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// A daughter I can be proud of 
// Story: Tales of Another Ponyville 
// by Paradise Oasis 
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You know, I can really say it's never easy being the pony who goes against the grain. 

There was a time here in Ponyville, long before any of our generation was here,  that gender stereotypes were something to challenge. Ponies had almost achieved a culture free of super-girliness, when the defenders of gender norms came rushing to the defense of tradition.  A serious social conflict occurred between the two sides, with the fate of pony society hanging in the balance. And as to who won this controversial debate? 

Well, just take a look at the society around us! 

Red bows and flowers and pink splotched everywhere! Even suggesting acting like a boy is enough to get you a nasty stare from the mares around here. But the Rainbow family has never backed down from any kind of challenge. Like my mom before me, I've bucked the trend here in Ponyville, racing and swimming and taking part in every sport imaginable. But my own daughter has finally broken the tradition, embracing all things girly, and breaking my heart. 

Well, that is... until now.

"I'm so very proud of you, Dashie! Going out and leading a rescue mission like this!" I tell my little girl proudly, as she makes her preparations to leave Ponyville with her search party. "Standing up and taking charge, leading other ponies on a dangerous quest... now, this is always the kind of pony I wanted you to be!" 

"Knock it off, mother! I'm doing this for Wysteria, not for you!" Rainbow Dash yelled at me, stamping her hoof to emphasize her point. "The other girls and I are going out to look for her, not so I can fulfill your deep dark desires to have a tomboy for a daughter!"

My little girl's words are a harsh sting, but nothing have ever been easy between Dashie and I. My name is Rainbow Flash, and I am the mother of Ponyville's resident fashionista. I would rather be the mother of Ponyville's resident runner or jumper, but Rainbow Dash has always had a mind of her own. 

"So, which ponies are you taking with you?" I ask her, trying to get on a lighter subject again. "You'll need a strong team to survive out in the mysterious regions beyond the borders of the valley."

"I'm taking Spring Fever, Blue Mist, and Daisy Paisley, mother dahling." She replied, her tone towards me softening a bit. "We think the four of us might have the best chance bringing her back." 

"What, those three softies?" I scoff, trying to hide my disbelief. "What are all of you going to do? Hold a fashion show, and try to draw Princess Wysteria out by a desire to be pretty?"

"See now, there you go again, mother! Always criticizing my life and how I choose to do things!" She snapped again, turning to pack her saddlebags full of gear. "I don't need this kind of garbage when I'm getting ready to go on a rescue mission!" 

Oh, Dashie... I never wanted to hurt your feelings. When she was a filly, I thought she'd turn out just like I did; strong, brave, and independent. I'm the mare who when a stallion held a door open for me, I'd slam it in their faces. When a guy bought me a piece of jewelry or an accessory as a gift, I'd slug him with my hoof for getting me something so stereotypical. I was a rebel, fighting against all the pre-conceived notions about what I would like. I made sure the stallion I married treated me like any of his other friends, let me tell you!

So imagine how I felt, when my own daughter embraced the establishment with her useless feminine behavior!  I was horrified seeing my foal show no interest in toy trucks, and instead start playing with brushable pony dolls. I worked overtime to try to get rid of these traits from her.  Every time her father snuck her a dolly, I was sure to get it away from her and break it. I had the beautician keep her mane cut too short to style, and I never let her go near the town's dress shops and fashion boutiques.

And what was my reward? My daughter turned against me as soon as she hit adulthood, and has gone out of her way to do everything with her life that drives me crazy. I wanted her to carry on my legacy, to be the next generation in the fight against gender norms. But instead I got the quintessential frilly fashionista for a daughter. What a waste of all the care and effort I put into raising that girl... how dare she not live up to the legacy our family left to her!?

"Mother, if you're not going to be any help, would you please leave?" Rainbow Dash grumbled at me. "Why don't you go and race motor scooters with Scootaloo or something?"

Scootaloo... now's there's a proper heir to my legacy! A filly who started off idolizing Dashie's life mistakes, she soon came around to seeing how stupid following society's expectations actually is. Seeing a kindred spirit in the girl, I took her under my hoof, and train her in the dirt bike and motor scooter racing that I've loved to do since I was a little filly. In scoots I see a kindred spirit, who is more of what I wanted in a protege than my own daughter. 

"I think I will go join her her Dashie, at least she'll have something nice to say to me." I snort angrily, trotting out of her house. "At least she's a daughter I can truly be proud!"