I set down upon blinding white sand, hard. A billowing cloud sand explodes upwards as my hooves connect against the flighty particulars obscuring my sight temporarily.

When the cloud clears I scowl. That sea still stood obscenely in my path, stretching forth so far as to disappear in to the horizon. The waves break against rocks on the shore line, their shattered pieces flying into the gentle breeze. The taste of salt is on the air, with and underlying taste of dead fish and broken dreams. I can hear behind me the fronds of the trees whispering softly to each other in the breeze.

In this secluded spot so far from pony eyes everything seems slow. The fish just laze in the shallow water, their scales flashing blues, greens and golds in the sunlight. Above the water a osprey drifts, catching the currents of the wind, reassured that when he get hungry beneath him is an open all you can get buffet. The simple slowness of this sea shore digs its way deep into my bones, seeps into my blood. It set off an intense reaction, everything about this place had me itching to leave. I was a creature of speed. If others wanted peace and calm...

My thoughts were interrupted by the call of a pony. Turning around I saw it was some sort unicorn, a unicorn that was trying to get my attention none the less. Feeling in an unfriendly mood I felt the need to not move a single inch as the ground bound pony trotted up.

" Hello, one doesn't see many ponies out in these parts, what's your name?"

I contemplated just leaping into the air and soaring off, flying straight past that body of turquoise water, straight into the horizon... But something... I don't know what came over me.

"Name's Lightning Dust. Best flier in Equestria."

I made a move to nudge my goggles, my very pride and joy, farther up my man as was custom for me. Only I couldn't. Those Those lame wing nuts confiscated those too...I jumped, did that unicorn just reach out and touch me?

I focused my eyes on the hoof that was outreached, resting on my shoulder. A strand of mane had fallen over the hoof and the three color together reminded me of the minnow like fish that had been swimming in the shallows just a few hoof lengths away. They were gone now, startled by the cloud of sand...but...I let out a huff of air, irritated. These soft ponies were going to slow me down with those sentimental feelings. I brushed off the hoof.

The mare had just a flicker of disappointment cross her muzzle, but it soon was covered up again by that complacent shadow of a smile as she let her hoof fall to the ground.

"My name is Trixie Lulamoon, but I just go by Trixie if that is of no problem. What brings you here, a shore so far from the well traveled path?"

I think back over the past weeks, I think over my whole life. After all it is all connected.

I lived my life just for the Wonderbolts even when I was just a little filly, back when I was sentimental and naive, I had hopes of being in the Wonderbolts one day. I had wanted to be just like my grandfather Shining Dust. My first memory was that of waking up after having fallen asleep on top of his uniform, the blues and yellows being the first thing I saw. And then when I was barely old enough to have started properly flying, on my third birthday it was, he took me to one of his shows. I was in awe. That was when I decided, I think, my life dream. It wasn't until later though that dream turned bitter, it wasn't until later it became necessary for me to become a Wonderbolt. I had to live up to my grandfather's name, his legacy.

After he crashed during a race, ending his career and his life in one fell swoop, I vowed I would not let his memory wane and rust, tarnished by his last race. I trained almost daily after that not letting former friendships get in my way. If those ponies were unable to help me reach my goal, then they got left behind in my dust. Sometimes rather literally.

It was because of all that I knew, without any shred of doubt, that when the letter came from the Academy it was a acceptance letter. They would have to been blind as a fruit bat, as fruity as one too, to have not accept me.

I had already packed my bags, lightly of course, with only the most necessary and practical of supplies, and I headed straight off to the training grounds. There was only one object I packed that had no purpose , a special memento of simpler times. Everything was going right still,my life was was flying straight and unhindered. I would get through training with flying colors, pun intended. And for a while it looked like was going to. There was only one other pegasus that could even keep up with me, but even she didn't have the same drive as I did. And the Wonderbolts' knew it. I became lead pony. I scored the highest. I'd like to believe I even did better on the "dizz a tron", because, despite having taken slightly more time then my supposed friend, I took the initiative to have a higher setting. I was soaring easy. Not even that rainbow maned pegasus Rainbow Dash could compare.

And she knew it. She was weak, wanting to take breaks and to help others. She turned on me. The one pony I trusted not to slow me down and she turned on me. She told stories to Captain Spitfire I had purposefully endangered the lives of innocent civilians. They weren't even supposed to be up in the clouds, I had no intention of hurting the ground walking foals. If they stayed where they belonged this would have never happened. But then I found out they were friends of Rainbow Dash's and I knew I had been set up. She figured if I was out of the picture she could be the best. She cheated.

I stomped a hoof down in frustration. I flew all this way to try to get away from all that and here this mare was trying to...Urg!
What right did this unicorn think she had to make me feel this way?

"What is it too you," I snarled, emphasizing on you, "just shattered dreams and broken hopes, not like you would understand, earthbound and foalish."

I had to take out my anger on someone and after she reminded me of my troubles I felt no remorse that it was her, I was however angered by the only reaction being a look of surprise.

"Why, Trixie too has had her entire life made meaningless. Recently."