Rapidash, the Fire Horse Pokémon. The evolved form of Ponyta. Rapidash usually can be seen casually cantering in the fields and plains. However, when this Pokémon turns serious, its fiery manes flare and blaze as it gallops its way up to 150 mph.
Ever since leaving the mountains surrounding Pewter City, Ponyta's timidness worsened. Nurse Isabelle seemed to have either underestimated her age, or had a really insecure Fire-type on her hands. Regardless of the reason, the two had a long road ahead before they could be anywhere near the bond Izzy shared with Ivysaur.
Once a week or so, Isabelle called her mother, Elenor Evergreen. The ex-nurse knew a lot about Pokémon psychology and even more about the bond between parent and child. She was the one who suggested that Izzy should go to Cinnabar Island, to take Ponyta to Blaine's herd. All of those Pokémon were captured and could help Ponyta settle, as long as she wasn't rejected for the colour of her fire.
Sitting on the deck of the ferry that went between Vermillion and Cinnabar, Isabelle remembered the way she ran away from Blaine the previous time she had been there. Blaine needed someone, but Isabelle could not be that person. Besides, she was too young for the grey-haired man. Now that Pidgeotto had evolved into a Pidgeot, he had no trouble keeping up with the ferry, despite the sea wind. He seemed to relish it. Battling the strongest winds was one of the things that appeared to bring him joy.
As Isabelle disembarked from the boat, Blaine stood there with crossed arms, waiting for her. She had called him yesterday to let him know what she came to do, and here he was. When she approached him, he stiffly nodded his head.
"Miss Evergreen."
"Thank you for receiving me, sir," Isabelle replied with a slight bow of her head.
Then they headed up the mountain. They had agreed not to show Ponyta off in public, since she would attract a lot of attention. While attention wasn't bad necessarily for Isabelle, Ponyta probably would be unable to handle it yet.
When they were a suitable distance away from the town, Blaine handed Isabelle a fireproof bridle and went to stand a little distance away. Temporarily swinging the bridle over her shoulder, Isabelle summoned Ponyta. Upon appearing on the mountain in a vastly different place from where she grew up, the fiery horse reared in panic.
"Shh, Ponyta. Calm down. I'm here," Isabelle soothed her, being careful not to get too close to those hooves. A familiar voice seemed to help a little, causing Ponyta to stop rearing. She showed the horse the bridle she held. "I have this for you. It'll guide you up this foreign mountain. You're perfectly safe while you're with me, okay?" As she spoke, she carefully put the bridle over her frightened horse's head and fastened it gently. "See, not so bad, right? You can look all you like while we walk. We're on an island. Land surrounded by sea. Isn't that cool, Ponyta?"
Blaine watched her carefully as she interacted with the newest and youngest member of her team. She didn't seem to be doing much wrong or else he would have said it.
Somewhere near the Cinnabar Island Gym, there was an area fenced off. That's where he kept his Ponyta and Rapidash herd. The area was rather huge on such a small island, but as the Gym Leader, one could get away with a lot. Isabelle led her own Ponyta through the gate and took the rope off, leaving her free to explore. Moving back to sit on the fence, Isabelle watched anxiously to see whether her fire horse was accepted.
One of the Rapidash, looking truly magnificent with its fiery mane, approached the young, shaking horse. Despite her odd looks, Ponyta was greeted with a nuzzle of the head before she was guided to the rest of the herd to run with them.
"That's my lady," Blaine said, leaning on the fence next to her. "The very first Ponyta I ever caught. She's the leader of the herd and has been looking out for every addition. If anyone will make your Ponyta at ease, it'll be her."
Isabelle smiled, watching her Ponyta run with the others of her kin. She looked so much happier. There were times she fell behind a bit, but unlike her own herd, this one slowed down to prevent her from trailing too much.
"Captured Pokémon are much closer than wild ones, aren't they?" Isabelle asked, causing Blaine to hum affirmatively.
As her blue-fired Ponyta grew stronger and more confident in the herd, Blaine taught Isabelle how to ride a horse on his lady Rapidash. Izzy couldn't have asked for a gentler horse. Whenever she made a mistake, Rapidash corrected it for her. This way, she was able to feel how Rapidash moved as she was taught the correct way to guide a horse.
On her final day on Cinnabar Island, Isabelle rode her Ponyta for the first time. While her own horse was much less self-confident, they managed to ride decently, using the instructions Blaine gave. Still, they made mistakes in moments of miscommunication. After the second time Isabelle fell off, Blaine called it a day. Feeling rather sore all over, Isabelle was inclined to agree.
With Ponyta in her ball for the first time in days, Isabelle shook Blaine's hand.
"I apologise for my behaviour the previous times you were here. I acted out of place. It's just... you look so much like my late wife. Anyway, I want you to have this. It's the bridle I loaned you. It's nothing fancy, but you can use it until you can afford a better one. Keep your Ponyta close. She's one of a kind and can be a very loyal friend to you once you two feel confident around each other." Blaine told her.