I'm Still Here

by Ribe_FireRain


Violet Snowdrop

==== Three Days Later ====

Three days had passed by ever since Rainbow Dash’s visit to the Cloudsdale Orphanage, and the time in which she was waiting for any updates had passed by slowly, almost obnoxiously so. She wasn’t one for waiting and she wasn’t known for being of the patient variety of pony, so it was gruelling to her mind for having no choice but to be forced to wait.

The only single thing in the world that made her not raise a complaint was that sweet, loving, caring and tomboyish little filly that she had taken in under her wing. She had been enjoying herself so much in the past few days since arriving at Rainbow Dash’s home, and it was like a dream come true for her. She had idolised Dash ever since she first discovered her performing tricks and stunts in the fields so long ago, and she could be considered her biggest fangirl, so when she found out that she was going to be living with her idol? Well, let’s just say that she had smiled the largest and widest she had ever done in her entire life.

Fluttershy had taken a few runs from the sky and down to the surface again multiple times in the day to check on her animal friends and her personal pet, Angel Bunny, having to feed them and make sure they are all well and happy without her around as much. Speaking of Fluttershy, she had adjusted quite well to living in the sky on a temporary basis, especially for a pony afraid of heights.

She was unusual for a pegasus, and it was extraordinary for a Cloudsdale native to prefer to be grounded. Sure, a few did live in Ponyville, but they were not afraid of flying or the idea of flying in the same manner of the timid, butter-coloured mare. Rainbow Dash knew that it was partially due to her traumatic humiliation at Junior Flight Camp, how badly she was teased, jeered at and alienated by the rest of her peers. That kind of bullying, harassment and endless taunting had left more than a few mental scars on the poor mare, and it made Dash sick to her stomach for what those punks did to her.

Anywho, she wasn’t going to be forced to stay in the sky with the rest of her kind, and her mind was made up that she wanted to remain grounded the day that she had earned her cutie mark after finding out she had the ability to communicate with animals. Her parents even supported her all the way, and they funded a portion of her rent when she was old enough to move away from home, and Fluttershy was eternally grateful for their support of her choices. Her parents were the nicest and warmest ponies Dash had ever met.

Scootaloo had been getting a few flying lessons with her new Cloud Buster, and she had developed a possessive taste for speed, much like her idol. She may not be able to fly at the moment, but she was still a very agile and perceptive pony with killer reflexes, an aid with her scooter riding. Rainbow Dash had found herself to be quite impressed with her progress, and she was always happy to cheer her on and support her all the way, giving her tips and pointers.

When she was a filly, she had quite a few issues with getting the correct amount of balance and power to support her entire body, and it did earn her more than a few bruises and dents here and there, but she always pulled through. Learning to fly is something that all Pegasi go through in their life at an early age, and Scootaloo hadn’t ever been taught to fly by her parents, as per tradition, and it was because of that that she was still grounded. If they had bothered to care, then she would be soaring high by now.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been sleeping in the same bed, too. Although Dash lived inside of an extravagant palace decked out with many, many rooms, most of which were empty, Fluttershy preferred to share the same bed chamber. For one, Rainbow Dash, rather than blushing at sharing the same bed as her oldest and closest friend (and crush), didn’t object.

‘’I kinda like snuggling with you, Shy,’’ Rainbow Dash had said to her with a blush, feeling childish for thinking this way. The idea of spooning and cuddling with a pony, be it mare or stallion, always made Dash gag in disgust and she’d stick her tongue out at such idea, but after she had her own taste of it, she began to wonder how she ever dealt without it.

She smells like strawberries and cream, Dash thought to herself. I swear, she does it on purpose! She knows I love both of those things, and she only does it to tease me!

In any event, it has been a slow but wonderful few days. It was nice that things were calm and collected for once rather than all over the place with one pony screaming or telling another pony off, and all three of the ponies felt like a small but happy family. The idea of having a functioning family was highly appealing in the back of Rainbow Dash’s mind, but she didn’t see herself as the motherly type. It wasn’t because she felt too tough on the outside to be the type, but rather because she simply didn’t know how.

Although, the idea of one day having both Fluttershy and Scootaloo merge together to form a family had a certain charm to it, a nice and pleasant ideology behind it. The possibility of one day sharing the happiness of most families made Dash feel giddy on the inside, and knowing that it wasn’t off the table made her all the more optimistic for her chances of making it work out.

Today was a day that had been long anticipated by the cyan mare, for it was the day when Miss Harshflow had promised that she’s let her know when her associate, Violet Snowdrop, had had the chance to review her file. This was the very day which she had been waiting for since she had brought Scootaloo into her care, and she had very much so hoped for something more than a mere statement promising action. She wanted results, and today was the day that those results were due to be delivered!

As expected, Rainbow Dash heard a knock on her front door, and she had dashed over in order to see whom it was. When she opened it, she had expected to bear witness to perhaps a mail pony carrying a letter addressed to her, but she was surprised to see that it was actually Miss Harshflow.

‘’Good afternoon, Miss Dash,’’ She greeted courtly. ‘’I trust that you’re doing well?’’

‘’Miss Harshflow? What’re you doing here?’’ She asked, confused at her presence. The older mare gave a tug on her black suit jacket at the collar to unfurl it as she gave a soft smile.

‘’I promised to deliver you Violet Snowdrop’s message, did I not? I’m here to deliver it,’’ She said, reaching into her suit jack to withdraw a letter. ‘’She got back to me this morning with a letter,’’ She presented it to Rainbow. ‘’She told me that she’s enclosed her business address and contact information inside if you need anything else. And remember, Miss Dash, if you ever seen any guidance from me, I’ll be more than happy to provide you with what assistance I can,’’ Miss Harshflow said politely.

She gave Rainbow Dash a wave goodbye with one of her wings and she bid farewell, flying off into the distance. Rainbow Dash looked down at the thick, manila envelope that she had been given, and she felt a tad disappointed, hoping for a little more than a mere letter, but it was better than nothing. Shutting her front door, she tucked it beneath her wing and she headed back inside to read it.

Rainbow Dash flew into her bedroom and she sat herself down on her bed before she tore open the seal on the envelope. She pulled out a slip of paper and she held it in her hooves. On the top of the letter was a stamped-on logo in red ink that depicted of a crest with a horseshoe with a heart inside of it, which Dash recognised as the logo associated with social services. The letter read,

Dear Miss Rainbow Dash,

It has come to my attention that my friend and associate, Miss Harshflow, has had a recent meeting with you to discuss the living arrangement of a filly by the name of Scootaloo. Today, I am writing to you to let you know that I have received and reviewed the statement which you have created explaining the situation to the best of your ability.

To start things off, let me begin by saying that I was appalled and greatly disgusted by the details which you had shared regarding young Scootaloo. Miss Haysworth has told me that you are now Scootaloo’s unofficial guardian, along with the assistance of a mare named Fluttershy for the time being.

As a social worker, my job is to ensure the well-being of all ponies, whether they are children or adults, and I take my job at the Manehattan branch very seriously and directly. With the details that you have shared consensually with my associate, it is my duty to take this case head on and to get down to the bottom of the issue, starting with finding Scootaloo’s parents. To do this, I am pleased to say that I am going to be making a trip down to Ponyville to address the situation head-on to make an assessment.

Please, do not be intimidated or uneasy when you are asked any questions, as they may prove useful in solving the case. Child abuse in Equestria is a cruel and unforgivable act, and it will not be tolerated. With your valuable assistance, it will be possible to put any and all child abuse cases to a permanent end.

I look forward to meeting you and young Scootaloo the following morning to begin your assessment. If you have any questions about social services or if you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Kind regards,

- Violet Snowdrop

Rainbow Dash finished reading the letter and she felt anxious to offer what help she can if it meant that she could help Scootaloo out faster. Violet Snowdrop sounded like a responsible and professional mare with an outstanding reputation at the trade, which was a great, big green flag in Dash’s book, so she was eagerly awaiting for her arrival for her verdict.

*** *** ***

There was a light knocking against the front door of Rainbow Dash’s house the following morning after she had received the letter from Miss Harshflow’s associate. Fluttershy was out with Scootaloo down at her cottage as per her request, so the filly had no idea what was going on, naive to any of this. She’d be let in on it later, but not until the time was right.

Heading towards her door and opening it, Rainbow Dash was met with the face of whom she assumed must be Violet Snowdrop. She was a pretty mare, a pegasus with a light coat, lighter than Dash’s own, almost to the point where it resembled a faint daphne blue, and her mane was a silky sheet of flowing silver, much like Fluttershy’s mane. She had kind and inviting cerulean eyes, glowing with a motherly radiance, the type that tells you ‘’it’s going to be okay’’, making any pony immediately feel at peace.

Rainbow Dash had taken notice of her cutie mark, too, seeing that it depicted of a violet-coloured halo above a snowdrop, true to her name. She had a sweet and innocent vibe about her being, but she also had one of professional essence and trusting. If anything, this cute, warming mare held the same vibe as Rainbow’s dear Fluttershy, so close to almost exactly resembling her that it was startling.

‘’Hello,’’ She greeted, her voice as soft and as delicate as a peck on the cheek. ‘’I’m Violet Snowdrop, a social worker from the Manehattan branch,’’ She introduced herself formally. ‘’And you must be Rainbow Dash, the mare that made contact with my business associate, Miss Harshflow.’’

Whoa, either I’m crazy or Fluttershy’s got a twin she knew nothing about! A cute twin, too, Rainbow Dash thought to herself, hiding her blush, quickly shooing it away.

‘’Y-Yeah, I’m Rainbow Dash,’’ She said, reaching out to shake Violet’s hoof. ‘’Come in,’’ She invited her inside, Violet giving her a few words of thanks before she closed the door after her. ‘’So, you’re a social worker that works with Miss Harshflow at the Cloudsdale Orphanage, huh?’’

‘’Mmm-hmm, I am,’’ Violet replied with a soft hum. ‘’I’ve read your letter, and I knew right away that I had to do something to get involved. I’m very passionate and committed to my role at my job, and I take everypony’s best interests to heart, as I’ve heard about you, too,’’ Violet said professionally, smiling at Rainbow Dash. ‘’And are both Fluttershy and Scootaloo home at the moment?’’

‘’No, they’re down at Fluttershy’s cottage in Ponyville,’’ Rainbow Dash said, and Violet gave her a confused look, tilting her head.

‘’Fluttershy’s cottage? Oh, so you don’t…’’

‘’No, no, we don’t live together,’’ Dash added quickly. ‘’We kinda take turns spending the night at each other’s house because I owe her a favour. It’s a…long story,’’ Rainbow Dash blushed sheepishly.

‘’Oh, it’s quite alright. I had to ask to be sure what the living arrangement is like between yourself and Fluttershy. If you don’t mind me asking, in the letter, it mentioned that Scootaloo’s parents abandoned her? I was wondering if you’d like to take a trip down to the surface with me to show me to their house, seeing as we might find something of interest inside that could point to her parents’ whereabouts,’’ Violet Snowdrop requested, and Rainbow Dash visibly tensed.

The idea of entering that abandoned, solitary home filled with broken down memories and dreams, void of happiness and the promise of a functioning family haunted Rainbow Dash to an immeasurable scale. But she found a comforting presence behind Violet’s eyes, mesmerising her and giving her a strong reassurance that it was going to be alright. If it’d help get to the bottom of the mystery, then how could Rainbow object?

‘’I suppose I don’t have a choice, do I?’’ Rainbow asked, half-jokingly. ‘’Follow me, then. I’ll show you to her house.’’

*** *** ***

‘’So, Violet Snowdrop, huh? That’s kind of an unusual name. No offense,’’ Rainbow Dash said as she was walking beside the social worker mare up the dirt path towards Scootaloo’s house.

Violet Snowdrop, apparently used to the question and the confusion that came with it, simply smiled and she chuckled a little at Dash. She turned to face her as they slowly made their way up the dirt path, and her eyes, now that Dash was seeing them in the light of the bright morning sun, were extremely charming and ecstatic with light and life.

‘’None taken. A lot of the colts and fillies I work with tend to ask me about my name, and they usually tell me that it doesn’t fit a Manehattenite, and they’re right. You see, Rainbow Dash, I’m not from Manehatten originally,’’ She said, and Dash raised her brow.

‘’Wait, you’re not? Then where were you raised? Fillydelphia? Manehoover?’’

‘’No, I’m from Cloudsdale, one-hundred percent born and raised,’’ She clarified, and Rainbow Dash was surprised by that. ‘’All of my family were originally from Cloudsdale, so I ended up spending the majority of my pre-teen life there.’’

‘’If you loved Cloudsdale so much, then why’d you leave?’’ Dash asked, almost shocked that a pony could ever leave the greatest and most grand city in the sky. The idea to her was ludicrous.

‘’Being a social worker in-training had its ups and downs,’’ Violet said with a sad, reminiscent sigh. ‘’My training was in Cloudsdale, where there used to be an office for social work, but then everypony got transferred over to Manehatten when the owners decided to switch locations. Apparently, there was more work to take up in the big city, so I unfortunately had no other alternative but to leave everything behind,’’ Violet explained.

Ah, she was transferred! Well, that explains quite a bit! Celestia knows I know how that feels, Rainbow Dash thought about her position in The Wonderbolts, thinking about being away from home again once the season starts up. She’d back back training in a matter of months, and then it’s back on the road for her, but she dreaded saying goodbye. Unfortunately, there’s a downside to everything, and being a Wonderbolt had its downfalls as well as its perks. I’m right there with ya, sister.

‘’And what about Miss Harshflow? She said that she knew you, but I have this feeling that it’s more than a simple business arrangement,’’ Dash mentioned, allowing her curiosity get the better of her. Nonetheless, Violet actually appeared to be pleased that she asked.

‘’Who, Flowie?’’ Violet asked. ‘’Oh, that’s a long story. We’re both like you and Fluttershy, in the sense that we’ve known each other for a very long time,’’ She explained, but Rainbow’s ears were having trouble deciphering the way that Violet had addressed Miss Harshflow.

‘’Whoa, whoa, hold up! Did I hear that right? ‘Flowie’?’’ Dash asked in a perplexed state, finding humour in the name.

‘’Flo Harshflow. She was always so embarrassed by her first name, so I began to call her Flowie. It’s a nickname that stuck, so that’s how we address each other from time to time,’’ Violet said with a playful snicker.

‘Flowie?’ Huh, that’s pretty adorable, actually! They do the same thing as me and Fluttershy, and they’ve known each other almost as long as we have, too! This is almost scary. Almost.

Before the pair was able to reach any further discussion into their childhood memories, they had both stepped directly in front of the battered and weathered pale blue-painted house they had been heading to. It was a ghastly sight, and Rainbow Dash suddenly had short nickelodeons playing in her head with scenarios placing this house as the main attraction in a horror film, with silhouettes dancing behind the dirty windows and ghostly apparitions playing outside.

Rainbow felt nothing shy of uncomfortable and creeped out while she was standing outside of it with Violet Snowdrop. Like when she arrived here with Twilight during the search party, she felt a coldness surround her, an air of sadness that lingered around the house on Creepy Creek. It was like the land around the area had been forever tainted by the neglect and abuse that had taken place beyond the door on the front porch.

Violet Snowdrop took in the scene before her, and it was clear by the uncomfortable face she was making, her nose scrunched up and her lips tugged into a frown, that she felt it, too. She gave a visible shiver that didn’t go unnoticed by Dash’s keen eyes, and she appeared to be sad. She hadn’t even scratched the surface yet, and there it was - the face of sadness.

‘’It’s been abandoned for over two years,’’ Dash told her. She didn’t feel the need to mention that she had been here with Twilight or that she had fallen out with Scootaloo over invading her private life.

‘’I can see that,’’ Violet said slowly. ‘’Is it unlocked?’’ She followed Rainbow Dash as she headed up the two steps leading to the porch, and Dash pushed a hoof against the body of it to open it with a creak, opening it for her.

They both stepped inside of the darkened home, only lit in small pockets by sunlight pouring in through the dirty windows. It was a dark, dank and musty-smelling home that had certainly seen better days. In the way it sat, it held a disconnected, humble and lonely vibe to the social worker, and she, after years of experience in her line of work, has learned to pick up on such scents. It moved her so deeply that it hurt her heart, and she suddenly felt tears sting her eyes.

Violet Snowdrop, as collected as she knew she must present herself as a strong and confident social worker, met her folly every now and again, as rare as it might be. In some of her cases involving the more serious aspects of neglect leading to child abuse and abandonment, most of which involved alcohol or stress related to work placements, she had even broken down and cried. Of course, she only did such a thing once she was behind closed doors and out of sight.

This one child she had met, a lovely little girl named Lucky Clover, such a sweet and innocent little thing, had gone through such a horrible ordeal involving things that Violet wouldn’t dare dream about. She was only eight -years-old at the time she was admitted to Manehatten A and E, but, ironically, despite her name, she never emerged again. She had her parents to thank for that, and they were thankfully sentenced to life in prison.

Not a day goes by where I don’t think about you, Lucky-Ducky, Violet said, thinking about her nickname that she’d given her. If only I hadn’t been too late. Sometimes, I see you in my dreams and you’re still laughing and playing, and you’re always so sweet and nice.

Violet quickly shooed away her thoughts, not wishing to have another breakdown here in front of her client, no matter how much the memory made her want to cry. She would do that later when she was alone.

Violet had brought along her small notepad, which she had reserved for her small trips to make a jotted list of her findings. It had saved her skin more times than she cares to recall, and it had always turned up a lead whenever she evaluates whatever she’s written down. Right away, Violet’s expression soured once she took in the main hallway and the state it was in.

Rotten, damp floorboards, layers upon layers of dust, the lingering, unavoidable stench of wood rot and decay, the smell of corroded copper and plumbing, the list goes on. She jotted down these details with a small but handy quill she liked to travel with. It wasn’t as big as other quills, and it made packing light a breeze, so it became her faithful friend.

Hmm, I wonder if the house was in this state even before the ponies living here left, Violet thought inwardly while Rainbow stood behind her, observing her curiously and waiting for her to speak.

Violet touched a hoof against a loose floorboard that was partially sticking up from where it was housed in the floor, the end splintered and rickety. It had rotted to the point where it was about ready to crumble to dust. Upon contact with the social worker’s hoof, it crumbled to pieces and gave an ear-piercing snap that made both ponies cringe.

Unstable flooring and foundations, Violet scribbled down onto her handy-dandy notepad. She inspected the walls closely, and, in the darkness, with only minimal light entering through the windows to give her vision, she noticed something. Black marks were trickling down from the very top of the wall, a deep, disgusting-smelling watermark that indicated her suspicions on there being water damage from destroyed, decayed plumbing systems.

Water damage and corroded pipework, She added to her list. Violet crinkled her nose as she glanced around for more issues to inspect and diagnose.

Rainbow Dash, from where she was standing by the open doorway, watched the mare intently. Rainbow didn’t want to be here, and she wanted to avoid it as much as Scootaloo did. She didn’t understand exactly what horror Scootaloo might have endured, and she didn’t possess the nerve to ask her face-to-face.

Wow, Violet’s really going to town on this place. She reminds me of Twilight when she’s conducting some kind of science experiment. And Violet’s got a pretty rockin’ body—-whoa! Simmer down, there! Dash blushed and coughed into her hoof, not going noticed by the mare she was thinking about. Where did that thought come from? You like Fluttershy, stupid! Flut. Ter. Shy. Keep your head in the game, will ya?

‘’Hmm, there doesn’t appear to be any furnishings…’’ Violet mused to herself, tapping her quill against her cheek a few times. ‘’It’s like whoever lived here left in a hurry,’’ She said to herself thoughtfully. ‘’Maybe there might be something upstairs?’’

Violet Snowdrop began to hover her way up the stairs, Dash following after her to supervise. The stairs weren’t as sturdy as they could have been, and the water damage that made a frequent appearance in the house didn’t place the odds in their favour of holding and supporting the weight of a fully-grown mare.

Upstairs, Violet Snowdrop was walking slowly through the corridor at the top of the landing, her head constantly glancing about both left and right. She had entered through the door to her right, the one belonging to Scootaloo’s parents, and Rainbow stopped behind her, standing outside.

‘’Oh, my…’’ Rainbow heard her mutter beneath her breath. ‘’What happened in here?’’ She asked herself, scribbling down on her notepad. She headed towards the broken mirror upon noticing the broken shards of sharp, jagged class spread across the floor.

Violet’s cerulean eyes were scanning over the remaining portion of the unbroken glass built into the frame, taking note that it was specked with black spots. As dreadful as it might be, Violet knew what they were, but she pursed her lips and kept silent, scribbling it down onto her notepad.

Old blood stains on mirror, possibly from child, She wrote, hiding it from Dash. There weren’t many splotches of it to indicate any serious harm might have been done, but it was still obvious that something did take place here. The possibility that it could belong to Scootaloo made her blood run cold.

Rainbow watched as she skimmed through the unmade bedsheets, upturned the mattress and looked beneath both of the indented, flattened pillows. Violet left no stone unturned as she began to rummage through the drawers in the dressers, finding them all to be empty, and she sniffed around like a bloodhound, searching for even a tiny spec of evidence.

Finding nothing, Violet came towards Rainbow Dash and she frowned, defeated. She placed her notepad beneath her wing, tucking it away until she needed it again.

‘’Nothing,’’ She said regretfully. ‘’There’s another room at the top of the corridor, so we should check that one next,’’ She said, pushing past the cyan mare and up to the room that, unbeknownst to her, belonged to Scootaloo, but Dash didn’t bother to tell her that she knew.

Like before, once Violet had entered through the door that was open slightly ajar since Rainbow’s and Twilight’s visit here, she had stopped a few paces in to take the room in fully. It wasn’t as dirty as the other rooms, nor was it as barren, but it was still on the unhygienic side, the aroma of mild decay enough to make one gag.

The one thing that seemed to peek an interest inside of Violet was the rickety, old wooden table at the far left corner of the room, the one decked out with a number of tools that Scootaloo used to maintain her scooter. There were a number of small, faded metal oil cans that were leaking the black, crude substance all over the table on the edge, one of them having fallen over and drooling down onto the carpet. It had caked itself permanently into the carpet and created a small slog, and it absolutely stank.

Violet took out her notepad from beneath her wing and she began to scribble on it again. She appeared to be concerned about the amount of loose screwdrivers, pliers, oil cans, screws and other sharp objects that were scattered around the room, the result of Scootaloo being a bit of a grease monkey when it came down to keeping her old scooter in top-notch shape. She often made a mess whenever she was tinkering with it, and Dash knew that for a fact.

Next, Violet checked out the bed and the small closet which was spewing with old scooter parts, which posed as a very easy health hazard, not suitable for little fillies. If one were to trip on any of those parts, they were liable to sustain injuries of a serious degree, anywhere from a broken bone or to a deep, potentially life threatening laceration. Violet surmised that everything that she’s seen so far pointed towards pure neglect and carelessness, and she found herself wanting to leave the house for a breath of clean, fresh, untainted air.

Some ponies shouldn’t have children, Violet thought to herself bitterly. From what I’ve witnessed here today, I wouldn’t count on Scootaloo’s parents having any chance of parole. These conditions are simply deplorable and mortifying!

‘’Rainbow Dash,’’ Violet Snowdrop asked as she slowly turned around, finishing up with jotting some notes down. ‘’If you’d please follow me back outside, there’s a small matter that I’d like to discuss with you,’’ Violet then proceeded to leave the house.

I don’t like this place.

Now that they were outside, the air was noticeably fresher and easier on both ponies’ lungs. The social worker had tucked the notepad beneath her wing again and she held a frown as she faced Rainbow, her features visibly distraught.

‘’Now, with what I’ve seen, it’s worse than I imagined from your letter,’’ Violet began, coughing into her hoof, still feeling the foulness of the air clogging up her lungs. ‘’I’m mortified, Rainbow Dash, absolutely mortified by what I’ve seen here today. I’m sure that you understand the seriousness of the situation, as do I, and I would like to make you a proposal.’’

‘’What kind of proposal?’’ Rainbow inquired, her interest sparked.

‘’You see, as well as being able to offer my social services to anypony in need, a part of my training involved counselling young children. With your consent, and going off of what I’ve seen, I was wondering if you’d be open to the idea of me counselling Scootaloo. The poor dear must have gained some pent-up emotions from the horrific conditions she’s been kept in,’’ She said sympathetically.

It struck Rainbow Dash as funny how both Miss Harshflow and Violet Snowdrop openly shared a passion for children and their well-being, so selfless when it came down to their mental and physical health. She was such a sweet mare to offer her assistance, and Rainbow Dash felt inclined to accept, but she was stopped by the idea, feeling somewhat nervous and unsure about the concept of counselling. Wasn’t counselling for whackos in nuthouses and whatnot? It sounded like the type of thing Twilight did when she hooked up Pinkie Pie to her fancy machine to try and pin-point the source of her Pinkie Sense in order to understand it.

‘’Counselling? Are you sure that that kind of thing is for a filly? How would it even help her, anyway? What good does talking about your problems do?’’ Rainbow Dash asked, feeling put off by the idea.

‘’Oh, it makes quite a difference, Rainbow Dash! Sometimes, you’ll find that speaking openly and unpressuringly about your problems can take a heavy weight off of your shoulders, and that goes especially when it comes to young children,’’ Violet spoke professionally and fluently. ‘’Children have such innocent and fragile minds, ones that are susceptible to the more uncouth side of thinking through the world we live in. I’ve offered my services to a number of my clients, and it has worked wonders for them in opening up and coming out of their shell. Tell me, has Scootaloo ever experienced night terrors or episodes of anxiety?’’

No, mummy, daddy! Don’t leave me! Rainbow Dash remembered the filly’s voice as she cried and trembled beneath her bedsheets, pawing at the air and mumbling beneath her breath. It had left an unremovable mark on the daredevil’s heart. Her little sister’s screams were still resounding within her eardrums, and it made her heart twinge painfully.

‘’Um, a few times. Usually about her parents,’’ Rainbow admitted with a sad sigh. ‘’She doesn’t speak about her home life, and she never mentions her parents.’’

‘’I see,’’ Violet became sympathetic at hearing this, offering her hoof to Dash’s shoulder to show her that she cares. ‘’And have you ever thought about asking her to talk about her feelings, or if she had anything she wanted to get off her chest?’’

‘’N-No,’’ Dash said. ‘’I’ve thought about it, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. I didn’t want to pressure her or make her tell me anything she’s uncomfortable with sharing. I couldn’t do that to her.’’

‘’And that’s completely natural,’’ Violet assured her. ‘’Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell somepony how you’re feeling, and it’s only natural to have feelings of anxiety or fear about coming clean and opening yourself up.’’

Jeez, tell me about it, Rainbow thought sarcastically, thinking about her and Fluttershy.

‘’A friendly, one-on-one talk can do wonders, Rainbow Dash, and it can make you feel lighter and more relaxed, reduce your stress and keep your mind at ease. If you’re willing to entrust Scootaloo’s mental well-being into my counselling, I can guarantee you that I’ll do my best to see if there’s anything Scootaloo would like to get out in the open,’’ Violet offered, her kind and charismatic eyes joined by her warm, friendly smile soothing Dash’s nerves.

‘’You won’t force her to admit anything, will you?’’ Dash asked sharply, but it didn’t faze the mare.

‘’Not at all. Allowing somepony the time to open up of their own accord is a number-one priority in making them feel comfortable with sharing inside information,’’ Violet explained. ‘’I can assure you, Rainbow Dash, that you have nothing to fear.’’

Man, she sure knows how to melt somepony’s heart, I’ll give her that. Those eyes of hers, they remind me so much of Fluttershy’s and her hospitality. I wonder if she’s thinking about me now…

Rainbow Dash gave the mare in front of her a skeptical look, biting her lip while she momentarily glanced away in thought, not certain that she wanted to subject Scootaloo into the care of somepony she’s just now met. As assuring and as professional as she was, not to mention cute, she still wasn’t sure that Scootaloo was ready for this.

‘’Does Scootaloo have a say in this, at least?’’

‘’Of course! If Scootaloo agrees and considering that you’re still willing, I’ll be prepared to offer my services to her free of charge,’’ Violet said friendlily, her award-winning smile winning over Rainbow’s heart.

‘’I’ll ask her, then,’’ Rainbow said. Violet’s eyes brightened.

‘’Wonderful! I’ll be in staying in town for a while, so I’m always free to offer my services at any time of the day. Once you’ve had a chat with Scootaloo, you can find me at The Ponyville Inn.’’ Violet said.