Lightning Dust kept her head lowered, it had been a few weeks since Spitfire scolded her, removing her flight leader pin, but the event still hadn't died down. Lightning Dust winced in annoyance as she trotted slowly through the halls of the wonderbolts academy towards her destination, she could hear all the mumbling going on around her. Many pegasi were chuckling, muttering, trying to remain discrete as they pointed their hooves at her. Lightning Dust for a quick second had a look of utter rage, she wanted nothing more than to tell them to buck off! As she thought about it for a moment, she sighed, that angered expression gone as she then looked utterly defeated. She knew doing such a thing would only get her into more trouble, it would just be wasted energy, she'd made enough mistakes.

As she trotted, she recalled what had happened since she was removed as flight leader.

It was another average day of flight school at the Wonderbolts Academy.

The beautiful clouds were puffy like marshmallows, the sky, a mesmerizing blue. The cool breeze was refreshing and the warmth of the sun was just right.

Spitfire blew her whistle as they all stood in the courtyard, she yelled with ferocity "Grab your partner then form up you wimps! We're doing some exercises!"

Lightning Dust smirked with determination, raising her head she looked around quickly for a partner I'll just earn the respect of Spitfire again, it shouldn't be too hard!

As she attempted to hurry and find a partner, she found that nopony was too eager to join her. Lightning Dust bolted over to Cloudchaser in a desperate attempt to get her as a partner. "H-Hey, Cloudchaser! Ready to fly? Me and you, we'd make the perfect team!"

Cloudchaser blinked a little as she then let off a humorous chuckle "Uhm, yea, no thanks."

Lightning Dust's expression sunk as she hurried over to another pegasi, smiling somewhat nervously. "H-Hey you! Wanna team up, with our skills we'd leave all the other pegasi in the dust!"

The pegasi scoffed as he trotted past Lightning Dust "Yea, uhm, sorry I think I'd rather stay in Academy if you don't mind."

Lightning Dust gasped, a little taken back by his harsh words. She then peered around hurriedly as she noticed everypony already seemed to have a partner, Rainbow Dash was now part of a whole different sector seeing as her skills impressed Spitfire by this time.

Lightning Dust paced nervously as Spitfire soon yelled "Lightning Dust!" Lightning Dust shrieked in surprise, then turned to face Spitfire, she lowered her head as Spitfire lowered her shades somewhat to look at the turquoise pony. "WHAT! Do you think you're doing?"

Lightning Dust's ears lowered as she looked highly ashamed, she bit her lower lip as if hesitant to reply. She muttered quietly "I..uhm, I can't find a partner ma'am.."

Spitfire kept that same expression, questioning "What was that?"

Lightning Dust heard light muttering going on around her, accompanied by soft chuckles. She continued "I can't find a partner ma'am!" she blushed, then persisted to stare at the ground, wishing to not make eye contact with anypony.

Spitfire sighed as if annoyed "Then I guess you'll just have to put in double the effort to complete these tasks! Now go join the others!" She pointed her hoof at the direction of the group as Lightning Dust obeyed, trotting slowly to the other pegasi. She attempted the exercises, alone.

This sort of treatment persisted for Lightning Dust, it seemed her reputation just wasn't good enough to earn her any form of respect amongst the others anymore.

As she finally made it to her destination, she looked up nervously at the plaque upon the door.

Spitfire's Office it read, etched elegantly upon the rectangular piece of metal.

Lightning Dust sighed as she knocked three times upon the door, she'd been here quite a bit in the last few weeks. Suddenly she heard Spitfire call out to her "Come in Lightning Dust!" Lightning Dust just pushed the door open gently, trotting slowly inside. She gazed around the room a bit, noticing it seemed darker than usual, the lights were dimmed and Spitfire's face was concealed somewhat in shadow. "Shut the door..."

Lightning Dust nodded as she shut the door behind her. Spitfire sighed, "Do you know why you're here, Lightning Dust?"

She looked saddened, shaking her head a little "No, but I'm guessing it's not good huh."

Spitfire sighed heavily once more, her hooves crossed upon her desk in that firm and familiar fashion. She nodded "Yes, this part is never easy."

To this Lightning Dust's eyes widened, she realized what was coming but couldn't accept it. "W-Wait, ma'am! I, you can't be serious, I'm, I'm one of the best fliers in the academy!" she said, her voice trembling somewhat as she placed a hoof upon her chest.

Spitfire just shook her head "It's not about being the best, it's about getting along with your peers, working together as a team. We're the wonderbolts Lightning Dust, not the wonderbolt."

Lightning Dust shook her head in defiance once again, approaching the desk in desperation "M-Ma'am! I can prove I'm a good team player! If you just give me some more time!"

Spitfire just looked down at the amber maned pony "You've had enough time, Lightning Dust."

Lightning Dust's expression sunk as her eyes were wide with grief, her jaw dropped as her eyes began to swell with tears, her lower lip began to quiver. She said almost pathetically, barely getting out the words "P-Please."

Spitfire just stared at her papers, continuing to sort them as she uttered "Pack your things by tomorrow, I'll give you the rest of the day for the news to sink in."

Lightning Dust yelled, infuriated at Spitfire "PLEASE MA'AM!" Spitfire snapped back at her, slamming her hoof on her desk and getting in Lightning Dust's face "GET OUT OF MY OFFICE! NOW!"

Lightning Dust stumbled back, falling to her side on the floor as she looked at Spitfire, trembling somewhat. Spitfire sighed heavily then continued sorting her papers as Lightning Dust rolled over to her hooves, and slowly trotted out of the office, feeling hated, by her most beloved hero.

As she left, her head lowered, tears in her eyes, she gazed up noticing a bunch of ponies were outside the door. They looked at her as if surprised, eyes wide with curiosity. One pegasi was trying to hold in his laughter as he placed a hoof over his mouth, failing to conceal a light "Tch!" Lightning Dust blushed as she bolted past them, an eruption of laughter going off from where she once was. She hurried to the sleeping quarters and snatched up her suitcase, packing her homely supplies. She wasn't even aware of the tears streaming down her cheeks as she wanted to just get out of the academy as fast as possible. Lightning Dust made her way out and just bolted off into the sky, making her way back to her home in Cloudsdale.

As Lightning Dust landed in the city of clouds, she couldn't help but weep uncontrollably. Her cries sounded hoarse and violent as her legs trembled, she yelled to herself "I'm the best flier that stupid academy has! She thinks she can just kick me out? Watch, she'll come begging me to come back!" Lightning Dust's voice trailed off, she didn't even believe her own words. She looked back in the direction from which she flew, as if hoping, praying, somepony would be close behind her, specifically Spitfire, just to tell her it was all a mistake. After a few seconds she lowered her head, accepting the truth, she trotted steadily into the city, it was now sunset, the sky glowing a luminescent orange color.

By the time she got home, she still carried her suitcase by her mouth, it was now night but other ponies were still out and about enjoying themselves. She couldn't help but notice the other pegasi were all happy, guess they had good days, unlike her. Lightning Dust climbed the cloud steps that led into what appeared to be, a apartment complex made of clouds. She sighed heavily, so many thoughts raced through her head, so much regret. She continued to move up the steps, sluggishly.

She recalled how confident she was, was she too confident? If only she didn't try to show off and impress her hero so much perhaps things would of been different. Lightning Dust recited words her mother used to tell her in her head, as if some form of comfort.

Always stay confident Lightning, no matter what anypony tells you. You're the best of the best, and I know it.

As she entered the building and climbed the steps, she soon arrived at her door, creaking it open and just going inside as if all the energy were drained from her. As she walked through the halls of her apartment, somepony called out from the living room "Well look who's back! Told ya you weren't cut out for the wonderbolts kiddo!" Lightning Dust sighed heavily, as she just kept her head lowered, she dropped her suitcase. The voice sounded rough, hoarse and raspy, somepony was obviously still in their drunk stupor. The voice continued "But still, it's only been a few weeks hasn't it?! Haha, I guess you broke the record for failure in that place!"

Lightning Dust winced, then just trotted slowly to her room, as if she were used to this kind of treatment, even expected it "Shutup dad!" she exclaimed as she proceeded into her room and shut the door behind her.

Lightning Dust gazed around her room, on the walls hung multiple wonderbolts posters, signed pictures with multiple flight celebs from her days as a filly. She even had toys of the wonderbolts still laid out upon her desk made of cloud. She proceeded to her bed but couldn't help but notice her book shelf, it had numerous categories of novels, self-help books, How to be Confident, The Art of Flying, and more. She then fluttered quickly over her bed, plopping down soon after and spreading her hooves. She was done crying for now, she soon rolled over and stared at her ceiling.

She began to think of times when she was younger, back when she was a lil'filly, back when her mother was still around.

A younger Lightning Dust trotted hurriedly out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. One could hear the yelling and screaming going on within, presumably her parents fighting. The filly sighed heavily as she made her way downstairs, then outside the building, even though she was so young, she could already fly quite fast. She flapped her wings and then bursted off into the distance, away from her home, away from all the trouble in her life.

Flying was the filly's escape, it was how she could run away from all the troubles of the world and just keep to herself, here, in the open vast sky. She continued to fly as she soon grew tired, deciding to rest upon a small cloud. She sniffled, looking down and lowering her head, as if overwhelmed with grief. Her short amber mane was in tatters, ruffled and all over the place, she closed her eyes and proceeded to cry.

As it soon began to grow dark, the filly remained on her little cloud, alone, pondering. Eventually another pony would come to join her, the filly didn't turn to see who it was, she already knew. Approaching her from behind was a mare, with a dashingly similar appearance to the filly. The mare lowered herself beside the filly, wrapping her hoof around her gently and then nuzzling her softly. "I'm sorry Lightning Dust, I wish you didn't have to grow up in this kind of atmosphere." Lightning Dust sniffled just remaining silent "I just get so worked up, when your father gets all negative like that." Lightning Dust looked up at her mother with a worried expression "do you think he's right, about me?"

Her mothers eyes widened, as if shocked her daughter could even consider such a thing. She hugged her daughter, soon tilting her head upward to look her directly in the eyes. She shook her head with a smile "Of course not sweetie, you are the best there is. Your father is just jealous he wasn't so talented at a young age, Always stay confident Lightning, no matter what anypony tells you. You're the best of the best, and I know it. You can accomplish feats beyond your wildest dreams, you just have to keep your head up, and remain focused." Lightning Dust sniffled then smiled, blushing somewhat as she nuzzled herself against her mother affectionately.

Lightning Dust continued to stare at her ceiling, as tears began to swell up in her eyes once again. Slowly but surely, she was breaking down just like she did at the academy. She placed her hooves over her eyes, sobbing silently to herself, trying to muffle the sounds of her cries. She'd failed, failed to prove her father wrong, and failed to make her mother proud, at least in her eyes. She just remained there for the time being, crying, to her, there was nothing left.