Chapters Zecora begins to prepare herself to go out to Ponyville for recipes for her latest potion. She turns back one last time to her cabin and sighed as she closed the door, she's always alone in that cabin. She sometimes would have visits from some of the ponies in Ponyville but not as much to satisfy her loneliness. As she walked the path to Ponyville she noticed some of the wildlife around her and thought back to ponies being afraid of this place. It's not often to see ponies walking here without any sign of fear except for Twilight and Applebloom. When Zecora reached the end of the Everfree forest she noticed the Apple's farm and some of the memories of Appleblook's visits came back. Zecora sighed again and smiled knowing she won't be alone now since she's out of the forest she lives in. As Zecora took one step a sudden sound of something running behind her caught her attention. From that she turned around no one was there, so she brushed the sound off as some random animal and continued to get her ingredients. As she reached to the shops to get ingredients she paused and thought of the sounds she heard before she came here and brushed it off again, no pony would go into those woods, right? She bought the ingredients and walked back home. When she finally reached her cabin she heard the sounds of bushes rustling. This time Zecora went towards the source of the sound and used her hoof to clear away the bush and sawn a rabbit. Zecora then sighed with relief and turned towards her cabin to see something zoom by her into her cabin as if it was flying. Based off the size of the zooming image she knew it was a pony but same time it looked....like it had stripes. As she slowly approached her cabin she herd the sounds of hooves against wood running. Zecora peaked in and the sounds stopped. Instead of what she expected to find she couldn't see the pony, why was the pony hiding? Did this pony didn't sawn a zebra before as well like the ones in Ponyville. That's when she began to search around her cabin and slowly hear the sounds of a raspy crying pony behind her cauldron. Slowly she approached the cauldron and with each step she touch more the pony becomes terrified. Zecora poked her head at the side of the cauldron and sawn what was hiding in her cabin. This pony was nothing she ever seen before, it had wings like a pegusus but had stripes like a zebra, with light green fur on her upper body and even lighter tint of green for the pony's bottom half. She had a short orange mane with a red streak for both her tail and mane and her strips were dark green for upper part of her body and even lighter on her bottom half. This pony began crying seeing my face in terror and spoke in a raspy and tired voice.
"D-Don't take me back.......Don't take me back...........don't....." She said quietly from her tired voice.
"Where? Where are you from little one?" Zecora asked. Instead the strange pony shook her head.
"Please.....if I tell you can you please....not take me back.........?" The strange pony asked. I nodded and she tensed up in fear and shook her head more. "N-no I can't I can't tell you I'm sorry.....I just can't....." The pony answered.
"If you can't then what about your name?" Zecora asked. Zecora wanted to know a lot of this pony from her appearance, she became interested into where she came from but from how the pony looks....it's not good, something happened to her that made her like this, but what? The pony stayed silent from my question. "Well?"
"I......don't know....I....don't...have a name...." She said to Zecora with a sad expression.
"No name? What kind of place do you live that doesn't give ponies names?" Zecora asked causing the pony to become more scared. "Never mind.....I can give you a name if you want." Zecora said to the pony causing her to froze and look at Zecora with a look of relief. "From how you flew, I'll give you a name of Aerial, you like that?" The pony slowly nodded from the response. "Ok, then your name will be Aerial." That's when Aerial for the first time they met made a slight smile. From that smile it gave me a slight hope that she'll be alright and that she'll give my information on why she was like this and where she came from. Suddenly a knock came from the door and Aerial quickly ran to hide. Suddenly Twilight came in with Spike who appears bigger then normal. As Zecora explained Twilight the situation of Spike's growth Aerial was hiding in Zecora's room as Spike comes in grabbing everything causing Aerial to quickly move between objects till she reached the closet to hide. As the door to the cabin shut showing sign that Spike left she slowly moved from her hiding place as Zecora came in. "Why are you hiding?" Zecora asked.
"I....I just am too scared.....that I'll go back to that place..." Aerial said looking at the door to the cabin.
"Ok, I understand." The zebra said hugging the strange pony. "I'll keep you safe I promise." Zecora said causing Aerial to smile once more, that's when she knew, she'll be safe with her, and that she'll stay away from the bad ponies and hurt her in that place.
From the first step Aerial took she stopped for a moment and took another...and another. Till she was fully walking out of the forest with Zecora. As Zecora noticed this she smiled at the pony from her sign of confidence. When they continued walking toward Ponyville and sawn the first sight of the town that's whrn Aerial began shaking again. "It'll be alright Aerial." Zecora said nugging the pony closer to the town making her turn her head towards the one that cared for her.
"You sure?" The little pony questioned towards Zecora. As Zecora gave her a nod to the pony something sparkled in her eyes seemly hope. Seconds later the pony took off towards the town causing Zecora to be stumbling from the sudden change.
"Aerial wait!" Zecora yelled towards the pony that was running into the town. Aerial stopped as she was in the town and looked at all the ponies.
"All these ponies, all these smiling ponies." She sang as she looked at each one. "I wish I was like them, I wish I lived a happy life like them." Aerial sang causing other ponies to notice. "Why do you look at me? Do I seem different to you?" As she said that she went towards one of the shops as Zecora tried to catch up with a panic. "All these ponies are so different, compared to, me." She sang sadly as she waited for Zecora at the shop. "Why am I so different? Why do I look like this.....I wish I lived a happy life...like all of you." She sang sadly and quieter until she was silent making the shop owner look at her sadly. Suddenly as Zecora reached to her and was asking why she was singing a familiar bouncing pony came into town and noticed Aerial and quickly ran up to her with a party blower and blowed into it. This was when Zecora was in sudden panic.
"Hi there! My name is Pinkie what's your name? Why you so sad?" Pinkie asked. Aerial was stunned from the sudden pony's response.
"It's....Aerial....and I just feel sad...its nothing..." Aerial said in response.
"Aerial! That's such a cool name! And hey I'll help your frown to turn upside down don't worry." Pinkie said as she pulled out a cake out of no where. Aerial was confused at her response and took the cake but suddenly. Boom, confetti from within the cake exploded all over her hoodie and face. The sudden confetti caused Aerial to break out with a giggle that turned into laughter. Zecora was pretty shocked that Aerial was laughing this was her first time that she sawn her laughing but then again, this was Pinkie that made her laugh. "That's not all that I got left Aerial! Watch this!" Pinkie said as she pulled out a confetti cannon causing Aerial's jaw to drop as it shot out confetti and a flag saying, 'Welcome to Ponyville Aerial!'
"How did you do that?" Aerial ask in sudden shock.
"Magic that's what! I just love making other ponies laugh and smile and your new here so I just had to make you smile from your sad song, and you wanna be friends my life long dream is to friend everyone who comes into Ponyville and make them smile." Pinkie explained. Aerial thought about her dream and felt gratitude that she helped her lift her spirit and even making her laugh. From how much she remembers she never had laughed before.
"Sure Pinkie, I'll be friends you helped me with my sadness so why not?" Aerial said happily. Suddenly Pinkie shot up as a rocket in happiness.
"Yes! I got a new friend!" Pinkie yelled happily as she crashed back down causing Aerial to burst more in laughter.
Most of the day Aerial was with Pinkie Pie, keeping her look secret of course and laughing and enjoying herself wih her time with Pinkie. Until it was getting dark that's when Zecora had to step in. "Seems you two had a lot of fun today but it's getting dark and we know how Everfree Forest is after dark right?" Zecora said to Aerial and Pinkie making them both nod and that's when Pinkie realized.
"Woah! She lives in the Everfree Forest?" Pinkie asked astonished. As Zecora nodded Pinkie just couldn't believe it. "So she lives with you?" Pinkie asked and another nod came from Zecora. "Wow! That's amazing! When it's Aerial's birthday oooooh I can't wait!" Pinkie yelled in excitement and Aerial suddenly became sad at the thought, my birthday....I don't remember my birthday.
"Well it was nice of you to meet Aerial and cheering her up see y-" Zecora tried to say as Pinkie suddenly popped in front of Aerial and made funny faces causing her to laugh again but not as much.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Pinkie asked. Aerial didn't respond and Pinkie began to think and a sudden answer came to mind. "You don't know your birthday because you can't remember?" The sudden answer took Aerial hard.
"How...did you know?" Aerial asked hurt. The sudden tone in voice caused Pinkie to bum down.
"Wait....so I was right?..I'm sorry to upset you....hmmmm...hey!" Pinkie said suddenly causing Aerial to jump. "Why don't we have a birthday party tomorrow? And it could be your official birthday! Wouldn't that be amazing!" She said in joy causing Aerial to suddenly tear up from what she said. No one, ever, had made her this happy before except Pinkie. Suddenly Aerial hugged Pinkie so fast that her hood came off causing both Zecora and Aerial to freak out and when Pinkie sawn her oh wow she was surprised. "Wow! I never seen anypony like you before...that's so.....that's so...." Aerial was almost about to run back to the woods in panic until Pinkie said. "Surprising! And awesome!" Aerial was again surprised by the reaction, usually ponies would be so weirded out by her looks they wouldn't bother approaching her...but with Pinkie well, it's a whole different story. Now though, Aerial was worried about her telling any other pony and quickly said.
"Don't tell anyone about my looks please? Pinkie promise even...I'll do anything." Aerial begged as she hold her hoof towards Pinkie. Seconds later her hoof went with Aerial's.
"Okie dokie!" Pinkie said to her.
"Really?" Aerial asked to make sure.
"Yep!" Pinkie said. As Pinkie said that Aerial's eyes flashed with joy as she pulled up her hood over her head once more and walked with Zecora while waving to Pinkie. When they reached the forest that's when Zecora began asking questions.
"I thought you didn't wanted anypony to notice you? If so why did you sing?" Zecora asked.
"I....don't know it just happened when I sawn those ponies all happy and living their lives....it made me wish I had the same life as them and then that happened." Aerial admitted to Zecora.
"Well that's fine really is, I should've told you this but, Ponyville, is a very nice and friendly place, probably the best in equestria." Zecora explained to Aerial.
"Really?" She asked to Zecora as she nodded to answer.
"Yes, so I don't think you have anything to worry about right now." Zecora told to Aerial as they reached the cabin. Back at Pinkie walking home she suddenly began to shake violently.
"Pinkie sense" She said as she shook and quickly stopped. As it stopped she thought what the Pinkie sense was about and then thought back to Aerial and Zecora and suddenly ran towards the forest, something is wrong, very wrong.
I'll Always Help You, Aerial
Zecora began teaching Aerial everything in the past two weeks about her own origins and learning how to use and create potions. As Aerial got closer to Zecora the more she begins to slowly tell Zecora where she came from, the closest she ever gotten was when Zecora showed her what she was creating in her cauldron. "Um.....Zecora?" Aerial ask as she stared at Zecora and the cauldron.
"Yes Aerial?" Zecora asked as she worked on her potion.
"It's just...that the place where I came from....its, not as good as where you came from.....we have no friends, or family....I move a lot between places so at times I would forget where I actually did originate....ponies that aren't as nice as you, they hurt me and some other ponies that get in their way that are like me....not from my looks though, they all.....I included were...." Aerial said stopping her last word. This caused Zecora to stop with her work and walk up to Aerial and gave her a hug.
"It's alright....you don't need to talk about it...here....how bout you help me with this potion?" Zecora asked nicely. Aerial nodded and went over to her desk and awaited her directions. "Pass me over the flower there Aerial." Zecora asked nicely as Aerial noticed it and handed it over to Zecora.
"Ok...um...Zecora, can I ask you a question?" Aerial asked.
"Yes?" Zecora replied.
"Why are you here anyway? You never told me why you moved to the Everfree Forest." Memories came flooding to Zecora as Aerial mentioned the forest and shook them off. Zecora tries so hard to forget those horrid memories.
"It's private.....I must say..." Zecora said depressed causing Aerial to look at her sadly. "But it's ok, it's been a long time ago since it happened...I'll be fine don't worry." Zecora said with a smile. Then something came to her when she realized she didn't had enough ingredients and looked at her worn out hood and at Aerial. "You want to help me with getting ingredients?" As she asked Aerial quickly backed away from her.
"No no no....what if they find me?" Aerial asked.
"Don't worry." Zecora said with a smile as she picked up the hood and put it on for Aerial. "With this it'll be hard for ponies to notice, and I think you'll like it at Ponyville." Aerial was frozen with aw and slowly nodded but still had doubts making Zecora notice. "Don't worry, whatever happens I'm here for you. I won't let those ponies get you." Zecora said to Aerial causing a smile on her face. Then Zecora went to the cabin's door and as it opened Aerial was visibly shaking and Zecora slowly and nicely pushed her towards it. When Aerial was fully out she looked around her surroundings and slowly begin walking with Zecora on the path to Ponyville while stopping at times to look at the scenery. From this Zecora began to realize something, this pony, was a lot like her....alone....she felt just like her when they first met. As they finally got to the edge of the forest that's when Aerial was completely shaking and with a little confidence she had she took her first footstep out of the woods she had been for so long.
