Ralph has already arrived at Sugarcube Corner, holding his wallet in his left wing. He is sat on the bench, waiting for Adorabella. They may not be able to have something to eat from Sugarcube Corner today, but they can still see each other, and if Adorabella is up to it, go somewhere else.

"Hewo!" Adorabella ecstatically spoke as she lands in front of Ralph.

"Oh- hey. Sorry, I kinda just dozed off there," Ralph lightly chuckled.

"Are you doing better than you were on that Thursday?" Ralph asked, still a bit concerned about that day. Adorabella nods, which makes Ralph happy and relieved.

"Hang on, let me get something. Wait here," Adorabella requested. She flaps her wings over to Sugarcube Corner, and uses keys to get inside. Then 20 seconds later, Adorabella is back outside with a piece of paper. She locks the door and flies back over to Ralph, giving him the picture.

"I made it for you- I tried really hard..." Adorabella meakly spoke as she uses both forehooves to move her mane to cover her blushing cheeks.

"That's actually pretty good... do you draw regularly?" Ralph asked as he very carefully and neatlt folds the drawing so it fits in his wallet. He is impressed with the drawing.

"N- no, I just thought of a flower and drew it based off of memory," Adorabella replied.

"That makes this drawing even better, considering you don't draw regularly," Ralph responded, having a smile on his face.

"I may start drawing more regularly then," Adorabella lightly giggled. Ralph's smile grew at hearing that.

"Drawing is a good hobby to get into. It's a good way to express yourself," Ralph stated. Adorabella nods.

"C- can I ask you something?" Adorabella requested.

"Sure, go ahead," Ralph nodded.

"Can we... meet up more... after work? I... really... I really like hanging out with you," Adorabella asked, stuttering. She is very nervous, but she really enjoys Ralph's company.

"I was actually gonna ask the same thing, whether you wanted to meet up more," Ralph smiled. Adorabella nods.

"I've sorted out my work schedule... so now we can meet up everyday... or any day you're free," Ralph stated. Adorabella smiles at that.

"So... with uh... Pinkie not at... Sugarcube Corner... and that she and Rainbow won't be back until late... I was wondering if... if we go and eat elsewhere..." Adorabella stuttered, slightly lowering her mane down before quickly covering her cheeks with her mane again. She can't finish her request, she is extremely nervous about asking the big question. She has never asked somepony to 'have a meal together'. Luckily, Ralph caught the drift, and nods.

"Have you been to the Hay Burger?" Ralph asked. Adorabella shakes her head.

"If you want, we can go there. Only if you want to though. I understand you still struggle with big spaces, and the Hay Burger can get busy occasionally," Ralph added.

"I- I am trying t- to get better with busy crowds..." Adorabella stuttered.

"That's good. I'm not saying you... not saying you must be fearless in crowds all the time. Just that... you need... you need to manage your stress in them better, and not let everything get to you so easily. But you have made a lot of improvements since we first started hanging out. I'm happy for your improvements," Ralph responded, being delicate and considerate how he responds. Adorabella nods while smiling.

"Let's try and go to th- the Hay Burger," Said Adorabella. She wants to try going there.

"Alright," Ralph nodded. He extends both of his wings and flaps them, lifting himself off of the ground, flies in the geneeal direction to the Hay Burger restaurant.

Adorabella's blushing got darker as she gazes at Ralph's wings. His wings are large enough to cover her body like a blanket. She pictures herself nice and warm while tucked under his wings.

(Adorabella's POV)

I find my feelings for Ralph so... so... overwhelming. I... I never felt so comfortable being so near a male. When I was a filly because of... perverts, like Rock and Catch... and abusive figures... like my father... made me feel uncomfortable around males. I'm generally very anxious shy and scared around anypony I don't know because they could hurt me... but males... I'm... I'm more anxious and scared around males.

I may still not be entirely comfortable around males, but Ralph is an exception. Ralph... he... he respects my space when I need it. He... he's helped me so much... his advice to managing in crowds... while I'm not perfect at following the advice... it has helped. He's very kind and a very protective friend. I feel... I feel... feel... I feel very... very safe around him...

Sure my boss at the post office is nice and I don't feel unsafe around him... but that's mainly because I hang out with Muffins when at the post office. If I'm having a bad day... I hang out with Muffins. But I feel unconditionally comfortable hanging around with Ralph... even if I'm having a bad day. He is the only male I... I feel that safe and very comfortable around.

Ralph is... is the only pony I ever, ever had feelings for. H- he makes me feel safe... because he will protect me... and he respects me... even though we're just friends... he isn't rushing things... he just makes me feel so safe. He isn't rushing things... I'm not ready to ask yet... I'm still trying to think about my sexuality... I feel like I'm either straight or bi, but I don't know for sure... I never had the opportunity to really explore that until now... I was always scared of others, because of experiences with being around others... either way... my feelings for Ralph are so... so strong...

Having feelings for somepony is something completely new to me... going on a date is completely new to me... I didn't think these kind of feelings could be... this nerve-wracking... and so overwhelming... I thought I'd be scared of being around any male but... but I'm so drawn to Ralph, I can't explain it exactly... other than I just feel incredibly safe around him. It makes time feel so slow for me, which in some ways that's... good, because the more that time 'slows', the more I spend time around Ralph... is that how it works? Hmm...

Ralph... he just makes me feel safe and comfortable, and I enjoy spending time with him... which makes me want to spend more time with him, to feel more safe and comfortable, and then I enjoy spending that extra time with him as I feel safe and comfortable... which makes me wanna spend more time and so on... is that how it works? I don't know, it's too early anyway... we've only known each other for almost four weeks... but I feel safe and comfortable with him as a friend... although, if we did get together now... I would be more than over the moon with happiness...

"Agh!" I bump into Ralph as he pauses. I drop down a bit, but I fly back up.

"Are you okay?" Ralph asked me, to which I nod.

"We're here?" I ask him.

"Yeah," Ralph nodded to me.

(No longer in Adorabella's POV)

Adorabella and Ralph slowly flap their wings, letting themselves hover down. They both land on their hooves. Adorabella struggles to regain her balance. Her legs and hooves are still very very achy and light after lifting the rucksack.

"Easy there," Ralph said as he grabs Adorabella helps her steadily stand. Adorabella flinches, but she isn't scared. She lets Ralph help her steadily stand.

They are standing in front of 2 glass doors with a thick light-coloured wooden frame. On both sides there are large windows, with a hoof shoe symbol above tge doors. Under the windows is unpainted, while the window's wooden frame is painted a pale shade of pinkish purple. The roof is made out of thick layers of hay. Then on top is a small rectangular billboard laying horizontally. On it has an image of a burger and a plastic cup.

"You wanna sit in or take our food away?" Ralph asked.

Adorabella looks through the window. She sees many ponies inside.

"T- t- take away... I rather n- not be in c- confined spaces..." Adorabella meakly requested.

"Oh yeah... it is busy today in there isn't it?" Ralph looks through the window and only just notices it is busy inside, it is packed with ponies. The queue that is long, and there's a lot of ponies inside eating in. Ralph wants his first 'meal out' with Adorabella to be a good one.

"I'll just uh... order a meal and a drink. Wanna sit on a random cloud?" Ralph asked. Adorabella nods.

"I'll go in and get our meals. You can wait out here if you're not comfortable going in okay," Ralph gently spoke. He opens the door and walks inside. The doors shut by themselves, while Adorabella waits outside.

"Agh..." Adorabella flaps her wings and hovers. It hurts and aches to stand after carrying Marble's rucksack from Sugarcube Corner to the train station.

Inside the Hay Burger...

Ralph is waiting in a 20 pony-long queue. He is constantly looking at the entrance, where Adorabella is.

"Oi Ralph? Who's that mare you're with?"

Ralph looks behind him and sees a pegasus stallion. He's not bulky like Ralph, but he is taller than Ralph. They're a sandy coloured stallion, and has brown eyes, and a flat mane and tail. His cutie mark is a a silver spirit level laying horizontally.

"Oh, I weren't expecting you to be here Horizon," Said Ralph. The tall sand-coloured pegasus stallion is called Horizon.

"Yeah, I'm just grabbing a take away from here. It's my mare's birthday today," Horizon stated.

"Oh yes, it is Lucy's birthday today, right," Ralph nodded.

"Anyway, who's that mare you're with right now? The one waiting outside," Horizon inquired.

"Oh, it's not official or anything," Ralph stated.

"Nah I mean, who's she called?" Horizon asked.

"Oh, she's Adorabella, she's just waiting outside for me while I get ourselves food. She doesn't like crowds, and... it is busy in here," Ralph answered.

"Oh, yeah, it is quite full in here today indeed," Horizon nodded.

"So what is this... is this a date you're taking this Adorabella on?" Horizon grinned, poking Ralph, who looks away, blushing.

"Ay, good on ya mate. Well done you," Horizon patted Ralph on the back.

"Thanks," Ralph nodded.

"I like her... I really, really like her. But she's very shy and... I just don't wanna mess this up y'know," Ralph shared. He has had a crush on Adorabella for a fair while. When he first saw her, he was so psychologically stunned and dumbfounded by her natural beuty, and expectedly, was lured to her. Then soon enough, they were meeting regularly at Sugarcube Corner, and got to know each other. Adorabella's natural beuty didn't matter, the pony, Adorabella herself, matter.

"Ah, shy mares are the best mares mate. Once they open up to you, they're the most open and honest. Me and Lucy are so open with each other, and I adore her shy clinginess, she's so cute," Horizon reassured.

"Yeah. I find Adorabella to be very cute... we do talk a lot to each other at Sugarcube Corner regularly. But we've only met a few weeks ago," Ralph shared.

"You're gonna have to initiate the flirting most of the time. Have confidence, and you should be alright. There's no rush Ralph," Horizon added.

"Also, please don't bring up Adorabella to our other mates at work. She will really not like the kind the 'construction banter' that our other mates find funny," Ralph requested.

"Oh I understand how you feel. The amount of naughty jokes the others made when they found out me and Lucy began dating was nuts. Very luckily Lucy didn't mind all that, she sometimes even joins in. This has helped her in being more outgoing," Horizon responded.

"Adorabella will really not like it, I can definitely tell you that right now. So please don't mention anything about Adorabella to the others. At the very least, just not yet," Ralph sternly requested.

"Don't worry I won't," Horizon reassured.

"Thanks mate," Ralph nodded. He and Horizon shake forehooves.

A few minutes later...

Adorabella is patiently waiting for Ralph. She is still constantly scanning her surroundings for potential danger, but she is doing it less. She feels that safe with Ralph being nearby.

Ralph then opens the door and walks out, holding a large paper bag with his mouth. He lets go and catches the large paper bag with his left forehoof. He then flaps his wings, slowly lifting himself off of the ground.

"Hey- sorry for being late back out here. Just bumped into one of my mates," Ralph apologized. Adorabella nods as she flaps her wings and lifts herself off of the ground almost instantly.

"Let's go and eat on a cloud," Ralph suggested. Adorabella nods.

"I can beat you to the clouds," Ralph jokingly stated. He knew Adorabella would smash him in a race. Ralph stated that in an attempt to activate Adorabella's very deeply hidden flirtatious side, and it works.

"Oh really?" Adorabella smirked, swiftly circling Ralph. Adorabella is circling Ralph very fast, effortlessly, while Ralph struggles to rotate himself fast enough to keep eye contact. Ralph smiles, enjoying in getting to see this very flirtatious side of Adorabella.

"Yeah, I can," Ralph jokingly replied.

"I'll give you until you're about... twenty metres from a cloud," Adorabella very generously offered while tilting her head, so her mane isn't blocking her right eye, looking at Ralph with both eyes. Ralph nods as he starts flapping his wings as fast as he can, propelling himself vertically up, flying as fast as he can.

Adorabella waits while she prepares to impress Ralph very much with her set of wings. She didn't think she could ever be so flirtatious, judging herself by her shy, timid and anxious nature. She didn't originally know this side to her ever really existed. She knows she wants to be with Ralph, he makes her safe and so alive, but she is scared to ask. But it doesn't mean she can't enjoy flirting with him and give him 'signals'...

"Huh, she is still somewhere below." Ralph found a cloud so high up where he and Adorabella can be by themselves. Ralph is barely 10 metres away from a cloud.

Then a loud boom is heard. Within a second, he sees a pink trail. Ralph knew Adorabella was actually incomparably faster than he is, but he didn't think she would still win a race while he was barely 10 metres away.

Seeing that display of sheer raw speed, Ralph's shocked facial expression looks like this:

O.O

Ralph chuckles very hard as he reaches the cloud that Adorabella had just landed on.

"Meow," Adorabella softly meowed, having a shy blushing smile on her face. She is sitting on the cloud.

"Woof," Ralph barked.

Adorabella hisses like a cat at Ralph. Both of them then laugh to one another.

"So you could beat me in a race to the cloud you were saying, slowpoke?" Adorabella cheekily smirked, extending her wings out. She usually extends her wings out in fear of something, but she isn't scared. She extends her wings, to display them to Ralph.

"Your wings are... magnificent," Ralph complimented as he lands on the cloud and sits opposite to Adorabella, and places the paper bag down. While the story behind Adorabella's motivation in working on to become so fast is so tragic, her wings greatly impresses him. He already knew Adorabella is very fast at flying, but her ability to win a race just like that is another thing about her that Ralph finds very attractive.

Ralph gets out the food and drinks out. Between him and Adorabella they each have a hayburger, horseshoe fries in a red box, and a plastic bottle of water.

"What is it like being a mailpony exactly? Out of all the times... only now do I ask- what's it like?" Ralph asked.

"It's okay... I mainly wanted to do that job, because most of the time I'd just need to deliver letters, and not have to interact with ponies a lot. I do have a friend there, called... Derpy... but I prefer to call her Muffins. She made me feel welcome with the... muffins, she makes," Adorabella answered.

"Why don't you like using her normal name?" Ralph asked. He is intrigued to hear her reason.

"My bullies used to call me Ghost... and me calling her by 'Derpy' just doesn't sit right with me. It'd be like Muffins calling me Ghost... so I prefer to use her other name, Muffins," Adorabella explained.

"I knew you were empathetic... but not that empathetic. I like that," Ralph nodded. He liked hearing Adorabella's reason. While Adorabella's natural beuty and her ability to win a race in a heartbeat is very attractive to Ralph, he loves her personality the most. She is very empathetic, thoughtful and kind.

"What's construction and maintenance like?" Adorabella asked back.

"Well, it's very labour-intensive. You need to be very strong," Ralph started off.

"It is a very hard job. You can't make mistakes on a work site. I once saw somepony lose their right eye after a poorly placed wooden frame feel and a nail sticking out sliced his eye to pieces. He got no compensation for losing his eye, because he didn't wear his PPE. In fact, he was even fined for not using PPE, and not using PPE had put himself and potentially others in danger," Ralph shared. Adorabella shudders at hearing this account. But Ralph wants her to know he is very serious about his line of work. Ralph wants to show he takes his job cautiously to her.

"That's why you must wear the required PPE on a work site at all times- especially goggles. The last thing you want to lose are your eyes," Ralph added while starting on his horseshoe fries. Adorabella nods. She now understands Ralph is showing her that he takes health and safety seriously.

Adorabella sees Ralph is smart and very committed to his work. He may not necessarily be so handsome, but Adorabella doesn't care about that. Ralph is very caring, he's proud of his job, and he isn't one of them 'dumb' or 'stereotypical' stallions. Ralph is also very strong, Adorabella remembers Rainbow Dash saying that Ralph held his ground in a hoof wrestle against Bulk Biceps. It isn't the strength or looks Adorabella is so much attracted to, it's Ralph's attitude and discipline towards his work that she finds really attractive. Adorabella loves Ralph's personality.

"So... who was the friend you said you bumped into?" Adorabella asked as she starts eating her hayburger. She slowly nibbles, which gradually became large bites, she is enjoying the taste.

Adorabella also wants to know a bit more about the kind of friends Ralph hangs around with, in case of the very very small possibility that Ralph isn't who he's saying he is.

"Oh, I bumped into an old foalhood schoolfriend, Horizon. He is very good at making sure bricks or frames or whatever really, is plumb and level. In fact, that's his special talent. He's good at all sorts of different areas in construction with his special talent alone," Ralph answered.

"Whacha mean beh pwmb n lewel eshatly?" Adorabella asked while still eating.

"You're enjoying the burger aren't you?" Ralph softly giggled. Adorabella nods as she finishes her hayburger.

"What do you mean by 'plumb and level' exactly?" Adorabella again asked. She then starts eating her horeshoe fries.

"Oh, making sure the wall or whatever is straight, or is at the desired angle. Horizon can do that fantastically well, it's his special talent. Me and him as well as his mare Lucy, often work together because we get so much done," Ralph shared. Adorabella nods as she pauses from eating her horseshoe fries.

"What's Lucy's special talent?" Adorabella asked. She then continues eating her horseshoe fries.

"She's very good at mathematics, which is very useful in construction. It's essential that you get your maths right, or you'll screw up big time. Lucy is also rather shy, maybe not as much as you are, but she has been where you've been," Ralph replied. Adorabella nods. She can understand how Ralph, Horizon and Lucy go hoof in hoof and be very efficient while at work. Adorabella is slightly interested in meeting Horizon and Lucy, they're Ralph's friends. They sound like nice ponies.

A few seconds later, Adorabella finishes eating her horseshoe fries.

"Wow you're mowing through that food quick," Ralph lightly chuckled.

"I'd happily get food there again with you," Adorabella smiled. Ralph smiles back. Ralph is happy that Adorabella isn't shying away from eating bigger quantities of food as much as she used to.

"I wanna ask a question about your job. I need to eat my food still," Ralph sniggered.

"What was the most amount of letters you delivered in a single day? I mean- you fly so quick- so how many letters can you deliver?" Ralph asked as he starts munching on his hayburger, quickly finishing it.

"I can deliver... maybe about two hundred to over a thousand letters within a day," Adorabella estimated. At hearing the estimation, Ralph's facial expression looks like this again:

O.O

"Without trying."

Double O.O

"The most uncomfortable part I find... is if I have to knock on the door... and come face to face with ponies... then it becomes painful to deliver a single letter," Adorabella shared, chuckling slightly.

"I'm sorry to hear you're still struggling. But you do know you've improved, right?" Ralph softly responded. Adorabella meakly nods. Ralph gently pats her on the head with his left forehoof while consuming his horseshoe fries in huge amounts, holding the red box with his right forehoof and tipping the horseshoe fries into his mouth.

"Meow," Adorabella softly meowed and rubs her head against the petting hoof while closing her eyes. Ralph can hear a very faint purr. Ralph slowly stops, and sees Adorabella's eye uncovered eye open and coldly looking at him, and hears her purring stop. Ralph continues the head pats, and Adorabella closes her eyes and purrs again.

Even though they have only known each other for weeks, Ralph wants to ask her out so badly, but he doesn't want to scare Adorabella off in doing so. He is grateful for the trusting friendship he has with her as it is. But he also loves her so much, he just wants to snuggle up with her and shield her and stop everything horrible in the world from ever harming her again.

Adorabella also wants to ask Ralph out, but her fear deep down within her still remains. What if this is a ruse all along? But Adorabella knows Ralph would've long ago tried to do something to her already if he wanted. Adorabella knows she can trust him, she really loves him, she feels really safe around him.

"Well, we finished our meals quick," Ralph lightly chuckled. Adorabella nods.

"Wanna hang out? Fly about?" Ralph asked. Adorabella points with her left forehoof at a water bottle, and grabs hers and begins drinking it. Both of them began drinking their bottle of water. After finishing their drink, they put the bottle down.

"Well, now... do you wanna fly about with me?" Ralph asked. Adorabella slumps her head down. Ralph can tell Adorabella is running out of 'social stamina' by the no worded responses. It could also be that Adorabella has had enough.

"We can head back to Sugarcube Corner if you want," Ralph stated. He is more concerned about making sure Adorabella isn't overwhelmed.

"Yeah... I've... ran out of things to say..." Adorabella quietly mumbled, but Ralph hears what she says.

"I understand. Wanna have another meal out like this some time?" Ralph asked. Adorabella nods.

"Alright then, lets go," Said Ralph.

(Time-lapse)

Adorabella and Ralph are on their way back, flying back to Sugarcube Corner with their rubbish from the Hay Burger. On the way back, Adorabella was talking about her new friend Marble, which Ralph is pleased to hear Adorabella has become friends with an almost equally shy pony. Ralph believes they will help each other a lot.

Once at Sugarcube Corner, Adorabella and Ralph say their farewells. Adorabella goes back inside and grabs her mailmare uniform and her black backpack. She just wears it on just because it's easier than carrying it all. She also makes sure she leaves everything inside Sugarcube Corner how she found it. Once outside, she locks the door and hides the keys under the rug. She knows that Pinkie Pie has this 'pinkie sense', and that will tell her that her keys are hidden under the rug.

Adorabella then makes her way back to rhe Cloudominium. She has her own set of keys into the Cloudominium. This week has been the best moment of her life (besides her birthday of course, nothing has topped that yet). Sure, there was the incident on the Thursday. But she met a new shy friend, Marble, who is almost as shy as she is. Adorabella also went to have a meal with Ralph, which was definitely a date. She enjoyed their flirtatious moments with him, she enjoyed hearing a bit about what it's like at his place of work.

Adorabella now patiently waits for her best friend, her sisterly friend, Rainbow Dash. Adorabella has a lot of info dumping she must do. More specifically, she wants to talk about her crush for Ralph to Rainbow Dash.

(End of time-lapse)

Later at night...

Adorabella is laying on the sofa, blankly staring out the window, at the sky. She is thinking about her life so far. She has with her the mirror the small circular mirror with a square base, the one Ralph got her for her birthday. She has the mirror in front of her, resting on the right-side hoofrest.

Adorabella looks at herself in the mirror, and she sees a completely different pony. She doesn't see a weak pony, she sees a stronger pony. She still has a lot of work to do for herself, but she can still do a lot more than she used to be able to do. Her friends have played a major role in helping her be reborn.

"Hey Adorabella." Rainbow Dash's voice makes Adorabella flinch a little.

"Didn't hear me come in did you?" Rainbow Dash lightly chuckled as she steps over to and hugs Adorabella, who gets up and hugs back.

"No, I didn't" Adorabella also lightly chuckled as she then lets go of Rainbow Dash, who also lets go.

"Guess what- the first Daring Do movie is coming out next month- I'm so excited- it's gonna be so awesome- right on my birthday!" Rainbow Dash ecstatically spoke, barely controlling her excitement. She loves the Daring Do stories.

"Ay, nice," Adorabella smiled. She isn't entirely invested in Daring Do, nor does she feel comfortable going to a cinema where there will be so many ponies. But Adorabella is happy that Rainbow Dash is super happy.

"Anyway, how was your weekend with Marble?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Great. We were so alike. We chilled a lot. We played chess... I drew a flower for my crush while she wrote for her studies. We played chess and... for most of the time... was just... vibing," Adorabella answered.

"That's awesome, it sounds like you two had an awesome time," Rainbow Dash smiled.

"There was only one slight incident... we were almost robbed... luckily Maud was there to help us," Adorabella shared.

"Wait- what!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, specifically the 'robbed' part.

"There was this stall of eggs. Pinkie needed to top up on eggs for Sugarcube Corner. So me and Marble... we struggled trying to get past the path of ponies. It was so busy and overwhelming- we got to the other side in the end," Adorabella started off the story.

"There was the egg stall. The prices were as it goes... two eggs for four bits, and ten eggs for fifteen bits. Marble bought thirty eggs for forty five bits. The stallion at the stall gave us only ten eggs..." Adorabella paused.

"... until Maud came and threatened to crush his eggs. We got our thirty eggs in the end," Adorabella continued.

"Then the next day... we felt we had to repay Maud. Me and Marble went to th- the sh- shack... and I got a book that had all kinds of facts about different rocks, minerals etcetera... which I remember leaving there. We went to find Maud in the gemstone cave... gave her the book, and then returned to Sugarcube Corner. Other than getting the eggs or the book... me and Marble stayed inside... we were just... vibing with each other," Adorabella finished explaining.

"Awesome. Glad Maud came to help you two out predicament," Rainbow Dash responded. Adorabella nods.

"How was camping?" Adorabella asked.

"Oh it was awesome... especially hide and seek- oh the games me and the others played at night was nuts! We told campfire stories, played many different games, had roast s'mores and other great snacks and- it was just an awesome time!" Rainbow Dash enthusiastically stated. Adorabella nods and forcibly smiles while looking away. Before Rainbow Dash continued explaining, she notices Adorabella looking away.

"Is something wrong?" Rainbow Dash gently asked, putting her left forehoof on Adorabella's right shoulder.

"No... but I do have something to tell you..." Adorabella quietly mumbled while blushing.

"Oh, yeah, go ahead," Rainbow Dash softly responded.

"After Marble left... I went... I went... went..." Adorabella stammered, struggling the say what she's trying to say.

"Take your time," Rainbow Dash softly spoke.

"I went out on a date-" Adorabella hastily spoke as she hides her whole face behind her mane.

All of space and time stopped for Rainbow Dash. She did not expect to hear that. Hearing that, her facial expression becomes this:

O.O

"I told Marble who my crush was... I feel guitly and ungrateful that I didn't tell you first... I should trust you first after everything you've done for me..." Adorabella sighed, still hiding her face behind her mane.

"Hey, you don't have to share to me anything you're uncomfortable with. It'd be unloyal of me to force you to," Rainbow Dash gently reassured.

"Plus, it's always good to have more than one friend to speak to. If you're not comfortable sharing something with me, then you can share with somepony else first," Rainbow Dash gently added, in the same reassuring tone.

"So... y- you know Ralph? Yeah?" Said Adorabella.

"Wait- Ralph is your crush?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. Adorabella very weakly nods.

"I should've seen it coming. You two do hang out a lot," Rainbow Dash nodded.

"If you don't mind me asking... what do you like about him?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Even just as a friend, he's protective of me... he makes me feel safe... he respects my space when I need it... he- arrgh these emotions- I've never had these kind of emotions before- it's so overwhelming... Ralph just makes me feel so safe..." Adorabella mumbled while briefly pulling at her mane. Before Ralph, Adorabella never had crushes on anypony because she was always scared of others. When she started to have feelings for Ralph, at first, they had been mild and she could keep calm, now she can't stop thinking about him.

"How long have you had feelings for him?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Since my birthday at least..." Adorabella feebly answered.

"But a part of me feels my loyalty should be with you... without you I wouldn't of even met Ralph... or my other friends," Adorabella added in a mumbling voice. She moves her mane out of the way, uncovering her face again.

"I really appreciate your loyalty for me. But don't feel like you have to repay me all the time. I do really understand that you hold me so close to yourself either way," Rainbow Dash reassured.

"If you end up dating Ralph or whoever you end up with, I'll always be there for you. We're not just friends, we've become sisters, alright," Rainbow Dash added, in the same reassuring tone, smiling. Adorabella and Rainbow Dash hugs each other.

"But... how do I ask Ralph out? I- I- I don't know how to ask him..." Adorabella trembled as she as well as Rainbow Dash let go of each other. It isn't the potential rejection Adorabella fears most, it is losing Ralph as a friend she fears most.

"Why don't you ask Derpy how she got with Doctor Whooves? I think she could help you a lot more than I could in that regard," Rainbow Dash suggested. Adorabella nods.

"Anything else you wanna talk about?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I think that's all I got to talk about..." Adorabella yawned as she lays back down on the sofa.

"Yeah I wanna fall into my bed. Camping is awesome... but sleeping while camping is a bit uncomfortable," Rainbow Dash nodded.

"Good night sis," Rainbow Dash said with a smile.

"Night, sis..." Adorabella smiled as her eyes drowserly closes shut. Rainbow Dash smiles as she turns around and walks to the spiral stairs in the foyer. She weeps happy tears, seeing how far Adorabella has come.