Author's Note
And so here it is. The second story in my Shadowbolts and Rainbooms series. To all of the people who liked Good Sport before this, thank you so much for staying true to the series and reading this second installment. And for the people who just joined this series looking for a good story to give Sunny some character, welcome aboard!
And don't go so soon, because there's four other stories in this series alone. The next one I have lined up is a story between Applejack and Sugarcoat called "Wise Beyond Their Years." It's a working title at the moment, but it's the best one I could pull. So stay tuned for that story and for the later ones involving Fluttershy and Sour Sweet, Pinkie Pie and Lemon Zest, and Sunset Shimmer and Human Twilight.
But right now, enjoy the second installment of the Shadowbolts and Rainbooms series!
Dresses and Daisies
Rarity leisurely walked through Canterlot's mall with a small checklist in her hand. She was on her weekly shopping run to gather groceries, thread spools, and some magazines on fashion. She had already acquired most of the stuff on her list, including some fabric restocks for her new dresses. The last things on her list were some flowers.
After the Friendship Games had come and gone, Rarity finally had some respect for the Crystal Prep students. At first, she had thought that they wanted nothing more than to win, but after their change of heart, she wanted to thank them in some way, shape, or form.
Rarity eventually arrived at the floristry. It was clearly marked with a green background and flowers growing at each corner of the sign. In the middle of it, it read "Canterlot Floristry" in bright pink letters. She smiled and walked into the building, hearing the bell ring above her head when she opened the door.
"Hello, dearie," a girl with a plain blue apron and gardening gloves said as Rarity walked in. "Welcome to Canterlot Floristry. I'm Sunny Flare, and I'll be your personal shopp—" she stopped herself when she noticed whom she was talking to.
"It's you! The girl from the Friendship Games!" Both Rarity and Sunny Flare dropped their stuff before they spoke in perfect harmony with each other. "Oh my! It appears we both think alike! Stop copying me! You stop it first!" They glared at each other for a few seconds before letting out small chuckles.
"So what brings you to the Canterlot Floristry?" Sunny Flare asked once their laughter had subsided.
"I'm actually running some errands for my family." Rarity picked up the bags she had been carrying around. "Just normal stuff like food shopping and pleasure. Nothing magical or special about it this time."
"Well, whatever kind of flowers you need, we have it all here. A veritable A to Z. Or acacias to zinnias for me and my co-workers." Sunny Flare stretched her arm out to each of the different plants, which were mostly blooming out of pots. "Any preferences, dearie?"
"Well, I was just going to grab any types that looked appealing and go, really," Rarity said. "I'm not too much of a plant fan; I prefer to stick to dresses, if that's fine with you."
"But you can't just come on in and pick a flower willy-nilly. That defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" Sunny Flare raised an eyebrow at Rarity's sentence. "In my views, every flower says something different, and if you don't get the right flowers, then you'll end up sending your parents a confusing message."
"Whatever are you talking about, darling?" Rarity tipped her hand and let out another small chuckle. "Flowers can't talk. That'd be just be ridiculous."
"Believe me, miss. Sunny Flare does have a point," another of the shop's workers said from the distance.
"No-one else in Canterlot has been so knowledgeable about flowers," another one added.
"Why, without her help, our shop would've remained an unorganized mess!" a third girl joined the others.
"I happen to have a lot of experience with flowers, dearie." Sunny Flare put a hand on Rarity's shoulder and walked her around the shop. "So tell me, are there any special occasions coming up in your family?"
"Well, my parents are celebrating their fourtieth wedding anniversary this month, so I assume I'd like some flowers to do with that." Rarity looked carefully at each and every flower until her gaze was fixated on a yellow one. "Ooh! Why not this one? It looks rather nice."
"I wouldn't pick that if I were you." Sunny Flare quickly got in Rarity's way and put the flower back where it was. "That's a yellow carnation. In the language of flowers, that means you've disappointed me, or rejection. Do you really want your parents to know that they've done a bad job of raising you?"
"What?! I would never say that to them!" Rarity frantically waved her hands in front of her face.
"But that's what the flower would have conveyed, and then you would really be in hot water, dearie." Sunny Flare took her to a different display. "Something from this part of the shop would do nicely."
"Hmm..." Rarity looked closely at each of the flowers that Sunny was showing her. Even after thinking about what each flower's message could've been, she was beginning to struggle, and focused more on how the plants looked, rather than their colours. "Why not this orange one? They're all the same, and orange can be a divine colour sometimes."
"While the daisy is usually a good choice for a flower, you've picked another bad one." Sunny snatched it away as well and put it back. "The orange daisy means hatred, and I can tell from your upper-class lifestyle and fashion sense that you don't really hate your parents." She took the pot and put it with other flowers. "They're the least bought item from this store, too, so do you think it's a good idea to tell your mom and dad that you hate them through flowers?"
"Not at all, but honestly, I can't see what harm there is in such a little orange flower..." Rarity looked at how well each petal grew out of the blossom and how neatly trimmed the stem was. "It looks simply dazzling."
"Many flowers might look pretty, but the messages that they transmit are deceptive," Sunny explained. "I've spent most of my time at Crystal Prep learning about the language of flowers, and I've picked up some very handy tips and tricks upon my travels. But since this is a job, I can't make you pick what you want, dearie. I'm just helping you out in trying to send the perfect subliminal message that doesn't make your parents feel unloved by any means."
"Have the Friendship Games changed you?" Rarity asked. "Because the Sunny Flare I knew back then wouldn't be helping me out in choosing the perfect flowers for my parents' wedding anniversary."
"Believe me, miss. Many of the students at CPA have changed since Abacus Cinch was fired and arrested." Sunny Flare took the gloves off and pulled out a phone from her pocket. It showed a picture of her and four other Crystal Prep students. They were all wearing completely new clothes and smiling graciously for the camera. "But that's just the way life is. Times change."
"Oh, I completely agree, darling. My dear sister Sweetie Belle once had dreams of being a singer, but when she joined Canterlot High, all she wanted to do was make internet videos with her new friends." Rarity pulled out her own phone, showing a picture of her and her sister. "I just think it's a bit of a step down to be a star on the internet than one in real-life."
"But anyway, we're getting a bit off topic here." Sunny Flare put her phone back into her pocket and slipped the gloves back onto her hands. "We need to find you the perfect bouquet right away."
"Oh yes. I was just relishing in the past. Thank you for reminding me." Rarity did the same thing as Sunny. "Oh, and it seems like I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Rarity, or Miss Rarity if you prefer, darling." She did a small bow.
"It's very nice to meet you, Rarity." Sunny Flare took her over towards the nearby rose collection. "And I think I've just found you your perfect flowers."
"What?"
"Roses!" Sunny Flare stepped aside to show off each of the different varieties of rose. Some were black, some were white, and some were plain red with varying tones. "No matter what the occasion, roses are always the best thing to send a happy message to the one that you love." She smiled. "Go ahead and pick any variety."
Rarity neatly picked a bunch of red roses, being careful not to prick herself on any of the thorns that grew out of the stems below. Humming a little tune, she eventually made it to the counter with twenty-one, and laid them out onto a neat sheet of paper that Sunny provided. "So, how much will this cost?"
"Not much, Rarity. Just five dollars." Sunny Flare opened the register as Rarity fished in her pocket for her purse.
"Here you are, darling." Rarity pulled out a single five dollar bill and handed it to Sunny, who put it into the register.
"Do you want that wrapped up?" Sunny asked.
"Does it cost extra?" Rarity held her wallet open just in case.
"No. Wrapping flowers into a bouquet here is free of charge. My treat." Sunny was already busy at work gently placing the flowers together and cocooning them in the wrapping paper, before tying it all up with a single red ribbon. "Is this the first time you've been into the floristry?"
"Well, yes, actually." Rarity took the flowers once she had put her wallet back into her pocket. "My parents handle most of the shopping in our family, and I only rarely have to get everything for them."
"Well, it's good to have you here, Rarity. And we hope to see you again sometime soon." Sunny Flare waved her out of the establishment.
"Oh, actually. Before I go, can I ask you something?" Rarity stopped right at the door and turned her head back towards Sunny.
"What is it?" Sunny asked.
"I've actually wanted to speak with you for quite some time now, but since you're so busy with work at the floristry, I want to try and meet with you when you're free," she said. "Why not tomorrow at your house at noon?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. I can make cucumber sandwiches for your arrival." Sunny ripped a tiny piece of paper from a notepad on the counter and wrote down her address before handing it to Rarity.
"Thank you ever so much, Sunny." Rarity took the paper and put it away safely. "I'll be there."
"Splendid! I'll see you soon!" Sunny waved her off.
And with that remark, Rarity walked out of the floristry with the shopping she had before and the perfect bouquet for her parents' wedding anniversary. As she walked, she looked back at Sunny and waved back at her before she started the journey home.
The next day, Rarity looked at the piece of paper and followed the road up to the house. It was a simple bungalow with a large front lawn and back garden. The grass was cut down to a minimal height, and circling the building was a wide array of flowers, all different shapes and sizes. Dotted inside the ring of brown soil were garden decorations like windmills, gnomes, plastic flamingoes, and more.
Sunny Flare was busy on the front lawn, singing a little song to herself as she planted a new flower into the ground and patted the area around it. She was wearing the same clothes from when she was in the shop, but they were slightly greener and had a picture of a white daisy in the middle of it. Once she was done putting the flower down in its new land, she looked up and noticed Rarity was standing at the front gate.
"Ah! Rarity! Welcome to my humble home!" she said as Rarity opened the gate and stepped in. "Come in, watch your feet, and be sure to wipe them on the doormat once we get inside."
"Thank you for inviting me over for this, Sunny Flare," Rarity sighed as she took in a sniff of the fresh air. "It truly is a nice thing to get away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life and sit down for a nice little chat, isn't it?"
"Indeed. I was just tending to the garden, but I think I've earned myself a break." Sunny Flare took her gloves off and walked towards the front door. She wiped her boots and took them off, putting them by her right side before taking her gardening vest off and hanging it on the coat rack to her left.
Rarity did the same things that Sunny did, only she put her shoes to her left instead. Once she was done, she followed Sunny to the living room.
"Have a seat, Rarity." Sunny showed her towards a small table near the end of the room with one small wooden chair at each side. There was a floral print tabletop with coasters, and the sides of it were painted white. Sunny walked over with Rarity to a chair and pulled it out for her.
"Oh. Thank you, darling." Rarity sat down and pulled herself into the table while Sunny went off to get the sandwiches.
As Sunny walked off, Rarity had more time to examine the living room. It was wide with a large black couch at another end with a widescreen TV just on the wall opposite to it. By the window, there were a couple of green armchairs with little coffee tables next to them. There were also wooden doves and shoes that were hung for decoration, a picture of a boat sailing gracefully on a forest lake, and another one with a village covered in snow.
"I must say, for a girl like Sunny Flare, she has some exquisite taste..." Rarity complimented as she noticed Sunny come back with a tray full of sandwiches and tea.
"There you are." Sunny gave Rarity a plate and a cucumber sandwich before she got her own. She then proceeded to pour tea into two different cups. "Do you take sugar in your tea?"
"Oh, heavens no, Sunny," Rarity scoffed at the thought. "Tea with sugar is like apples covered in toffee. It's much better to have it without making it fattening.
"We have an awful lot in common, don't we?" Sunny giggled and gently put the sugar down on the floor next to the table. "I don't prefer sugar in tea either, and my parents only really keep it there in case company comes around."
"So, where are your parents anyway?" Rarity had noticed that it was only her and Sunny Flare having their tea and sandwiches.
"My mother and father are taking my brother to some big science convention, looking for the next revolution in clean and efficient energy," Sunny said. "They left me in charge until they get back, which shouldn't be until tomorrow at seven in the evening."
"Well, I suppose I'm not the only one who has to be independent in the family." Rarity took a small bite out of her cucumber sandwich. "My parents are always busy taking Sweetie Belle out to amusement parks and doing all kinds of other little sister stuff with her. I'm usually left alone, since the things she do are a little bit... weird sometimes."
"You must be lucky having a little sister in your family." Sunny took a small sip of her tea before she looked at the couch. "I was gonna have a little sister of my own someday, but my mother and father can't have any more kids due to things they'd rather not explain to me. And while they are still leaning towards the prospect of adoption, I'm not quite sure that I'm ready to have a little brother or sister."
"Oh yes, I understand, Sunny. They might be yours, but they're not technically your flesh and blood, so it doesn't really feel the same, does it?" Shrugging, Rarity took another bite of the sandwich. She chewed thoroughly, smiling at the taste. "These are actually really good, Sunny."
"Thank you. My mother's a gardener as well," Sunny Flare said. "She mostly grows fruit and vegetables, though. Nothing truly eye-catching as flowers."
"Well, I must say that flowers are quite radiant as well, even though I am more into clothes these days." Rarity looked out of the window and saw Sunny's garden again. "So do you plan on making gardening your life goal, or is it just a hobby?"
At that question, Sunny Flare froze up. She let out a long sigh as she put her sandwich down on her plate.
"Oh? What's wrong, Sunny?" Rarity's left eyebrow was raised.
"I don't know, Rarity. I've just... got a lot on my mind now." Sunny stood up and hung her head, lightly kicking at the carpet with her feet.
"Well that's what friends are for, right? They're there to help you with any problems you might have." Rarity stood up and gently patted Sunny's shoulders.
"Well, you see, Rarity, I'm a very talented girl. Being a Crystal Prep student under Abacus's rule, you had to excel in many different areas at CPA," she explained. "But even though I have all of these talents, I still don't really know what kind of person I want to be when I eventually leave Crystal Prep."
"Well, did you have a clue when you first joined?" Rarity asked.
"When I first joined, I just thought that it would be a regular high school, just with some changes. I didn't realize that it was a school that had a dress code, no discernible types of students, or anything resembling a high school for that matter." Sunny Flare walked towards the window and put her hand on it. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I would've preferred enrolling in Canterlot High back in those days.
"Abacus Cinch had removed everything that made a high school really a high school when she was in charge of Crystal Prep. Students shouldn't have to all dress the same, have no distinct groups or clubs, or just don't fall out of line at all." Sunny slid her finger across the glass and gently drooped it down by her side again. "When I was a freshwoman, it felt like even less of what I was expecting. Everything that your school has was non-existent at Crystal Prep back in those days, and it eventually wrung me dry like a sponge."
"What do you mean by that?" Rarity asked.
"Before the Friendship Games, I tried to speak with the other students about making Crystal Prep more fun by adding a sense of diversity, but Principal Cinch had already done her work on them, and they were uninterested in talking to me about it." Sunny shook her head lightly. "About a year later, I realized that there was no hope for changing the Crystal Prep students for the better, and I just fell in line with the others. Cinch herded me like one of her sheep, and I wasn't myself anymore. I was just another face in the crowd."
"Does that explain your rudeness back at the Friendship Games as well?" Rarity watched Sunny walk back to the table with her head still hung.
"I suppose it does. Greed can make you see things in a different light, and I forgot what a high school is really meant to be like." Sunny took a deep breath and then exhaled. "At the Games, I was more focused about proving myself to my school, that I barely had any time to accept your school's hospitality. Deep down, I wanted to appreciate the CHS students, but under Cinch's rules, I couldn't—which is a real shame, since Canterlot High students were actually much nicer than I had anticipated back then."
"Well, I can't really say that the Crystal Prep students were the same back at the Games." Rarity bent her arms and tightened her hands into fists. "The nerve of that Abacus Cinch, forcing her students to have them see us as enemies. Even she of all people should know that they're just other teenagers looking for friendly competition. And what did she do in return? She made them all look down on us, like we were trash!"
"I can understand your anger, Rarity." Sunny Flare picked her head up and massaged Rarity's shoulders to loosen her hands a little. "But you don't have to dwell on the past anymore. Like I said, times change, and CPA is much better off now that she's gone." She let out another sigh and let her head fall once again. "But since Crystal Prep is now just a high school the last year before I graduate, I'm back at a crossroads."
"And why is that, darling?" Rarity patted Sunny's back.
"I mean, I had so many options when I first started, but when I was with Abacus Cinch, I was just focused on doing my work and leaving Crystal Prep with high grades." Sunny Flare sat down on her chair and crossed her legs, her eyes more focused on the chair fabric instead of her food. "I have all of these talents, but I don't really know what to do with myself. How do I put it delicately? Let's say I have this massive menu, but all of the food looks so good that I can't decide. Is that a good analogy?"
"It is, Sunny. And I think I already have the answer to that problem." Rarity raised a finger when the idea came to her mind. "Back when I was starting out at Canterlot High, I also had a lot of options, but unlike you, I was too worried that I would fail in each of them. That was until I joined an embroidery group after school. They were so nice to me, and were willing to help me out with anything that I had difficulty with.
"After a while, I went from simply embroiding stuff to trying my hand at making clothes." Rarity looked down at her own dress and after another bite of her sandwich, gently brushed off some of the crumbs that had fallen onto her. "Someone out on the street had noticed my designs and offered me a part-time apprenticeship at the local dress store. I humbly accepted, and I've already been offered a full-time job once I leave Canterlot High."
"But how does that help me out?" Sunny's head came back up, and she took another drink as she listened to what Rarity had to say.
"Well, I also gained some experience in some other activities, like music for instance." Rarity took a light gulp of the tea, which had cooled down considerably since they had started. "I do enjoy playing the keytar with the rest of my friends, but I still stay true to my dressmaking talent. And as a similar thing, you should try out all of these new things, but don't forget about your plants.
"If there's something that you love more than others, then make it your main hobby. And though you might want to do more, by all means do them, but don't forget to stay true to what you love." Rarity leaned over the table and gently held on to Sunny's hand. "You can be a gymnast, or a singer, or maybe even an architect if you wanted. But if you love flowers so much, then that's your main goal. Don't just make one activity your life. But at the same time, if you want to do something, then do it. There's no stopping what you can do."
"But when we have all these different options, how am I supposed to know which ones I'll be good at, and which ones I'm not?" Sunny asked.
"Just give something a try, and if it's not to your liking, then don't do it." Rarity sat back upright. "Even if it's something that's out of your comfort zone, it might be worth it to give it one go, then decide whether or not you want to keep on going. Because you've got a lot of paths, you've got plenty of time to find out who you want to be now that Crystal Prep is much better off without Cinch. And hopefully, it will be time well spent."
"Well, I guess I'll find out when that time comes." Sunny Flare took a deep breath and shook Rarity's hand. "Thank you for the advice, Rarity."
"Oh, it was nothing, Sunny. I'm just doing what a good friend would do." Rarity let go of Sunny and returned to her food. "And hey, I'm sure that the rest of your friends sound just as nice once you get to know them a bit better."
"I suppose that's true as well. After all, just the other day, Indigo Zap made friends with this girl called Rainbow Dash," Sunny took another bite of her sandwich.
"Oh! I know Rainbow Dash. She's one of my friends." Rarity's smile grew wider as she wiped her face with one of the nearby napkins. "She can be a bit cocky at times, but she can be a really good friend when you're on her good side."
"You don't say? Tell me more." Sunny leaned in.
