The Rainbooms were enjoying themselves on the beach. The ocean was shining, food stands by the parking lot wafted a wonderful scent over the shores, and there was no end to the tons of activities to participate.
Pinkie Pie was making sand castles with Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were surfing by the waves and Sunset, Twilight, Spike and Rarity were laying on their chairs to soak up the sun.
“Is today great or what?” Sunset said, taking off her glasses.
“I know. I made a list of activities for all of us to do on the beach.” Twilight said, as she scanned the to-do list she had on her tablet.
“The fact that we made so much money off of everything is just marvelous.” Rarity commented.
“And I can’t wait for you girls to use that money for dog toys.” Spike jumped.
Down on the beach, Pinkie was finishing up on a sand castle that she had modeled after a bounce house.
“So what do you wanna do after we’re done with sand castles, Fluttershy?’ Pinkie asked, leaning dangerously over her’s and Fluttershy’s sand castles.
Fluttershy protectively put her arms around her tiny sand castle, which she had built for the tiny hermit crabs on the beach.
“Maybe we can go swimming?” She suggested, wanting to keep her crab home safe.
“Or how about we go to the kids playhouse together?” Pinkie suggested next, pointing at the beach playhouse down the shore.
Fluttershy looked, and saw the playhouse full of younger children.
“Do you think we’re too old for that?” Fluttershy asked.
“Aw, come on. It’s like that big trampoline we used in athletics class. Remember how much fun that was?” Pinkie said.
Actually, Fluttershy didn’t find the trampoline much fun. For her, every bounce was like risking an injury on landing. Or worse, a trip into orbit.
“I think I’d rather keep making homes for all the beach animals,” Fluttershy meekly said.
“Don’t be a party pooper,” Pinkie said, taking Fluttershy by her hand, and guiding her to the playhouse full of children.
After they had walked off, Applejack and Rainbow Dash returned from their fun on the waves, and returned to the others on their beach chairs.
“So how was your surfing?” Spike asked.
“Awesome! The waves jumped us in the air, and we landed perfectly!” Rainbow boasted.
“Tell me about it. Surfin’s the best way to spend our summer!” Applejack said. “So what are we doin’ next?”
“We’re going to the playhouse!” Pinkie declared, as she walked by, dragging Fluttershy behind her.
“Really, Pinkie?” Applejack said, with her face in her hand.
“Come on, it’s not like we’re weird.” Pinkie giggled.
“Actually, it kind of is,” Rainbow commented.
“No offense, Pinkie,” Sunset began, as she stood up from her chair. “But, why don’t you take someone else’s sister to the playhouse instead of us? We’re too old for the playhouse, but maybe Apple Bloom or Scootaloo would have fun there.”
Pinkie Pie crossed her arms indignantly after hearing Sunset’s words. “I just wanted to be a kid for five minutes!” She said.
Nearby, another car parked in the parking lot. After a moment, a mother and son departed the car. The mother seemed to be in good spirits, but her son looked too depressed to even walk.
“Oliver, come on.” His mother said.
Oliver looked towards the beach, and almost took a step forward, but stopped before he even started.
“I can’t do this…” The boy muttered.
“But you wanted to go on the beach. It’s the only way to make you feel better.” His mother reasoned. She took his hand and guided him to one of the concession stands.
Sunset happened to glance up toward the parking lot, and saw the mother and child. Normally, she would have paid no mind to it. Only, she noticed something about the boy’s face. Something that was abjectly sad and somber, as if he had no reason to be happy a day in his life.
“Hey, look at that little kid over there,” she said, pointing everyone’s attention on Oliver.
It took only a moment for all of the others to notice what Sunset had.
“Now, why would someone be so sad at the beach?” Applejack wondered.
“I don’t know. Maybe you should talk to his mother.” Spike suggested.
“Good idea.” Twilight replied as the Rainbooms made their way over.
Oliver was still getting pulled from her mother with his legs scraping the sand. Everything seemed hopeless to him in those moments. Even eliminating his will to walk.
“Excuse us,” an unfamiliar voice called.
The boy’s mother stopped, and looked in the direction of the voice. There, she saw seven unfamiliar girls and their dog jogging up to greet them.
Oliver saw them, but paid them no mind.
“Hey, I recognize you kids. Aren’t you that musical group that performed at the school? The Rainbooms?” His mom asked.
“You got it.” Rainbow answered confidently
“So, is this little boy yer son?” Applejack asked.
“Yes, his name is Oliver.”
The other girls waved at him, but Oliver didn’t wave back. He hardly looked at him.
“I’m sorry. Did we do something to offend him?” Fluttershy said.
The mother didn’t want to explain. It was something of a personal matter between Oliver and his schoolmates.
“No. It’s nothing that you’ve done. Only…” She didn’t want to say anything more after that. She looked at the faces of the girls before her, seeing only concern, and a desire to help. With only last look to her son, his despondent face convinced her to gently relay the information. “I know this is hard to believe but,” She spoke more softly to prevent anyone else from hearing too much. “My son has been bullied at school.”
Sunset Shimmer caught on what she meant, since she had been a bully herself years ago. “Oh is that the reason why he won’t talk to us?”
“That’s not all. You see…” This was where things got particularly sensitive, and she took a moment to prepare herself for what she was about to divulge. “He was at home very depressed because of the bullying. Weeks after, the bullying got worse.”
“I’m sorry if I’m prying. But, how?” Twilight said.
“He missed school for weeks, because the bullies have been threatening him with harm,” the mother continued. “It’s been so bad, I don’t know what to do.”
That was where she stopped. She didn’t want to relive the memory of the night her husband found him in his room, bleeding profusely from a self-inflicted wound. A wound that Oliver meant to end his own anguish forever.
Though she had stopped talking, the Rainbooms could tell this no matter she wanted to continue. Choosing not to torment her, they instead decided to tackle the problem.
“How long has this been going on? The bullying?” Twilight gently asked.
“Since November. That’s when the bullies decided to pick on him. They even called him a snitch if he ever told the teachers on them.”
The mother stopped talking again. Her heart ached at the memory of the day her son came home in tears. After him came his friend Tony, who reported the incident.
Apparently, Oliver’s bullies had recorded this session of harassment, and uploaded it to the internet. This was all before that horrible night. It was then that his parents took the matter into their own hands. They reported the problem to the school faculty, and the bullies were expelled. But, he still refused to go to school. And no matter how his friends and family tried to reach him, nothing was enough.
“He use to love going to the beach. It was the last thing I could think to do. If I don’t see him smiling today...I just don’t know how I can help my boy,” The mother finished.
Sunset took one more look at Oliver. He was lonely, and felt isolated. Just as she had at one point in her life. The situation had given her an idea.
“Hey, how about we take care of him for the whole day?” Sunset offered.
“I’m not sure.” The mother answered.
“It’s alright. You can trust me on this. If he gets some quality time with people who genuinely care for his well being. People like us. I bet if he spent the day with us, he’d be back to his old self in no time.”
Her idea had sparked some inspiration in the others, and they all hopped on board with her.
“He’ll have the time of his life, if you’ll let us,” Pinkie Pie said.
“We can take him to see all the fantastic ecosystems,” Fluttershy added.
“I’ll make a beautiful costume for the darling.” Rarity added.
“And I’ll give this dude the best swimming experience of his life.” Rainbow added.
“I made a list of activities and I’ll be delighted if he joins us.” Twilight said, presenting her list.
“And at the end of the day, Oliver will be back to his loveable self again for the rest of his life.” Applejack tipped her hat.
The mother smiled after the Rainbooms are willing to help her son. “Well, alright,” She said, not seeing any reason to turn away such upstanding young women. She handed Twilight her camera, and gently urged her son to join the Rainbooms. “I have faith in all of you, I’ll be back at the end of the day to pick him up. And make sure to record everything. I don’t want to miss it when my son starts smiling again.”
Sunset placed one hand on Oliver’s shoulder, and shook the mother’s hand with the other.
“Oliver will be back to being happy when you come back.” She assured the mother.
Once Oliver’s mother set up her place to stay on the beach, the Rainbooms started their day of fun with the boy.