It was a cloudy day in Haywaii. Clyde rushed into the house, the door slamming shut.
"Did it come? Did it come? Did it come?" He energetically repeated.
"You'll have to check the mail, Clyde." Clyde's mother said with a smile. He flew over to the pile of mail that stood waiting for him on the counter. Quickly, he searched through the mail until he finally found what he was looking for. The teal Pegasus held his letter up triumphantly.
"It's here!!!" He shouted. Ecstatically, he ripped the letter open and read it.
"Dear Clyde,
The pegasus royal guard is impressed by your skill and determination, however we are not capable of accepting you into the guard academy because we have and overflow of guards in training and cannot afford another student. We understand that you desired this very much, but there's always next year.
Signed,
The Royal Guard"
The letter fell to the ground as Clyde's wings drooped.
"So" Clyde's mom said, walking over. "What did it say?"
"I'm gonna go surf for a little while, mom." He murmured.
"Well, okay... Be careful out there!"
"Mom. I'm seventeen, you don't have to worry."
"I know." She responded, hugging him. "I love you Clyde."
"Love you too."
Clyde had been surfing since he was little, just as he had been fascinated with the Royal Guards. For his entire life, he trained with his older brother so that he could serve Princess Celestia as a guard. Surfing was just his hobby, though he ended up getting a cutie mark representing both his goal and hobby. Surfing was also a way to get Clyde's mind off of things, so he decided he could relax for a while in the ocean before going back to the disappointment he had just received.
Clyde walked to the beach with his surfboard on his back. He placed it in the water, and was soon riding the tide as his dull expression faded into one of happiness. As he continued on the waves, his mind wandered back to the letter. He could only think of one word: failure. What would he do? Continue training for another year, only to be possibly disappointed yet again?
Sighing, he pressed his hoof against the shark tooth necklace that was on his neck. His father had given it to him when he was only a colt. It was his reminder that his family loved him, no matter what. He closed his eyes. "Everything's gonna turn out just fine." He said to himself. "I hope."
When he opened his eyes, his heart skipped a beat. Before him was the biggest wave he had ever seen; coming right at him. The wind tossed and turned any calm water that was there before and he couldn't find any way to get away from it. Instantly it hit him, sending him deep underwater. The storm going on above tossed and turned him everywhere until his head collided with a rock, causing everything to go black.