretching her neck forward, Confetti seized Chocolate’s tail in her teeth. She made a half-second moment of eye contact with her, both of them crying in panic and fear. The regret on her daughter’s face was heartbreaking, but Confetti prayed she could forgive her.
 
“LIGHTNING, CATCH!!!”
 
With all the strength she could muster, Confetti wrenched her head back and tossed Chocolate upward. The tiny brown filly tumbled up and into the waiting forelegs of her father. Lightning quickly started flapping up. Wether he didn’t realize Confetti was hurt or his main focus was getting his daughter to safely, Confetti couldn’t tell. But poor Chocolate could.
 
“Mommy!!!” She screamed, stretching her foreleg out to her. All Confetti could do, as her useless, shattered wing crumpled up against her side, was reach out desperately back.
 
“I love you…” Confetti could only whimper it out. She was scared and in intense pain, but in a strange way, calm. Her chances of survival were slim at this point, and if this was her fate, to perish while her daughter lived, she could accept that. Her baby was safe, that was what mattered. But damn, did it have to happen now? She had so many more parties left in her.
 
As her vision blurred out from her pouring tears, Confetti Surprise closed her eyes. She tumbled down in darkness and then everything went black.