The weekend came very quickly. Rarity was packing things for the camp, Dignity, on the other hand, kept complaining about nature and how a forest can turn a lady into a country mare. She kept blabbering and blabbering until,
"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, YOUNG LADY! CAN'T YOU JUST SIT THERE? I'M PACKING EVERYTHING TO KEEP OURSELVES NEAT!" Rarity shouted as if she lost her temper.
Dignity hushed down and sat on her bed, as Rarity kept stuffing a whole lot of things. Clothes, perfumes ('Do we need perfumes?' Dignity asked) lamps, fans, accessories, bug repellent, sandwiches and a tent. The suitcase was so stuffed that it wasn't closing,
"Fancy, dearest, can you lend me a hoof here?" she called.
Fancypants was signing important documents, "In a moment, Rarity, dear," he said in his Trans-Atlantic accent
"Ugh! Wretched suitcase! Dignity?" she turned her sight expectantly at the unicorn with the blue mane. Dignity rolled her eyes and helped her out. Using her magic, she locked the suitcase tight and gave a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, darling. If only suitcases were big enough to hold everything I put in them. Oh, I almost forgot," she said as she levitated a rather broad-brimmed and fancy white feathered hat and rested it on Dignity's head.
"The perfect hat for camping. Do you like it?" Rarity asked.
"I love it! It's beautiful. Thank you, mother!"
Just then, Fancypants ambled there.
"You called?" he asked.
"Oh yes, I did. But Dignity helped me instead. But . . . I have something to give, for the very important meeting with the Princess,"
She levitated yet another hat which was tall and had a delicate silk ribbon around it and was short-brimmed.
"Thank you, dear. It's perfect," he said as he looked at it admiringly.
"I knew you would like it. Well, we're off to Ponyville, Toodles!"
- * - * - * - * - * -
"Can you believe it, mama? We are goin' campin'! I never went to a campin' trip before!" Sweetapple gleamed.
"Now hold it right there, sugarcube. Campin' is no joke. It's extremely serious, just like Granny used to say . . ." just as AJ said that tears welled up in her eyes, "Poor Granny Smith. She was always there for us..."
"You miss her, don't you?" Sweetapple asked.
Wiping her tears, Applejack said, "Anyway, let's start packin'"
"What d'we need? A tent? Sleepin' bags? Picnic?"
"Haha! Those are the basic essentials but a good camper knows more,"
"Like what?"
- * - * - * - * - * -
"She doesn't want to go? But why?" Soarin' asked Dash.
"I have no idea, Soar. She's been like that since the start of her school. Do you think she's being bullied?"
"Dunno. Perhaps we should talk to her," he said. The duo walked up to Flare's room when they heard silent sobs.
The door creaked open to reveal Flare's face covered in tears.