//------------------------------//
// Family Outing 
// Story: Our Little Pony 
// by Stratocaster 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 8: Family Outing


As the sun rose on a fresh new summer day, the Shy family was on the road. It was high time the three of them deserved a vacation, and a tour of California was just the trick. They hit the road early in the morning, only delayed by Luke sleeping in, Haley picking out the right clothes, and Flutterhsy trying to decide which stuffed animals to pack; she eventually smuggled all of them secretly. Now they were in Luke's car on the way to their first destination; or at least for the first part.

"Luke, are you sure this is the right highway?" asked Haley.

"Positive," answered Luke, driving. "This is the best way to Lake Tahoe."

"The best way, or the shortest way?" discerned Haley. "I still think we should've asked for directions."

"C'mon, honey, I think I know my way around the state. I'm perfectly prepared for any long car trip. Right, Fluttershy?"

"Um, Daddy?" spoke Fluttershy from the back. "What does the little E on that dial mean?"

Luke glanced at his dashboard and groaned deeply.

A few hours and one gas stop later, the family had reached the California/Nevada border. The broad highway had turned into a winding backroad which snaked through tall shady alpine forests and of course beautiful Lake Tahoe. Fluttershy gazed out the window in wonderment at the immense sapphire blue lake which stretched around for miles.

"What do you think, sweetheart?" asked Luke with a smile.

"It's beautiful!" she lit up.

"Ooh, I hear they have really nice alpine hotels around here." Haley added.

"That's right," replied Luke. "And we're not staying at any of them."

"...Excuse me?"

"Well why do you think I packed a tent?" he then looked behind again. "Fluttershy, are you ready for your first camping trip?"

"Yay!"

"Luke? You're kidding, right? Luke?"

It wasn't long before the three found themselves at Luke's little piece of heaven. He had parked the car far away from the bustling tourist town and in a small clearing on a hill overlooking the enormous lake. The clearing was surrounded by the shade of the towering trees, and several spots of burned ground showed evidence of past campfires. As Luke exited the car, he breathed in the fresh North Californian air; Haley came out in a huff.

"Luke, why didn't you tell me we were going camping?" she demanded.

"I just wanted to keep it a surprise for Fluttershy." He shrugged. "My dad took me camping here all the time."

"Great." Haley pouted. "I am so not dressed for this."

"Come on, Haley, this is the great outdoors. This is just what we need to get away from the hustle and bustle back home. Look, Fluttershy' enjoying it."

She looked over at a nearby tree where her daughter was kindly offering an acorn to a hungry squirrel. "Well, as long as she's having fun, I guess- OW!" she suddenly slapped her neck. "Ugh, mosquitos! Please tell me you packed bug spray."

"Sure, honey," Luke rolled his eyes mockingly. "I put it right next to your tanning oil."

Later that day, as a loon called from a nearby tree, Luke sat at the lake's edge casting a fishing line into the crystal clear water, with a cooler of drinks beside. A curious Fluttershy trotted over to him.

"Watcha doing, Daddy?" she asked.

"Catching fish, sweetheart." He explained. "All I do is put a little bait on a hook, throw it into the water, and reel in the next fish who tries to eat it."

"Isn't that a little mean to the fishies?"

"Don't worry, Flutterhsy, I'll just throw it back into the water...unless I get hungry."

"What?"

"Nothing." Just then, Luke felt a slight tug on his fishing rod. He beamed as the top of the pole began to bend downward. "Whoa, looks like I got a bite!"

Fluttershy looked on in anticipation as her father stood up to reel in his catch. He tugged and heaved with vigor pulling his prize closer and closer to the shore. At last, the hook rose out of the water and Luke stood silent. Hanging on the baited line was, oddly enough, a box of fishsticks, with the Gorton's Fisherman seeming to smirk at Luke. Fluttershy only giggled.

"Eh, close enough." He said, embarrassed.

After he threw away his ironic catch, Fluttershy thought for a moment. "Daddy, um, can I try fishing? Um, if it's okay?"

Luke considered her question. Before Fluttershy came along, he had always imagined this moment with a son. But he figured it couldn't be that much different.

"Sure thing, Fluttershy." He said, and handed the pole to his daughter.

Luke helped her in holding the rod properly and carefully casting the hook into the water. They sat in calm silence as they waited for a nibble. But for Fluttershy, the calm silence quickly turned into boredom. Then, she felt a jerk on the pole and whimpered nervously.

"Uh, Daddy, what's happening?"

He gawked in surprise. "You got one! Quick, turn the reel."

Not entirely sure what else to do, Fluttershy did as told and spun the reel. As the ripples from the bobber were seen approaching closer and closer, Luke guided her along the way.

"Easy, that's good. Give it some slack. Now pull it in some more. Steady. You're doing great, sweetie."

Finally, the end of the fishing line breached the surface and the catch was revealed. There wriggling on the hook was a silvery blue salmon struggling for breath. Luke's jaw hung open at the sight of the sizable fish as his daughter cheered.

"Daddy, I did it! I did it! I caught a fish!" she jumped.

"Wow...good for you, Fluttershy." He uttered in shock.

As the salmon flopped around in desperation, Fluttershy felt guilty about its capture. "Don't worry, little fishy. I'll let you go." She then lowered the hook back into the water and let the fish escape.

Luke could only look on in disbelief as his potential dinner swam away.

"Agh! Stupid bugs!"

Then, they both turned around to see Haley walking by, swatting her arms through the air and showering herself in bug repellent. "Luke, can you please help me with the tent? I can't get the poles upright. Oh god, I got deer feces all over my shoe!"

"Coming, honey!" he answered begrudgingly. "Fluttershy, why don't you watch the cooler?"

Fluttershy nodded obediently as he walked off to help his agravated wife. She took a few minutes to stare out across the enormous lake and admire nature's bueaty. Suddenly, she heard a faint rustling from a nearby bush and looked to the side. Out of the bush came a raccoon sniffing the air and pawing at the ground. Fluttershy delighted at the curious little rodent.

"Hi, Mr. Raccoon, I'm Fluttershy."

Without a response, the critter continued searching the area for food. It then placed its paws upon the open cooler and poked its nose around inside. Fluttershy gasped and spoke to the creature again.

"No no, little guy. That's my Daddy's food."

The raccoon only hissed at her defiantly and climbed into the cooler.

"Hey! No! Come out of there!" she tried to urge the little scavenger out, but with no result. Fluttershy darted her eyes anxiously, unsure of what to do. A wild animal was taking her family's food and she had no clue how to stop it. But then, it hit her.

Fluttershy remembered a day when Haley brought her to work at the pet clinic. Some of the more ill-behaved dogs and cats her mother treated would often snarl and scratch at the slightest attempt to touch them. It seemed that no one could tame them; but that's where Haley came in. Whenever a pet would act out, she would simply grab them firmly and stare a menacing stare into their eyes. Immediately, the pet would become wraught with fear and shrivel up. Fluttershy was always amazed by this secret power of her mother's. If it could work on house pets, why not wild raccoons?

With a deep breath, Fluttershy approached the cooler with the rude rodent rummaging around inside.

"Ahem."

The raccoon poked its head out from the cooler with a bagged sandwich in its mouth. Then, Fluttershy buckled down and stared daggers at it for several seconds. Miraculously, the masked critter dropped the sandwich with its beady eyes filling with intimidation. Finally, the raccoon stumbled out of the cooler and scampered off, chittering with fear.
Fluttershy gawked. She had just managed to save her family's food from thievery with nothing but a simple glare. She smiled with pride before hearing her father's voice.

"Fluttershy," called Luke. "Don't fill up too much. We're starting dinner soon."

"Okay, Daddy!" she responded. "...tee hee..."

A silvery moon and shimmering stars reflected on the lake's surface that night. As a warm fire crackled in a pit, Fluttershy and Luke sat on a log beside it roasting marshmallows on sticks, while Haley fussed about in the tent complaining about the lack of indoor plumbing. They both gazed at the galaxy of stars up above, with Luke pointing out the many constellations.

"And that one's Orion. You can see his belt." He said.

"What other ones can you see?" asked a fascinated Fluttershy.

"Hmm, well, that's Leo the Lion, and there's Taurus the Bull, Cassiopeia the Princess, Cygnus the Swan, and that's Ursa Major the Bear, with the Big Dipper."

"And what's that big square one?"

Luke chuckled. "That's Pegasus, the Winged Horse."

"Just like me!" she smirked.

"That's right, sweetie."

Then, Fluttershy looked back at the tent for a moment. "Um, Daddy, is Mommy mad at you for not telling her we were going camping?"

"Mommy's not too mad, Fluttershy." Luke replied. "Although she's giving me that creepy stare that she only gives to naughty animals. I hope you haven't picked up on that."

"Um...nope."

"Okay, let me see your marshmallow."

Fluttershy held out her mallow which was now lightly singed by the smokey flame. She watched as Luke took two graham crackers and smeared the treat between them along with part of a Hershey's bar. With a curious look, she took a bite out of the strange sandwich and a broad smiled stretched across her face.

"MMM!"

"And that's how you make a smore." Luke smiled.

Fluttershy wolfed down the dilectable campfire confection, wiping the marshmallow from her face. She then nuzzled against her father's leg. "I love camping, Daddy."

Luke wrapped a warm flannel blanket around her and held her close. "And I love you, sweetheart."

They both huddled together in the warmth of the fire, as they continued to admire the night sky mirrored on the still Lake Tahoe.

...

Early the next morning, the family were on the road again down toward southern California. Haley wore a pout on her face as she sat in the passenger seat, with her crossed arms riddled with red marks where the mosquitos chowed down on her. Luke couldn't help but snicker lovingly.

"Ah come on, Haley, it wasn't that bad." He nudged her as he drove. "It was still a romantic night, right?"

She only rolled her eyes without a word.

"Tell you what," continued Luke. "I'll let you decide our next stop. Anywhere. It's completely your choice."

Then, Haley cracked a devious smirk. "Alright, I got an idea." She turned toward the back seat. "Hey Fluttershy, do you want to go to Newport Beach?"

"Ooh, I love the beach!" she smiled excitedly.

A nervous grimace creeped over Luke's face. If there was one thing Haley knew about him, it was that he hated the beach.

Several hours later, the three had arrived at Haley's ideal vacation spot. They strolled down the boardwalk of sunny Newport Beach, past crowds of happening Californians in skimpy swimsuits and jogging gear. All along the vast golden sand, beautiful women lay about tanning on towels while ruggish surfers waited in the tide for the perfect tube. The sound of street performer music mingled with the smell of burgers and Mexican food on the boardwalk. It was just another day on the coast.
Haley stepped onto the beach sporting flip flops, shades, and a red bikini; Fluttershy followed close behind in a little matching one-piece swimsuit.

"Wow, this beach is huge, Mommy!" she looked around.

"It sure is, sweetie." Haley replied. "I always love coming here to relax."

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,"

The girls looked behind to see Luke stumbling to catch up. He wore a pair of cargo shorts, a tiki shirt which hadn't seen daylight in years, and nothing on his burning feet.

"Why didn't you wear sandals?" asked Haley discerningly.

"I asked you the same thing about hiking boots." Luke said agitated.

She then noticed the mask of white plastered on his face. "Did you have to use so much sunscreen?"

"Hey, I don't tan, I burn. Ow! Can we just find a place to sit? Ah jeez! There's a hermit crab shell right there!"

They ventured out onto the sand until they found a spot to lay their towels. Fluttershy held a bucket and shovel in her mouth as her father plopped down to nurse his Frodo feet.

"Daddy, Daddy, can I bury you in the sand?" she asked eagerly.

Luke laid back flat on the towel. "Uh, sorry, Fluttershy. I can only take so much sand at one time. Oof." He quickly began to doze off.

"Come on, Fluttershy," smiled Haley. "Why don't you and I go swimming? We'll bury Daddy up to his neck later."

As Luke drifted off to sleep, Fluttershy followed her mother to the muddy wake. She dipped her little hoof in a rippling wave and let the chill of the ocean water rush through her. For the next several minutes, she and Haley laughed as they splashed each other on the shallow bank. Then, Haley noticed the rising water level.

"Ooh, I think the tide is coming in." She said. "Why don't we go out a little deeper?"

"Um, deeper?" shuddered Fluttershy as she watched her mother gracefully swim further out.

Haley looked back at her daughter, but paused her stroking when she saw that she wasn't budging from the shallow sand. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked concerned. But then it hit her even before the filly spoke.

"Um, Mommy, I don't really know how to swim." Fluttershy hid behind her mane.

At that moment, Haley nearly slapped herself for never teaching her own daughter to swim. But she figured it was never too late. "It's okay, Fluttershy," she called to her as she floated. "Just kick your hooves nice and steady. It's not so hard." It was then that she began to question if ponies even swam at all.

Fluttershy gazed hesitantly out across the water. But the trusting smile from her mother gave her faith and she braced herself. Slowly and carefully, Fluttershy lifted her hooves off the sand and began kicking awkwardly through the water. Surprisingly, she actually started to move across the surface inch by inch, although it was just reaching her chin.

"A little faster, honey." Haley called supportively.

Quickening her breath, Fluttershy kicked more frantically and her head rose higher above the surface. Despite her panting, she could see that she was moving steadily toward her mother.

"That's it, Fluttershy, you're doing it!" cheered Haley.

"I'm swimming, Mommy, I'm swimming!" beamed Fluttershy.

Haley proudly watched her little girl dog paddling closer and closer. But her moment was interrupted by a sudden sting on her foot by what must have been a random crab. She looked down for a moment at her foot to inspect the dammage, but fortunately there was no cut. After shaking off the crab pinch, Haley returned her attention to her daughter. But she was not in sight.

"Fluttershy?"

She darted her head around looking for her filly, but with no result. Then she started to worry. Fluttershy couldn't have just been snatched away or anything. That's when Haley gasped at a new thought. Had she slipped beneath the surface?

"Fluttershy!"

Fearing the worst, Haley swam here and there, strainging her eyes to look beneath the water. She had to keep the image of her baby sinking out of her head, but the fear just grew and grew.

"Oh no! Oh no! Fluttershy?!" she called out to anywhere, instantly regretting swimming out further.

There was still no sign of her; Haley had to get help. But just as she prepared to raise her voice for the lifeguard, she heard a sudden splash behind her, followed by a voice.

"Mommy, Mommy! I held my breath and went under the water!"

Haley spun around and was stunned to see Fluttershy bobbing further out in the water with her pink mane soaked. She was overcome with relief as she joined her.

"Fluttershy, you scared me for a minute." She said.

"Oh, sorry, Mommy." Fluttershy blushed. "Did I go under for too long?"

Haley only smiled lovingly. "I'm just glad you can swim so well, honey."

After their brief fright, the girls later returned to their towels to do a little tanning. But when they arrived, they saw that Luke had gotten a little sun on his own. Haley tried to keep herself from giggling as she saw her husband sprawled out on his towel, with his entire body red as a freshly boiled lobster. Fluttershy approached her sunburned father and poked him, leaving a pale hoof shaped mark on his skin which made her snicker as well. 

"Daddy, are you okay?" she asked as she poked.

But the hoof caused Luke to wake up and yell out in pain. "AAAH!"

Haley covered her daughter's ears from the flay of curse words.

It wasn't long before the three were back in the hotel room they had rented for the night. Luke lay face up on his bed with a look of excruciating pain on his face. He dared not move a muscle, not even to change out of his swim trunks, or else risk exacerbating the pain in his skin. Haley stood at the bedside shaking her head.

"I don't get it. You had like a gallon of sunscreen on." She said.

"Well apparently it wasn't enough." Luke gurgled. "Ugh, I'm going to be peeling for weeks!"

Sweetly, Fluttershy entered with a bucket of ice on her back. "Here you go, Daddy."

Luke winced as he stretched out his arms to take the bucket. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow...thanks." He then took a handful of ice cubes which he spread over his reddened torso. "Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..."

"Um, do you need anything else, Daddy?" asked Fluttershy.

Her father sighed as he lied there emotionless. "No, it's alright, sweetie. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" added Haley.

"I don't want to drag you two behind. You girls go off and have fun. Just please leave the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the knob."

Haley and Fluttershy looked at each other before the former spoke again. "Well if you say so. Come on, Fluttershy, let's let Daddy relax." She then departed the room with her, leaving her husband who moaned as he rubbed more ice on his chest.

Shortly after, the girls found themselves outdoors again at the hotel spa, lounging in the bubbling jacuzzi. Both Haley and Fluttershy breathed a sigh of pleasure; it was the most relaxed either of them had been in a while. They even had a bowl of figs to snack on as they sat in the hot tub that filled the air with steam.

"Now this is how to unwind." Haley said, tilting her head back.

"Yeah, this feels so nice." Fluttershy agreed.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, a sneaky pigeon had swooped in and landed on the edge of the tub. The cooing bird eyed the bowl of figs and hopped over to snatch a bite. But Haley quickly spotted it and, without raising suspicion from her daughter, she beamed a cold stare at the thieving bird. The pigeon immediately froze in shock at her piercing gaze, before flying away to find food elsewhere. Haley was beginning to wonder if she was abusing her power.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Haley looked to the side of the tub at the voice. To her surprise, standing there was a full grown pony. It was a unicorn mare with a bright pink coat, blue eyes, and a purple mane styled in some sort of hive. She was wearing a stylish vacationer's blouse and a real pearl necklace along with a pair of matching earrings. The mare smiled at Haley who then responded politely.

"Oh, hello." She greeted, sitting up in the jacuzzi. "Um, forgive me but, are you from Equestria?"

"Well of course I am!" the mare replied happily. Oddly enough, she spoke in somewhat of a northwestern American accent. "I'm just here on business n' all. My name's Pearl, by the way."

"I'm Haley; nice to meet you."

"I should say the same. I was just taking a stroll around the hotel when I saw you and this lovely young filly."

"My name's Fluttershy!" greeted the lovely young filly.

"It's nice to meet you, deary." Pearl grinned then turned back to Haley. "So, are ya foalsitting for somepony?"

Haley answered without discomfort. "Actually, my husband and I adopted her. We've been raising her ever since she was a baby."

"Oh that is just wonderful! I never heard of humans raising a foal before. You must be so proud."

"We certainly are." Haley nodded.

Fluttershy only giggled, hiding behind her mane.

"Well she is absolutely adorable." Pearl continued. "We have one of our own back in Equestria, don't ya know. She's always talkin' about being a dressmaker one day. Isn't that cute? Our own little fashionista."

Haley chuckled. "They certainly dream big."

"Oh you betcha." Pearl then began to exit. "Well, it was good meeting ya, Haley. I really admire what you're doing."

"Thank you. It's nice talking to another pony for a change. Maybe we should stay in touch."

"Ooh that'd be swell!"

"Glad to meet you!" Fluttershy waved cutely.

"You too, Fluttershy," nodded Pearl with a smile before walking off. "Hope to see you two again. Take care now!"

As they bid the friendly mare goodbye, Haley and Fluttershy returned to soaking in the hot bath.

"Mommy," said Fluttershy after a pause. "Do you think I'll find a nice spa to go to one day, like this one?"

Haley smiled to herself. "Well if you do, make sure you have a good friend to go with. I'm sure you will, sweetheart."

Fluttershy sat back and took a long relaxed sigh. "That would be nice."

After their nice soothing soak, the pampered mother and daughter returned to their room to check on their sunburn victim. Not surprisingly, Luke hadn't moved an inch, except to turn on the television with the remote; he simply remained in his husk-like state staring at the ceiling. Haley looked at her poor husband guiltily and sat down on the bed beside him to stroke his hair.

"Luke, I'm sorry." She spoke. "This was kind of a mean trick I pulled."

Luke replied calmly. "No, I'm the sorry one for that camping trip. I forgot how much you hate nature."

"I guess we just can't decide on the perfect vacation." Haley sighed.

Fluttershy listened to her parents' conversation. She loved the campsite and the beach equally, but she could tell the two of them were still not at ease. That's when she gathered to courage to say something that had been on her mind the entire vacation.

"Um, Mommy? Daddy?"

Luke and Haley both looked at her to listen.

"Um, I think I have a good idea where to go for our last stop." She smiled.

The couple looked at each other for a moment, then Haley responded. "Where's that, Fluttershy?"

...

As another sunny California day drew on, the Shy family found themselves seated on a bleacher at the front of a cheering crowd. All seemed calm as they stared at the window revealing the inside of a large tank of blue water; at least for a moment. Then, they gasped as the black and white orca whale burst out of the water's surface and came down with a hulking slam. The killer whale sent a torrent of water surging toward the family, leaving them completely drenched. As did the rest of the crowd, Fluttershy cheered.

"Yay, Shamu!" she jumped. "Mommy, Daddy, isn't Sea World so much fun?!"

Luke and Haley both froze with discomfort as the icy water dripped from their soaked clothing and hair. Normally they would never dream of being splashed with freezing whale water. But the smile on their daughter's face was all they needed to smile back at her.

"It certainly is, Fluttershy." Luke said happily.

"We're glad you're having such a good time." Haley added.

Fluttershy hugged both her mother and father. "Best vacation ever!"