> Sleepless In The Everfree Forest > by MidnightGlow > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Rainbow Flare > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Wakey Wakey, Flare! It's time for school and I and dad should head to the Wonderbolts Headquarters soon!" Rainbow dash shouted, hoping her daughter to wake up at last. "Umm. . . . yes, mother . . . coming," Rainbowflare mumbled sleepily. Now, Rainbow Flare was a beautiful filly with navy blue mane and tail which had light blue and crimson streaks. Her eyes were magenta and her coat was minty blue. She got freshened up and headed to the dining room for breakfast where she saw her parents were having cheese sandwiches. "Good morning mum and dad," she said in a voice that was bearly enthusiastic. "What's wrong with Miss Flare today?" Soarin asked in a concerned voice. "Do I need to go to school?" she asked, "Well, duh! Ofcourse! How do you think I go so good at flying without it? It's important for you, and one day, maybe you'll do a Sonic Rainboom and get your Cutie Mark," grinned Rainbow dash. "Yes mum, but I don't think I'll make any friends so that I can save them and BAM! Get a Cutie Mark like you or dad!" she blurted it out. "Now now! Don't degrade yourself, it takes time and you will get one eventually." Soarin assured her, "Well, we're off. Spitfire won't be happy if we show up late." he said and got off his chair then ruffled Rainbowflare's mane, "Do be a good pegasus! And your nanny will be there for you if need anything," said Rainbowdash as she left with Soarin, leaving her signature rainbow trail along. "Goodbye . . ." she said and walked back in. "Miss Flare, are you ready to go? You don't want to be late for your first day now do you?" said Careheart, who was hired for taking care of Rainbowflare and was also the stewardess of the cloud manor. "Yes, yes. Coming!" she said as she followed Careheart. Rainbowflare was known all over Equestria as the RainbowDash's and Soarin's daughter, especially in Cloudsdale. She was said to be lucky as she had two Wonderbolts as her parents. But as she was still very young, she wasn't able to face the paparazzi and all the attention she was getting. She was all over the magazines and newspapers just after she drew her first breath. Growing up, she got used to it but felt as if the attention she was getting was only because her parents were living legends. Once they arrived, Careheart bid goodbye and left Rainbowflare all alone. Miss Cheerlie was still the class teacher but was older than she used to be but her cheerfulness never lost its colour. The school at Ponyville was no longer small and had few students but was sophisticated and had more than one teacher teaching. Ponies from all over Equestria used to study here. Flare found a seat in her classroom and settled herself. "Good morning class! I'm Miss Cheerlie, your teacher for the subject of science. Let's make your first day brighter by introducing yourself to everyone! Hmm . . . Who do we have here? Yes, you young filly!" she said pointing her hoof to Rainbowflare, "Me?" Flare didn't expect she would be chosen, "Well . . . um . . . My name is RainbowFlare and I'm from Cloudsdale," just after she finished her sentence, she heard her class gasp out of shock, "What?" she managed to say just that until someone with purple mane with blue streaks and was unmistakably spotless white burst out, "You don't mean you have Wonderbolts as your parents? Wow! I can believe I'm seeing you finally! I need to more about you!" "Rainbow Dash is your mother?" another one asked. "Can you do a Sonic Rainboom, like your mum?" a foal squealed, "Is your father, co-captain of the Wonderbolts? "Now, that's enough children! Let's not get too carried away. Welcome to the class RainbowFlare. Who's next?" Cheerlie looked at her other pupils intently. After a long day of school, Rainbow felt relieved and was excited to go back home. She glided in the sky and made her way back. And without even bothering to have her dinner, she jumped on her bed, fast asleep. "Hey! RainbowFlare! Wait up. . . . So, you are the daughter of Rainbowdash and Soarin? That's cool now, isn't it? By the way, I'm Midnight Glow," she said. "Nice to meet you. Wow! Am I really that famous?" Flare asked curiously. "Yes ofcourse! But I knew you when my mother said to me that you were her best friend's daughter," Midnight replied. "So your mother and mine were friends? Who is your mum anyway?" Flare questioned. "I'll tell you but promise you won't tell anyone? I'm undercover, you know," she replied. "I promise," Flare assured her. "Twilight Sparkle is my mum. . ." she whispered in her ear. "The Ruler of Equestria!!?" Flare exclaimed. "Shh! Quite! I'm undercover, remember?" she shushed her new friend. "Right! Sorry," Flare apologised. Just then, a trio of three mean-looking colts squeezed and pushed through the crowd towards them, "So, RainbowFlare is it? Heard your parents were Wonderbolts. You should join our gang, it's where the cool ponies are and you should forget being friends with these types of commoners," a pegasus colt who looked like he was the leader of the team said in a superior voice. "Hey! that's not how to speak to people!" RainbowFlare stood up facing him eye to eye. "Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it? Race with me? Or are you just a lame-filly?" he challenged. "It's so on! And by the way, she not a commoner as you think. Better get ready to lose, loser!" she sneered. "We'll see who's a loser and who's not, later!" he muttered through a clenched jaw. "Let's start this shall we?" she said as they took their places on a cloud nearby. "ON YOU MARKS! GET SET! GO!" announced Midnight, holding a rulebook. Both pegasi zoomed through the sky, Flare was quite enjoying the wind in her mane and the race. . . until the opponent pushed her to the side. But she didn't give up and zoomed through leaving him behind as she neared the finish line, something unexpected happened, there was a cone forming around her and BAM! A Sonic Rainboom! She managed to finally ace it! At that very moment, she realised that she was no less than any other pony. She was going to create a history. She won the race! "So? How do you like that for pony's sake?" she smirked with pride. "Let's get outta here," he mumbled under his breath as he left with his cronies. "You. Were. AMAZING! Did you know you could do it?" Midnight asked her with awe. "Thanks, sure I did know that! When my mum could do it why not me?" she puffed her chest. "Am I seeing a cutie mark?" Midnight looked at Flare with eyes as big as saucers. > Rarity and Pinkie Pie > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- RainbowFlare woke up, snapping back from DreamRealm. She looked at her flank. It was blank without any trace of a simple cutie mark. "Guess that will always remain a dream," she sighed throwing herself back to her pillow. She heard her alarm yell then her mum. "Flare! You will be late!" Dash came walking into her room to find Flare as white as a ghost, "Is everything alright Rain? You were asleep before we came back home, you didn't even have your dinner," Dash asked, concerned. RainbowFlare was about to tell her all she was going through, but she gave it a second thought, 'If I say, mum will think I am not awesome' "Yes mother, everything is fine," she lied. "If you say so. Well, this weekend we'll be going to Ponyville, camping, meeting friends et cetera. Get off that bed now will you? Save your energy for that as well," Dash grinned and left. "Okay," "Phew! That was close. Just need to be cool, that's all," she said to herself. She thought about her dream and said, "Midnight being so coward is just unreal, and not knowing Twilight Sparkle is her mum is preposterous, the thought of it gives me giggles," Later after breakfast, she flew to her school with Careheart. "Goodbye Miss Flare. Have a good time," She entered her classroom and got seated beside Midnight. The first subject was History then Maths then and so on, she didn't even eat her lunch with anyone and carefully avoided anyone who looked mean and grumpy. She eagerly waited for the school to end. After school, she flew back bidding goodbye to Midnight. She didn't feel like doing anything, she felt really bad for not being able to live up to her family's legacy. Soon she reached home, to find her mum cleaning the magnificent cloud manor with Careheart. "Welcome back! How was school?" RainbowDash asked in her raspy voice. "It was fine, I guess. What are you doing here anyway? shouldn't you be at the Wonderbolts HQ?" she asked "Well, Auntie Pinkie is coming here today with her baby foal. So, I decided to stay back and prepare for her visit. Dad is at the HQ because Spitfire will be retiring soon, and he is next in command. Soon he'll be the new Captain" Dash said as she put a few lavender flowers in a vase. "Really? That's great! And I can't wait for her to come," Flare said as she put her saddlebag down. Just then, the doorbell rang, "Coming," said Careheart as she opened the door, to see Pinkie Pie holding the handle of a pram in which there slept a cute little foal sleeping peacefully, Rarity accompanied Pinkie with her daughter Dignity Diamond. Pinkie on the other hand looked frazzled. She entered the manor smiling faintly. "Wow Pinkie! You really are tired. How about you have some tea and biscuits?" Dash was really shocked to see Pinkie pie lose her essence. "I know dear, that's what I've been saying to her. She can really need some rest," Rarity added in. "It's quite alright, after all, Lil' Cheese has been a good foal," Pinkie said. They made themselves comfortable on the soft sofa. "RainbowDash, darling, I remember you saying Flare was adorable in your letters, but I never guessed she would be this adorable! She looks just like you except for her mane," Rarity was literally trying to squeeze Flare's face. "Th-tha-ank y-yo-you Aun-t-tie Ra-Rari-ty," Flare tried to speak through the tight grip. "She is quite a cutie!" gushed pinkie after feeling a bit relaxed while Dignity took care of Cheese. Now dignity here was a beautiful mare with the mane in a beautiful shade of blue and the same goes for her eyes. She was almost the same age as Flare. "So how are things coming along in Ponyville?" Dash asked. "Oh, just fine. Applejack has taken over the farm since . . . um . . . since Granny Smith passed away. SweetApple has been helping her out, but she is still sad about her late granny," Rarity said munching on some biscuits. "How about we take her to camp in the Everfree forest? We can take our daughters instead of our sisters," RainbowDash suggested. "That would be great!" exclaimed Rarity. "Applejack would love that! She is an expert in camping, right? And as you said, a little bit of rest can work wonders. I should ask PumpkinCake if she would foalsit Cheese for a bit. Aaaah! That'd be fun!" Pinkie said who seemed to have got her essence back. "How can you still walk on clouds while Twilight is in Canterlot?" Dash was puzzled. "Midnight seemed to have been attending the school in Ponyville and she was more than happy to cast the spell. She is almost as learned as Twilight when she was her age," smiled Rarity. "Mother, is it really important to go on this camping trip? All that. . . uh . . . nature!" Dignity sounded just like her mother. "Ofcourse it is darling! You would enjoy it for sure," said Rarity. "Ugh! If you insist," "Mum, when's dad going to be back home?" Flare asked. "He should be back by now," Dash said. "Say, is it true that Soarin is the next Captain of the Wonderbolts?" Rarity asked. "Oh yes! That's great, isn't it?" Dash grinned really wide. "Yes, it is," While everyone was busy talking, Pinkie helped herself to all the biscuits, "Do you still have more of these peanut-butter flavoured? Those are De-licious!" Pinkie said smacking her lips. "Looks like we have the old Pinkie back," chuckled Rarity. > Getting Ready > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.