Adorabella: A new life awaits

Nightmare Night

A week later...

After meeting with Ralph and coming back home, Adorabella sat on her sofa playing chess with herself, in her head, for hours on end. She had just won and lost, because she was playing against herself. She memorized the moves, checking what she did right or wrong in the move sequences.

When done, Adorabella gets up and looks out all her windows, making sure nopony is outside. She finishes checking out to see what's outside through her windows, and sees nopony outside. Seeing nopony outside, she walks to her bedroom and opens her wardrobe. She grabs the coat that her friends made for her on her 23rd birthday. The quilted black coat with light grey edges and pink buttons as well as a hood and heat-absorbing white wool on the coat's inside.

Adorabella puts the coat on and pulls the hood over her head. Knowing by memory her house keys as well as some of her bits are in her inside pockets, she walks to the front door and opens it, walks through, then closes it behind her.

Adorabella turns around and smiles at her neat little bungalow. She looks around her outside property, and is already thinking of future plans for it. It really isn't a bad little area, it is a cozy little place, away from others. She feels incredibly safe here, and even if something went wrong, she can fly away and get help.

Adorabella turns back around sees Rainbow Dash flying towards her. Next moment, she lands in front of her.

"Hey," Adorabella softly greeted.

"Hiya, how's it going?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Great. I feel safe here, I don't ever see ponies fly around, and.. it's just very nice here," Adorabella replied with a smile, making Rainbow Dash smile.

"Yeah, this place sure does look neat. I'm happy for you. You've come a long way," Rainbow Dash nodded, gently patting Adorabella on the back.

"I uh- I was just wondering if- if you wanted to come out with me and the other girls for Nightmare Night- you up for it?" Rainbow Dash asked, inviting Adorabella to come. Adorabella quivers in uneasiness, but she very swiftly stops herself.

"I... can't," Adorabella hesitantly replied, looking away.

"Aw- why not? Wait- I'm guessing it's to do with crowds? You've dealt with a crowd before and hey- you have me and others looking out for you," Rainbow Dash encouraged Adorabella.

"Not just the c- crowds... with somepony I can barely keep m- myself together in a c- crowd, but s- still, it isn't just c- crowds..." Adorabella nervously mumbled. The words that she wanted to say stays frozen in her head. The white pegasus is still petrified of crowds, but it's not just that.

"It'll be night time and... and... a..." Adorabella stammered as she takes a few steps back.

"I... I can't... I can't g- go o- out at n- night... th- that's when b- bad ponies will be at l- large and- and- I c- can't... I c- can't g- go, sorry..." Adorabella fought against her stuttering and stammering to get her words out. She isn't crying, she is too petrified to cry.

"Well if somepony tries something, they'd have to get through me- you'll be alright- I've got you," Rainbow Dash reassured.

"I- I- I... d- don't kn- kn- know..." Adorabella said while shaking her head. She is really hesitant to go out at night.

"What if Ralph was there too?" Rainbow Dash asked. Adorabella takes a few seconds to think about it.

"E- even then... wh- wha- if- somep- s- so..." Adorabella starts to vigorously shake as the overflowing worst case scenarios overtale and occupy her mind.