Rainbow Dash had sourced some cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow Dash got plain ones, because she wasn't sure what flavour Adorabella likes. She's holding a paper bag with her mouth. As she exits and prepares to leave, Pinkie Pie stops her.
"So, who are they for exactly?" Pinkie Pie curiously and inquired, one of her natural personalities being rather nosy. Rainbow Dash puts the paper bag down.
"They're for a new friend, Pinkie. I wanted to cheer them up in any way I can," Rainbow Dash answered, making sure to be as vague as possible with the identity of said friend. The last thing needed to happen is a sudden welcome party, without warning, scaring her into hiding and never to be seen again, or even worse. Rainbow Dash doesn't want that to happen, she cannot afford that to happen.
"If they're sad I'm sad too." Hearing this, Pinkie Pie's smile turns upside down, and her mane goes from being fluffy and puffy to flat and straight.
"Yeah I'll make them feel better, trust me," Rainbow Dash reassured. The reassurance turns Pinkie Pie's mane back to the normal poof and curls and gives a light smile.
"Will you promise me that you'll let me know if they're okay or not?" Pinkie Pie requested.
"Pinkie promise," Rainbow Dash nodded.
"See you later Pinkie. Again, thank you for the free cupcakes. I think they'll appreciate them," Rainbow Dash nods to her fellow prankster, grabbing the paper bag before flying off. Her next destination is Fluttershy's cottage.
"It looked like Adorabella went to the Everfree Forest last night. Barely anypony heads into the forest at all, so she must've gone there. I doubt Zecora would've noticed her either because she probably knows where she lives and avoidz her too. So... Fluttershy is the best pony to ask," Rainbow Dash concluded in her head.
Rainbow Dash flew over from Sugarcube Corner, over to the cottage. She lands down and walks to the door and knocks with her left forehoof. She loosens her jaw and drops the paper bag. The roof of leaves, the birds chirping, and the critters and all of Fluttershy's animal friends always give the warm, welcoming vibe. But Rainbow Dash cannot stay with Fluttershy, she must find and help Adorabella.
The door opens, and the yellow pegasus steps out.
"Oh, good morning Rainbow. Is there anything I can help you with?" Fluttershy politely asked with a light smile.
"Well... do you happen to of seen a white pegasus who wears a dark hood?" Rainbow Dash asked. She looks down to the ground, to the paper bag of cupcakes.
"I got these from Pinkie, and I wanted to give these to her. The pony was so frightened and scared and- I just want to do something for her y'know, to cheer her up. I believe she went into the Everfree Forest, so that's why I came to you as you live literally next to the forest," Rainbow Dash clarified with some context.
"Oh, that's sweet of you Rainbow- and yes I did see somepony of that description, when I was looking for a missing animal friend last night. I saw them and they immediately went in the opposite direction to avoid me... as if they were scared of me. I still feel slightly guilty, because I don't know if I unknowingly did done something to them before in the past," Fluttershy replied, briefly looking down before looking back to Rainbow Dash.
"I hope you found your animal friend safe and sound," Said Rainbow Dash, concerned about said animal friend.
"Oh don't worry, I found them," Fluttershy reassured, nodding.
"Back on topic about the pony... did they say anything? Did they tell you their name?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"No... I don't recall them saying anything, not a single word. As soon as they saw me, they went the other way. They did look like a mare, but I'm not too sure if they were. They were definitely a pegasus though, a white pegasus," Fluttershy answered.
"Do you mind taking me to where you last saw them? It may be the same pony," Rainbow Dash requested.
"Anything to help a friend helping another pony in need," Fluttershy smiled. Fluttershy starts walking in the direction to the Everfree Forest. Rainbow Dash picks up the paper bag with her mouth and starts walking too, following Fluttershy.
(Now deep inside the Everfree Forest)
"Are you sure this is where you saw her? We've been walking for ages now," Rainbow Dash inquired after dropping the paper bag, in doubt from the long amount of time constantly walking with seemingly no lead. They are on a badly eroded dirt path, which in some patches, the grass had grown back. On both sides of the path is really tall grass, some of which being tall as a whole pony. There's also thick, chunky trees, with thick green leaves above acting as a roof. Small beams of light from the sun pierces through the gaps of the leaves.
"Yes," Fluttershy nodded. She points her left forehoof ahead in front of her.
"The cloaked pony was coming from that direction, and when they saw me, they went the other way."
Rainbow Dash picks up the paper bag again and continues with Fluttershy in walking down to the end of the path. Ahead, they see some grassy ground with a small wooden shack in the middle that's rotting, surrounded by a messy moat, which is connected to a river to it's right. The wooden structure has a door. Rainbow Dash drops the paper bag.
"I think I've found my destination. Fluttershy... I don't mean to offend you, but I think you should go. If she's scared of you even... she definitely won't deal with two of us very well," Rainbow Dash suggested, picking up the paper bag again.
"I was going to say so myself. And oh, don't worry, I don't take offence either," Fluttershy nodded. She starts walking back the way they just came from. Rainbow Dash waves her off as she flies over the moat and to the door, right in front of it. She drops the bag in front of the door and knocks.
"Hey, is anypony home?"
Rainbow Dash receives no answer. But she does hear movement inside. Somepony is definitely inside the shack.
"I know somepony is inside," Rainbow Dash knocks harder on the door, in case for whatever reason the pony inside didn't hear the first time. She hears noises nearer the door, and then the door creeks open slightly. Rainbow Dash pulls the door open for them. The pony inside is indeed Adorabella, wearing her cloak and necklace, and her wings appeared they are about to fly off.
"Hey-"
"H- how d- did you find me!?" Adorabella backs off to the farest end inside the shack.
"I don't want to do anything to you! I just wanted to give you something," Rainbow Dash pushes forward the paper bag, until it's inside. Rainbow Dash takes a few steps back.
"Look," Rainbow Dash flies over the moat.
"I'll stay on this side for now if it makes you more comfortable," Rainbow Dash sighed. Adorabella shakily steps forward, to the door to grab the paper bag, looking inside of it.
"I wanted to give you some cupcakes. I wasn't sure which ones you liked so I got plain ones in case- I don't know how else to let you know I'm not hear to hurt you- I don't wanna hurt you Adorabella, I swear to my life I just wanna know if you're okay."
"I- I uh... I- uh..." Adorabella stuttered.
"Can I come nearer or do I stay where I am?" Rainbow Dash asked. She knows if she's going to get Adorabella's trust, she needs to respect the boundaries.
"F- fine... if- if y- you d- don't hurt me..." Adorabella whimpered. Rainbow Dash flies over the moat and lands a few metres away from Adorabella, who squeaks and flinches, briefly closing her eyes, covering them with her left forehoof, taking a few steps back. The 2 pegasuses keeps a distance of 4 metres from each other. Adorabella's wings are still fully extended.
"Why are you scared of me? I'm one of the six protectors of Equestria- you know I won't hurt you," Rainbow Dash asked. Adorabella's wings start to fold back to her sides. It's a good sign for Rainbow Dash, because it shows that Adorabella may at least be willing to talk. She begins speaking, but not loud enough for Rainbow Dash to hear her.
"I didn't hear that," Rainbow Dash apologized. Adorabella shakily steps out of her shack and sits opposite of Rainbow Dash, about a metre away from her. She pulls her hood down, and hides one of her eyes, the right eye, with her mane. The shaking, the trembling, Rainbow Dash can easily tell Adorabella is petrified. Nopony naturally shakes like Adorabella currently is when scared.
"E- ever- everypony wh- who I knew... h- hurt me..." Adorabella stuttered, starting off stuttering.
"Huh? In what way?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I- I was hurt s- so b- badly... s- so I r- ran from home... at t- tw- twel- twelve... I'm now t- tw- twenty two..." Adorabella tenses up when she had to think of the past, just for that mere moment.
"Things... were that bad?" Rainbow Dash's heart sunk, trying to process that information. That small bit of information sinks into her, deep. Adorabella had lived on her own for around a decade, alone, from a very young age. She lived through her teenage years in isolation, years that are meant to be the years you have lots and lots of fun and do whacky and sometimes dumb things before adulthood. Adorabella spent her teenage years living in fear, and grew up living in fear, having no fun, or enjoying life, nothing at all, nothing but suffering.
"Y- yes..." Adorabella shakes even more. She starts seeing very brief flashbacks from just thinking about the past. Her eyes start to water.
"M- my mother u- used t- to yell a- a lot... father- he u- used to beat me a lot- e- ev- every day..." Hearing this from Adorabella sent chills down Rainbow Dash's spine. Not many things make the light blue pegasus feel cold so easily, but stories of abusive parents do.
"Oh my gosh... I... don't know what to say..." Rainbow Dash has no comment to make about the abusive parents. Hearing those kind of stories make her feel cold, a terrified cold. If she feels like that herself, then she can't even comprehend how Adorabella feels.
"B- b- but s- school was worse... I got picked on b- by the fillies and the c- colts kept h- harassing me... t- to- touching me up and... the t- teacher d- didn't ex- expel them... e- everyday j- just w- was so- so painful... I earned my cutie mark alone... I- everypony was out to get me-" Adorabella lifts her left forehoof up and covers her eyes, trying to hold back all her escaping tears.
"T- the d- day I escaped- I done- done the- the boom thing and- and I go t- to Ponyville... everyday to look for ab- abandoned newspapers... so I know what's going on- and I c- could only st- stay s- safe from everypony was t- to be- become faster than you- th- then I kn- knew I can g- get away from anypony..." Hearing this from Adorabella, Rainbow Dash nods, now understanding Adorabella's motive to become very fast.
"Adorabella... I..." Rainbow Dash doesn't have any words. Adorabella's fillyhood had just been a kick in the teeth around every corner. Rainbow Dash feels greatly sorry for her.
"If y- you hate me- it's okay- everypony just seemed to hate m- me- I- I'm used to it a- and now you can go... I'm useless... weak... can't lift a feather... ghost... and... I'm better off being alone..." Adorabella tries to controlsl her crying, scared of being scolded, like she was by everypony back thrn. Rainbow Dash shuffles closer to Adorabella and offers a hug, but Adorabella shuffles away. Rainbow Dash shuffles back to where she was.
"Sorry... I thought you would want a hug. Loom, you're not alone now, and you don't have to face your problems alone anymore. Now... I don't hate you, I think you're pretty awesome actually..." Rainbow Dash started off, having a light smile. Adorabella and Rainbow Dash are looking into each other's eyes.
"I'm meant to be the fastest pony in Equestria and you come along and put me to shame! Am I jealous of you, yes, but in a good way. I did... kinda... wanted to see somepony eventually be faster than me... and I thought I'd never meet that pony, until I met you, Adorabella. It would be kinda boring if one singular pony kept the title forever, y'know," Rainbow Dash thought of motivational things to say.
"I- I uh- um I..." Adorabella is feeling a multitude of emotions.
"I'll come back tomorrow... if that's okay with you, around the same time. I won't tell anypony else where you live, I promise. Please, Adorabella, I don't ask for you to fully trust me yet, but I just... I just wanna be there, for you," Said Rainbow Dash.
"O- o- okay..." Adorabella stuttered. Rainbow Dash lightly smiles. She has earned at least remote trust from Adorabella. Rainbow Dash starts flapping her wings, then lifts herself a metre off of the ground.
"I'll see you around tomorrow, yeah?" Rainbow Dash double checked. Adorabella responds with a single, slow nod. She then walks back into the shack, and shuts the door behind her.
Adorabella picks up the paper bag with her mouth and walks back inside. She drops the bag, then turns around to shut the door. Then she pulls the plank lock down that's to the left, until it sits on the hook that's on the right. Then she shakes about to get the cloak off, and slumps down, sitting in front of the door.
Rainbow Dash, one of the most respected ponies in Equestria, interested in somepony like Adorabella, who's an absolute nobody? Adorabella finds it hard to see whether Rainbow Dash is being serious, or whether it's a cruel trap intended to lure her out of the shack. Why would a pony with such prestige be willing to help a weak pony like her? A part of Adorabella wants to give Rainbow Dash a chance, but she's also afraid that it's a plan to lure her out. Everypony Adorabella remembers has hurt her, so to her, it's not a far-fetched fear.
"Either way... she knows where I live... I have to give her a chance... because if I refuse..." Adorabella didn't want to think what would happen past that. She looks at the paper bag of cupcakes though, and pulls it closer to her. She takes one out, and eats it. Liking it, she goes to eat another one, then another. She isn't hungry, but eating a cupcake is helping her take her mind off of all the bad possibilities.
Rainbow Dash flew back to Sugarcube Corner. Waiting outside the door is Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash lands in front of her.
"I've been standing here waiting," Pinkie Pie stated.
"You seriously stood out here for... however long?" Rainbow Dash raises her eyebrow, and lowers the other. Pinkie Pie nods.
"So... are they okay?" Pinkie Pie asked. She has been waiting impatiently, hoping that this new friend of Rainbow Dash's is going to be okay. The thought of somepony feeling very low and down makes her very sad.
"They're okay, but they need some space to themselves. You know how others need some space sometimes, yeah, they need theirs. But they did take the muffins in," Rainbow Dash replied.
"Cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie corrected, now frowning. Rainbow Dash takes a few steps back, realizing the foolish mistake she made, mixing up muffins and cupcakes.
"They took the cupcakes in with them. They will enjoy them," Rainbow Dash tries changing subject to calm Pinkie Pie down, which works. Her frown gets replaced by a smile instantly.
"That's good," Pinkie Pie nodded, completely forgetting that she was ever mad at Rainbow Dash over her mixing up cupcakes and muffins at all. She is just happy to know that this new friend is going to be okay, according to Rainbow Dash.
"Alright Pinkie, and thank you. I think they'll appreciate it. I just hope it's enough to earn their trust. They are so badly hurt inside... I just wanna help them," Rainbow Dash sighed. Hearing the things Adorabella went through makes Rainbow Dash feel sick.
"Wait... is this new friend of yours that same pony who done a pink version of the Rainboom?" Pinkie Pie inquired. Rainbow Dash stares blankly at the pink earth pony, thinking of a response.
"Oh, that was uh... I'm working on a new prank! Still gotta do a lot of work on it before it's ready," Rainbow Dash quickly came up with a lie to say. A pony Applejack would be able to easily tell Rainbow Dash is not saying something, but Pinkie Pie isn't, and buys into it.
"Oh hoo hoooo! It's looks... pinktastic!" Pinkie Pie gleefully grinned.
"I gotta do some work on it now- see you around!" Rainbow Dash instantly takes off, flying up to the skies in 10 seconds flat.
"Sorry Pinkie, but this is for Adorabella's own good..." Rainbow Dash feels bad lying to Pinkie Pie like that, but she needs to get away from her. One small bit of accidentally spilt information could make Pinkie Pie aware of Adorabella's existence. If that happens, she'll start a surprise party and something like that right now will scare Adorabella to death, literally. Rainbow Dash knew Pinkie Pie was trying to get more information, and she saw the Adoraboom in the sky. Luckily the pink earth pony bought into and believes the lie about 'a new prank' in the works. Rainbow Dash knows Pinkie Pie wants to help and has no ill intentions. However, no risks can be taken. If one thing goes wrong, it'll ruin all opportunities to gain any trust from Adorabella at all, ever again.
I should add that the story is definitely around Adorabella, and not Rainbow Dash lol. She's appeared more than Adorabella in this story, so far. However, next chapter, I will definitely start off more in Adorabella's setting. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter :)
