“Uhh, hey Rumble… It’s Friday,” Pip lunged forward to keep up with the quick pace of his friend’s hoof steps, trudging along the dirt road away from the school house and back towards Ponyville.
“That it is Pip, that it is.” Rumble dismissed, continuing to look ahead.
“Well, you haven’t been at school all week. Me and the others were wondering where you were.” Pip said, having to jog again when Rumble shot ahead.
“Been busy, I guess,” Rumble shrugged, not breaking his stride.
“Well I’ve been meaning to tell you something all week, and then today you kinda sat away from everypony.”
“Yeah well, alright, what do you wanna say? I’m here now,” Rumble slowed down, letting Pip catch up with him. He turned, looking at Pip with a curious glance.
Pip couldn’t help but feel the edge in Rumble’s voice. When he opened his mouth to speak, he found the words he wanted to say wouldn’t come out.
“Yeah… uh…”
Rumble looked at his friend for a few more moments, and with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head, Rumble swung back around and started walking like nothing happened.
“You didn’t need to be so rude about it…” Pip mumbled under his breath.
Rumble and Pip continued their brief journey to Rumble’s place like every other Friday. They trotted past the hustling and bustling town as Pip followed his friend close behind, right up to the fork in the road dividing two streets. It was automatic at this point to walk down the right-hoof street to get to Rumble’s place. It served as quite a shock to Pip when Rumble didn’t follow him.
“Wrong way Pip.” Rumble looked down and pointed with his head at the other street. Pip cocked his head.
“What are you talking about? You… live down here, don’t you?” Pip said, coming back to Rumble’s side.
“Not right now I don’t,” Rumble sighed and started walking down the other street.
“Rumble? What the hay?” Pip once again galloped after his long statured friend. Huffing and panting, once again managing to barely just catch up. He glared back, Rumble either not noticing or caring but he kept walking on. Something was wrong with him, the sad pensive tone, the different attitude, and now he wasn’t even going the right way back to his own home. Something had happened to Rumble, and Pip wanted to know what.
“Where are we going?” Pip asked, resigning to Rumble’s new route.
Rumble kept trotting along, ignoring Pip in every way except for words, a bored, annoyed expression filling his face like he didn’t care anymore. “Thunderlane’s place, I’m staying there for a while.” He said.
Pip looked over at his friend, “Why?” Pip asked. After not receiving an answer he looked around, Rumble was gone. Pip finally managed to spot the colt behind him, having stopped in the middle of the road.
Rumble had stopped on the road, looking out past the river that ran adjacent to it and out at the grassy meadows beyond Ponyville. He slumped his shoulders, then began walking again.
“Rumble! Why won’t you talk to me?” He huffed as he waited for Rumble to catch up.
Once he reached Pip, he grumbled, then spoke. “Pip, for Celestia’s sake my parents are busy, so Thunder is looking after me,” Rumble never talked to him like that. Coupled with the fact that he was vague and dismissive, Pip could sense that there was a lot that Rumble wasn’t telling him. Pip felt confused and frustrated with his friend’s attitude and stubbornness. He decided to let it go for now but certainly not forever.
“Oh.” Pip replied in a short tone, clicking his tongue once.. The two walked in silence, with only the sound of hooves on dirt to break the monotony. Whatever was bothering Rumble, he wasn’t going to hear it without actually torturing him for it.
But something bigger was bothering Rumble, Pip could see it the moment they saw each other. He was determined to find out what that is at any cost. He hated seeing Rumble so different and it was about time Rumble started acting like a friend again.
Reaching Thunderlane’s house Rumble opened the door and gestured for Pip to follow. He slowly entered the house to see a neat, comfortable hallway, similar to most houses within Ponyville. However as soon as they turned the corner into the living room, it was clear the the ‘neat’ adjective only went as far as the hallway.
Cardboard pizza boxes and bottles of alcohol long since forgotten littered the floor, dirt and dust coating the floor was the only thing between a multitude of rubbish lying along the floor. The couch, the coffee table, the television and cupboards along the walls were in perfect condition, save for the litter, stains and rubbish littering them, making it look quite out of place for such a disheveled room. Rumble quickly moved on to the kitchen after looking for Thunderlane. Pip quickly followed, wanting to erase that room from his memory as soon as possible.
Rumble found Thunderlane sitting in the kitchen, a cup of cold coffee long since forgotten sitting on the table. The older brother himself was sitting at the table, going through a mass of photos of different shapes and sizes. A look of pensive sadness was on his face as he shifted through the stack of photos in his hoof. A large box sitting on the chair next to him filled with photos.
Noticing the colts entering the room, Thunderlane quickly sniffled and dumped the photos back into the box, putting the lid on the top. “Rumble, hey kid, who’s your friend?” He asked.
“Pip, mind if he stays over for a bit?” Rumble asked, making no attempt at a warm greeting.
“Uhh, yeah sure. I’m just going to be down here sorting through… these things. Just, don’t go through them okay? You probably don’t want to be…” He stopped as he looked across at Pip remembering the colt’s presence. “Probably not appropriate… I… guess. Have fun you two,” Thunderlane went back to the photos as Rumble nodded and started heading upstairs, Pip not far behind.
“Is everything alright with your brother? He seems, vague…”
“He is fine okay!” Rumble burst out on the staircase, turning around, a glare on his face pointed directly at Pip. “Look, we’re just changing some stuff around, stop pestering me dude!” He continued angrily, taking a step forward, sending Pip a step backwards down the staircase. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on, stop shoving your snout in my business,” Rumble finished, turning around and finishing his ascent up the stairs, leaving a confused and hurt Pip standing on the staircase.
Pip looked up, waiting for Rumble to make his way up the staircase, looking back the other way he looked at the door. Shaking his head he started heading up those stairs to Rumble’s room. “I have no idea what is going on, but he is going to tell his best friend if he kills him.” Pip muttered under his breath as he made his way up the hallway.
~~~~
It didn’t take long for the two colts to get their homework out. They both sat on Rumble’s bed and began their homework. Pip worked from the bottom up and Rumble worked from the top down. At the end, they would give each other the answers for their half. The room was filled with an awkward silence, the tension eventually got too much for Pip.
“Well, uhh, do you wanna talk?” Pip asked. An angry glare came over Pip, making the little colt throw up his hooves in defense, “no no! Not like that, unno like what we always used to do.”
Rumble sighed and relaxed, “Yeah okay, what is it you want to talk about, huh?” He asked, looking across at the wall as if the paint was just drying.
“Well," A snide smile spread across Pip's face. "Your attitude might change when I tell you that I overheard Sweetie Belle talking to her Cutie Mark Crusaders. She was talking about you, she was worried about you.”
Rumble didn’t move a mussel, “Cool.” He replied flatter than a trampled pancake.
“Seriously, mate? You were crushing on her literally last week!” Pip exclaimed, rising up from his spot on the bed.
“Well I’m not anymore... “ Rumble replied, just as flat.
“But! But! You were head over hooves-”
“I don’t like Sweetie Belle Pip, I promise you that.” Rumble quickly interjected.
“Well then who do you like?”
…
“Rumble?”
…
“Who do you like?”
…
“Rumble?” He softly called out in concern.
…
Rumble rolled over, away from Pip looking out at his bed head. Pip could have sworn he heard a faint muffled sniffle coming from his friend.
“Rumble?” Pip softly continued, coming over to Rumble and putting a hoof on his back.
“Crushes are stupid… let’s... let’s do something else.” Rumble replied, his soft melancholy tone filling the stale air between them.
Pip looked at his friend and furrowed his brow, this was not like Rumble in any way. It was just last week he was gushing over Sweetie Belle, his first ever crush. Not wanting a repeat of the staircase Pip left it and moved on.
“Well then, what should we do?” He asked.
Rumble didn’t budge. ”I don’t know, you can decide today.”
“Hey, why don’t we go to Sugarcube Corner?” Pip suggested.
Rumble shrugged.
“What about the park? We can…” Rumble didn’t budge, doing little but shrugging again, making Pip hesitate with discomfort. “We could play around the bridge and play ball or something. I don’t know, what do you think?” Pip replied.
“It’s up to you Pip, I don’t care.”
“Alright, well the park it is. We would always choose what we did together though, let’s go I guess...” Pip sighed.
~~~~
“Catch Rumble!” Pip called out as he threw the ball with gusto.
Rumble waited for the ball to come to a stop nearby and trudged over to collect the ball.
“You do have wings you know…” Pip called again, beginning to give up hope on a very lackluster game of catch.
“They don’t feel too good,” Rumble called back, tossing the ball.
“What happened to them?” Pip asked as he caught the ball and threw it back.
Rumble let out a frustrated huff as the ball once again fell short. “I don’t know Pip” He sighed, retrieving the ball but not without reluctance, “Wingengtitis, cramps, a sprain, I'll work it out,” He finished, throwing the ball over Pip’s head.
Pip ran to retrieve the ball, yet when he went to pick it up he caught a brief reflection of himself in the damp sheen of the ball. Looking into it he picked up the ball, sagging his head and turning around. “Let’s do something else Rumble, this game is stupid,” Pip sighed.
“What do you want to do then? Pip?”
“I don’t know, this is all stupid,” Pip sighed, looking away from Rumble.
“Yeah well, you wanted to be here,” Rumble came up to him.
Pip sat on the grass, angrily turning away from his friend. “You don’t need to be such a piece of turd about all this you know,” He mumbled.
Rumble stopped dead in his tracks, eyes narrowing as he got closer to Pip. “What did you just call me?”
Pip marched forward, flames in his eyes, “You heard it. A big. Fat. Shit! The biggest turd there is! I just wanted to tell you something earlier and you just shrugged it off!” He shouted.
Rumble rushed around and looked into Pip’s angry eyes, “Don’t call me that, Pip.” He retorted.
“Well don’t act like it, I tried being nice, I tried asking what was wrong, ‘unno.” Pip got louder, getting off the grass and standing square with Rumble.
“Well what it is it then! What did you want to tell me! I’m listening if it matters that much to you!” Rumble shouted back.
“Pfft, like you have earned the right to know! What’s your big thing anyway? Moping and moaning about the place and not telling me what is going on, I tried to help you! You wouldn’t even tell me why you were staying at Thunder’s place!” Pip shouted.
“You wouldn’t understand! You don’t get me Pip! And whatever stupid little problem you were going to unleash on me with this, big secret of yours, I can guarantee that it won’t have one little bit on me right now!”
“Well why don’t you tell me! If it is so big and important, why are you keeping it from your best friend, huh? What the hay did I ever do to you to not earn that.”
“Like you could help me Pip. Forget it, forget this, what are we even doing here. I’m gonna go home to do some studying.” Rumble started walking towards the bridge back to Ponyville, turning his back on Pip.
“Fine then! Ditch me! Keep all your precious secrets to yourself then! Friendship over, you bucking coward!” Pip shouted at Rumble.
“This was gay anyway.” Rumble called back as he began to walk across the bridge.
Something clicked in Pip, his eyes filled with red hatred. His hooves carried themselves over the bridge, galloping forward and tackled Rumble to the ground and hit him over the head. Rumble reacted quickly, throwing his weight into the side of the bridge in an attempt at getting Pip off of him. Rumble swung wildly at the colt on his back, trying to throw him off while Pip continued to beat down on his back and shoulders.
“GET OFF ME YOU BUCKING MANIAC!” Rumble screamed. Using his wings he finally manage to dislodge Pip and throw him to the ground. Rumble dived on top of Pip, managing to pin him underneath his weight. Rumble hit him in the gut, now blinded with rage himself he began attacking Pip, who tried desperately to squirm and wriggle from the larger colt’s grasp. Finally, Pip managed to break away from Rumble.
Backing away slightly Pip had murder in his eyes as he got ready to charge from the other side of the bridge. “I’m going to kill you!” Pip shouted, racing forward to impact with Rumble.
Pip contacted hard, sending Rumble sprawling over the edge of the bridge. Rumble desperately grabbed onto the first thing he could get his hoof on, Pip’s leg. Rumble tumbled off the bridge, pulling Pip down with him.
SPLASH!
They both hit the water with force, the river was deep, sparing them from the harsh bottom. Seconds ticked by before two gasping, sputtering colts exploded through the water’s disturbed surface. Both paddled to one side of the river bank, clambering up out of the water and underneath the bridge arch.
Pip took to one side of the bridge arch, Rumble took the other side. Neither knew what to say, how to react to what had just happened. It was unfathomable to them, such a long and tight friendship could be torn apart in a matter of hours. Seconds turned to minutes of a silence filled with anything but. The tension finally snapped as a cold, dripping Pip shivered due to the breeze.
“We should, get… get into the middle. Unno, it’s cold and stuff,” Rumble mumbled quietly.
Both colts shuffled into the middle of the bridge, instantly feeling the relief from the wind.
“Heh, it’s cold isn’t it?” Rumble continued.
…
“Rumble… what happened to us?” Pip asked, lying down on the cool grass and slumping his head in sadness as warmth returned to his body.
“I… I don’t know… Growing up?” Rumble replied.
“Well if this is growing up… it sucks…”
…
A long silence yet again, only the soft breeze being heard from outside the tunnel.
“It’s not growing up… I mean, maybe. But, I guess I haven’t been honest with you, you’re my best friend in the whole world. And… I-I guess you should know.” Rumble choked on the last words, Pip instantly raised his head at this.
“You can tell me anything in the whole world Rumble.”
“Th-thanks Pip.”
…
“Give me a minute okay?” Rumble sighed, working up to his reply.
“Okay.”
Silence.
“Pip?”
“Yeah Rumble?”
“I-I… I’m scared.”
Pip looked over at his friend, getting closer. “Of what?”
“I don’t know, I mean, I do know, but… I don’t. Mum, she was real mad one night, I thought somepony had just done something wrong, but it was different. She was crying. I-I never had never heard my mum cry before Pip. But, I heard arguing. Between Dad and Mum. It was horrible and I tried to block it out, but it got louder and angrier and I was crying in my room until… Well… M-mum, sh-she was crying and she stomped past my room, she was shouting about leaving. A-about… about not handling this…” Tears streamed down Rumble’s face, sniffles and sobs forcing themselves out of his mouth as he tried to keep going.
“I didn’t know what to do, I galloped out my room to talk to her, to ask her what was wrong. She saw me and stopped. She had a suitcase, Dad was on the couch crying… I didn’t know what to do… I was scared, I ran to Dad, I needed somepony to help me. As soon as I got to Dad I heard the front door slam. She was g-gone. We.. we, dad and I haven’t seen her since. Dad keeps telling me we have to keep our chin up and… move forward, but.. B-but I want to see Mum. I want Mum back…” Rumble was sobbing, desperately trying to get a hold of himself to no avail.
“Rumble?” It almost scared Pip to see his friend in such a state. “Rumble, it’s okay. Hey, come here.” Pip came over and threw his friend into a hug, their damp coats not making it a comfortable hug, but a warm, loving and needed nonetheless.
“I just… I don’t know what t-to do Pip, I am so scared. Mum might not come back. What will I do? What will Dad do?” Rumble cried, tightening his hug around Pip.
“I don’t know Rumble.. I wish I did. But just know that I am here for you, forever. You can always come to me about this stuff. ‘Cause… well… we are friends aren’t we? Things will be alright, you just wait Rumble.”
“I hope so…”
Another long silence filled the underneath of the bridge.
“I’m sorry Pip, it shouldn’t have got to that.” Rumble sighed, breaking the hug and wiping his eyes.
“It’s okay, I’m sorry for pushing you and pestering you.”
“It’s okay”
“Friends?”
“Forever.” Rumble smiled.
“Alright, let’s get out of here.” Pip finished.
Pip stood up, Rumble following his lead the two made their way outside to get home. They barely got to the bridge before Rumble suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Pip stopped to and looked at his friend, “Rumble?”
“Didn’t you have something to tell me Pip?” Rumble asked, looking at his friend.
“Oh,” Pip’s cheeks reddened, barely visible in the low evening light. “Don’t worry about it, maybe another time.”
“No no no no. We talked about what was bothering me. It’s your turn. I’m not budging until you tell me, as your friend, I want to know.” Rumble wouldn’t move, regardless of Pip’s look.
“Rumble please… I don’t… I don’t know if I can say, it’s hard.” PIp pleaded.
“Pip, if I can talk about my problems, you can talk about yours.”
“It’s fine, honestly, maybe another time.” Pip began walking off.
“Pip, we are not doing this again.”
“Come on Rumble, please?”
“Tell me Pip, you can tell me anything.”
Pip looked scared, concerned. “Promise you won’t freak out? Please Rumble I need you to swear.”
“I swear I won’t freak out Pip, now what is this all about?” Rumble got closer to Pip on the bridge.
“Rumble… I- I.. Think… I’m..” Pip took a breath, calming himself.
”I think I’m gay.”
He whispered, barely catching the wind, regardless of this Rumble heard it like a concert. Rumble’s eyes grew to the size of tennis balls as he looked into his friend’s eyes. Instantly he threw his hooves around Pip, hugging him tightly. Pip was firstly confused, then happy of his friend’s reaction but once again confused all over again.
“Thank you Pip.” Rumble smiled, laughing even.
“You’re… welcome?” Pip replied, just as quickly as it had begun, Rumble broke the hug and looked over at his friend.
“I… Well, I kinda thought I was the only one. I am scared, but, I think.. Me too.”
“Wait… Really?” Pip replied.
“I think so, it’s confusing but, I just, I think so yeah. I didn’t think anyone else at the school would be the same, especially not my best friend.”
Smiling Pip threw his friend into another quick hug before beginning to trot off in the direction of Thunderlane’s house. “Me too, that is for sure. Let’s get back to your brother’s place. We can talk about all this stuff, and we can, well, play games, and we can eat some junk food, and do what we used to, we are gonna have so much fun!”
“Sounds like a plan.” Rumble smiled, walking alongside his friend.
A happy, warm silence filled the road, both colts smiling as they walked closer than ever before. “Hey Pip?”
“Yeah Rumble?”
“Things are never gonna be the same again, but… I think I can handle that.”
“Me too, no matter what happens with my… my mum… and stuff. We will be friends forever.”
“Friends forever,” Pip smiled.
Rumble bumped his cutie mark into Pip’s side and gave a weak but happy smile as they walked along. A mischievous smirk grew over Pip. The small colt put a little distance between the two, then galloping forward to throw his weight into pushing Rumble away from him and dashed off. Rumble raced after him, smiling much harder as they laughed and galloped through the thinning, twilight streets of Ponyville.
