New Revelations

Chapters

Chapter 1: Three Months Later
Chapter 3: Arduous Decisions
Chapter 4: The New Arrival
Chapter 5: Surprises
Chapter 6: Unexpected
Chapter 7: Reassuring Signs
Chapter 8: Can It Be?
Chapter 9: Love is in Bloom
Chapter 10: The Mistake
Chapter 11: Starting the Fire
Chapter 12: The Promise
Chapter 13: It Can't Be!
Chapter 14: Song and Dance 2 - Dance Harder
Chapter 15: Realizations
Chapter 16: 'Out of the Frying Pan...'
Chapter 17: Euphoria
Chapter 18: Crossroad
Chapter 19: Fueling the Flames
Chapter 20: The Moment of Truth
Chapter 22: Choices
Chapter 23: The Festival of the Night
Chapter 24 - '...Into the Fire'
Chapter 25: Doing What's Right
Chapter 26: New Revelations
Chapter 27: Seeking Forgiveness
Chapter 28: Stronger
Epilogue: What Happens Next?
Outro (Author's Notes)
Prologue: What Happens Now?
Chapter 2: Conflicts and Resolutions
Chapter 21: The Hard Goodbye
Chapter 29: Bridges

Chapter 1: Three Months Later

Scootaloo found herself making her way through the streets of Ponyville on her scooter, heading towards the schoolhouse one beautiful morning. As her tiny wings fluttered furiously, an empty red wagon with two helmets resting inside trailing behind her, she couldn’t help but smile to herself. Today was a very special day, to her at least, and she couldn’t wait until after school so that she and her friends could spend it together.

It’s hard to believe sometimes that time flies when you’re having fun. For Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, three months went by faster than Rainbow Dash on her best day. It felt like it was just yesterday that the two of them had first confessed their true feelings for one another, standing in front of the Everfree Forest, both wet from the drizzle that was lightly coming down that day. Now, the two of them were together and their lives had gone back to normal.

Granted, they feared that they would be ridiculed for their relationship, but once they saw that most of pony society didn’t mind, or didn’t care, they realized they had nothing to fear. What made today so special was that the two of them, along with Apple Bloom of course, were going to celebrate their three month anniversary together after school.

It wasn’t long before Scootaloo was nearing the school that they all attended. When she saw it in view, she used her wings to slow down, skidding to a halt in front of the steps that lead into the establishment. When she got off of her scooter, putting the helmet on one of the handle bars, she saw that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were just arriving.

“Hey, Scootaloo,” they said in unison as they approached the orange Pegasus.

“Hey, Apple Bloom! Hey, Sweetie Belle,” she said, trotting up to the two of them, “Are you guys ready for after school?”

“Eeyup!” said Apple Bloom, trying to mimic her older brother’s way of speaking, “Everything’s all set!”

“Great,” said Scootaloo, trotting over to the white unicorn filly, “Are you ready for after school?”

Giggling, Sweetie Belle nudged Scootaloo’s neck and said, “You bet I am.”

Scootaloo returned the gesture and nudged her back. The sight of the two of them in their tender moment caused Apple Bloom to let out a muffled giggle.

“Alright, c’mon you two,” the red-mane filly said, “Let’s get goin’ before we’re late.”

When the two of them stopped, they looked at Apple Bloom, both of their cheeks a small shade red.

“Oops, sorry about that,” said Sweetie Belle to Apple Bloom, “I guess we got carried away.”

“Yeah, sorry,” said Scootaloo, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

“It’s alright, ah really don’t mind,” she said reassuringly, “Ah just don’t want us to be late, that’s all.”

The three of them let out a small laugh as they made their way up the stairs and into the schoolhouse, anxiously waiting for school to end so they could celebrate together.

Several hours later, when the school bell had rung and the fillies and colts began leaving the school, the Cutie Mark Crusaders met in front of the building. The three of them were strapping on the helmets that Scootaloo had brought, getting ready to make it to their destination.

“Okay, you guys ready?” asked Scootaloo as she got onto her scooter.

“Ready when you are,” said Apple Bloom, getting into the wagon.

“You got the bits?”

Apple Bloom nodded as she pulled out a small bag of bits from her saddlebag to show Scootaloo. Then, she put it away, smiling as she did so.

Sweetie Belle finished strapping on her helmet and was getting ready to get in the wagon with her friends when a voice from behind her stopped her, a voice the three of them knew all too well.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the happy couple,” said the snooty voice of the school bully, Diamond Tiara. It was pretty clear in the tone of her voice that she was mocking them, calling them a “happy couple”.

“Not this again,” muttered Scootaloo, lowering her head and furrowing her eyebrows.

“Where are you two off to?” asked Diamond’s partner in crime, Silver Spoon, who also had a sarcastic and snooty tone in her voice, “Off on another one of your pointless ‘crusades’?”

“Oh, please,” chimed in Diamond Tiara, “They’re probably off to a private place so they can make out or something.”

The two of them shared a laugh, causing Sweetie Belle to lower her head in shame. Slowly and quietly, she entered the red wagon, hanging her head and looking down at the ground. Apple Bloom shot the two of them a dirty look as Scootaloo tried her best not to get involved and do something she knew she’d regret.

“Honestly, the very thought of two fillies being together is, like, so disgusting,” said Diamond Tiara as she began circling the three of them, Silver Spoon following suit, “I can’t believe your families actually allowed the two of you to be together.”

“It’s none of your business,” said Scootaloo, her voice firm, “Just leave us alone, alright!”

“Trust me, you make it my business when I have to see the two of you together like this every single day,” the stuck-up filly shot back, “Isn’t that right, Silver Spoon?”

The grey filly simply nodded in response, her eyes closed and a smirk on her face.

“What do you care if we’re together?” Scootaloo shot back, a smile on her face, “What are you, jealous or something?”

The pale-pink pony was taken aback by the statement, letting out an audible gasp. She even went so far as to shoot Silver Spoon a look, who shared the sentiment with her fellow tormentor.

“Me...Jealous...of YOU!?” she said in shock, “You’ve got some nerve to think that I’d be jealous of the two of you.”

“Coulda fooled me,” chimed in Apple Bloom, trying to hide a smile from forming on her lips. Scootaloo couldn’t help but release her laughter out loud. Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, remained quiet the entire time.

“Hmph,” Diamond said, sticking her nose in the air, “Me being jealous of you. Ha! That’ll be the day, right Silver Spoon?”

Again, the grey filly simply nodded, adjusting the white-framed glasses on her face. However, unlike before, she had a look on her face that was both embarrassed and uneasy, as if she was trying to hide something. Luckily, she was able to change her composure to match that of Diamond Tiara’s, who approached her with her nose in the air and her eyes closed.

“Whatever,” said Diamond Tiara, “You two can go to your make-out point now; it really doesn’t matter to me, anyway.”

Scootaloo rolled he eyes as she got ready to leave, starting to flap her wings as fast as she could so she could get away from the two of them. However, she heard the two of them say one last retort, one that grinded her very last nerve every time she heard them say it.

“See you tomorrow...” the two of them said in unison, both of which in a mocking tone, “...SCOOTABELLE!”

As the three of them left the school, Scootaloo could hear the two of them sharing a laugh with one another. When she was certain they were out of earshot, she couldn’t help but let out an audible groan of annoyance; the fact that the others could hear it while they were in motion made it pretty clear that she had groaned pretty loudly.

“You have no idea how much I HATE that name,” she said as the two of them made their way towards Ponyville.

“Just forget them,” said Apple Bloom, “They’re just tryin’ to get yer goat. You getting’ frustrated at ‘em is just what they want, so it’s best that ya just ignore ‘em.”

“I know,” said the orange filly, “I’d never let them know how much I despise that name.”

A moment of silence had passed as the three of them made their way through the busy streets. Ponies of all different sizes and color were happily going about their business as the three of them whizzed by them all.

It wasn’t long before the three of them reached their destination, Sugar Cube Corner. When they got there, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom removed their helmets and got ready to enter the local bakery, the small bag of bits in the earth pony’s mouth.

“Okay, let’s go,” said Scootaloo, a smile on her face. Apple Bloom simply nodded in response, since she couldn’t say anything with the bag in her mouth. However, the two of them noticed that Sweetie Belle hadn’t left the wagon; she hadn’t even removed her helmet. She just sat there, her head hung low and a saddened expression on her face.

Both Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at the white unicorn, then at each other. Knowing why she was upset and what had to be done, Apple Bloom nodded and made her way into the sweets shop, allowing Scootaloo to talk to her in private. The orange filly trotted over to her, making her way to where she was facing.

“Hey, Sweetie,” she said, her voice low and soft, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she said, not raising her head to look at her.

“Doesn’t look that way to me,” she said as she got into the wagon. Admittedly, it wasn’t too much of a comfort for her (she was always the one pulling the wagon, not riding in it), but she knew it was worth the discomfort if it meant helping her friend.

“It’s nothing, honest,” Sweetie Belle said, the tone in her voice clearly saying otherwise.

“Come on, Sweetie Belle, you can tell me what’s wrong,” Scootaloo said, rubbing her back with a hoof, hoping it would help, “Was it Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?”

A tear slowly streamed down her cheek as she nodded in response. When she saw the stream come from her eyes, Scootaloo couldn’t help but bring her into an embrace, wrapping her hooves around her.

“It’s okay, Sweetie Belle,” she said softly, “Everything will be alright.”

“No, it won’t” she said, trying to speak through her tears and sadness, “We deal with them every day. Chances are, we’ll have to deal with them tomorrow...and the next day...and the next day...and the day after that...and the day after that!”

Scootaloo tried to be supportive of her, but after hearing that, she couldn’t but roll her eyes.

“I don’t want to go through with this every day for the rest our lives,” she said, releasing their embrace and looking Scootaloo in the eyes, “I don’t think I can take any more of it.”

“Don’t worry about them,” said the Pegasus filly, “They’ll torment us till the day we graduate. If it’s not us being together, it’ll be something else, like our blank flanks. Still, we shouldn’t let them get to us. It’s like Apple Bloom said, it’s what they want.”

Wiping her eyes with her hoof, Sweetie Belle said, “I know. I’m trying my best to not let it bother me, but sometimes, when I really think about it, I can’t help but let it get to me.”

“I know,” she said, “But let’s put this behind us for now. We’re getting ready to celebrate and we shouldn’t let those two ruin it. Come on, let’s go inside and have a good time.”

Smiling, Sweetie Belle said, “Okay.”

The moment she saw her smile, Scootaloo couldn’t help but smile as well. Then, the two of them shared a small kiss with one another; a small butterfly kiss on the lips, nothing more. Then, the two of them got out of the wagon and made their way into the bakery, where Apple Bloom waited for them.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of nothing but the three of them chowing down on sweets and enjoying each other’s company, all in celebration of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo’s three month anniversary.

A couple of hours later, Scootaloo dropped off Sweetie Belle at the Carousel Boutique, where she was currently residing.

“See you tomorrow, Sweetie Belle,” said Scootaloo and Apple Bloom in unison. The white filly waved good-bye as the two of them slowly began to disappear on the horizon. Then, letting out a small sigh, she entered the dressmaker’s shop.

She moved passed the main area of the Boutique and up the stairs to the living quarters of the establishment. When she got to the top of the stairs, she heard that her sister was hard at work with, what she assumed, was another dress order of some kind. When she walked to the work room, she saw that Rarity was trotting back and forth, working on an outfit.

Sweetie Belle entered the room, which she had called her “inspiration room”, and trotted over to her sister.

“Hey, sis,” she said, offering her a smile.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, stopping to acknowledge her sister’s presence, “How was school, today?”

“Fine, I guess,” she said, lowering her eyes to the floor.

Recognizing the tone in her voice, Rarity looked at her sister and let out a sigh, “Please tell me you’re not having any more difficulties with the fillies and colts at school.”

Lowering her head in shame, Sweetie Belle softly said, “Diamond Tiara.”

“Again?” Rarity said in a shocked tone.

“Again,” said Sweetie Belle, her voice still low.

“I thought I dealt with this yesterday.”

“You did.”

“And she’s STILL bothering you?”

“Yes”

Rarity let out another frustrated groan. “Her father must be too nice to her. I made it perfectly clear that she shouldn’t be bothering you or Scootaloo. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to talk with her father tomorrow...again!”

Sweetie Belle looked at her sister and said, “You don’t have to. She’s going to keep bothering us, if not about us being together, then something else. It’s not going to stop.”

“It certainly shall,” Rarity said as she trotted over to her younger kin, “I said that I would help you two through with this, and I am keeping that promise.”

Then, the two sisters shared a hug with one another. As they did, Sweetie Belle whispered, “Thank you, sis.”

“No need to thank me, Sweet’ums,” she said with a reassuring smile, “That’s what sisters do, look out for their relations, no matter what.”

Soon, they released their embrace. Then, Rarity said, “Sweetie Belle, could you be a dear and set the table for supper?”

“Sure!” said the white filly as she made her way out of the room and into the kitchen.

When she was out of earshot, Rarity let out a sigh. Then, she trotted over to her desk and took a piece of parchment and a quill. Using her magic, she began writing a reminder to herself to go to Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara’s father, and talk to him about his daughter’s behavior...again.

After she wrote the note, she looked at it and sighed to herself. Would she have to talk to everypony who started trouble with the two of them? What if they were like Diamond Tiara, where she’d have to talk with them every day?

What am I going to do with you, Sweetie Belle? she thought to herself as she trotted away from the desk and to the dress she was working. Why can’t you be like everypony else and love a colt instead of a filly? It’d be much simpler that way, for BOTH of us!

She shook the thoughts from her head; she had made a promise to Sweetie Belle that she’d be supportive of her decision and she was going to keep it.

Come now, Rarity, she thought to herself. You made a promise and you’re going to keep it. Besides, things will get better with time, you’ll see...I hope. Maybe another talk with Filthy Rich about this issue will ensure that something is done about that filly.

With that, Rarity continued to put some of the final touches on the dress she was working on. As she put the last few gems on the neckline of the dress, she couldn’t help but still feel the cloud of doubt floating around in her mind; a small cloud that told her that maybe, just maybe, approving of her sister being with another filly was a big mistake.

Chapter 3: Arduous Decisions

As the day slowly crept into late afternoon, the Cutie Mark Crusaders found themselves making their way from the schoolhouse to their designated homes. They wanted to go out and “crusade” for their beloved Cutie Marks that day, like they did most days, but the given circumstances prevented them from doing so; Apple Bloom had chores to do around the farm and Scootaloo had some errands to run with her parents. So, they agreed they’d go out tomorrow and continue their quest for their Marks then.

As Scootaloo slowed her scooter down in front of the Carousel Boutique, Sweetie Belle hopped out and removed the helmet from her head, placing it in the red wagon.

“See you tomorrow, Sweetie Belle,” said Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in unison, waving goodbye to the unicorn filly before departing down the road.

Sweetie Belle waved a hoof at her friends as they slowly disappeared over the horizon. Then, she opened the door of the Boutique and made her way to her bedroom. On her way, she saw that Rarity was in the kitchen, making some tea over by the sink. However, as she passed the kitchen and began heading towards the stairs, she was surprised to see a brown stallion in a blue suit sitting at the table, a stern look on his face. She didn’t need to take a closer look to know that the stallion was Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara’s father.

Before she could fathom a thought on the matter, Rarity spotted her younger sister and said, “Oh, there you are, Sweet’ums. We’ve been waiting for you. Can you please accompany us for a moment?”

Her heart began to race as she entered the kitchen, taking a seat at the table with Rarity and Filthy Rich. When she did, she looked at the brown stallion and offered a smile at him. He smiled back and nodded his head, acknowledging her gesture.

Clearing her throat, Rarity said, “Sweetie Belle, I was talking to Filthy Rich about Diamond Tiara and her behavior towards you and Scootaloo. It seems we are both concerned about this matter and felt the need to talk with you about this.”

Fixing his tie, Filthy said, “Allow me to be the first to apologize for my daughter’s behavior towards you and your friend. I just want you to know that I have nothing against you or your friend being ‘together’ as you are. I blame myself for Diamond’s behavior; I know I’ve been told repeatedly to stop her inappropriate behavior and I have been unable to do so as of late.”

He straightened himself up before continuing. “I wanted to tell you this face-to-face so you know how sorry I am for this matter. I will see to it that my daughter stops harassing you and your friend as soon as possible.”

“Oh,” said Sweetie Belle, looking down at the ground, unsure of what to say. However, she decided to say the most appropriate thing she could say to him. “Thank you.”

He nodded and got up from his seat, thanked Rarity for the tea he must have drank before, and departed for the door of the shop. When he was gone, Rarity had poured herself another cup of tea, or at least Sweetie Belle assumed it was another cup. When she was done, she sat at the table with her sister, both of them sitting in silence for a moment.

After what felt like an hour, even though it clearly wasn’t, Sweetie Belle said, “Thank you, sis.”

“No need to thank me,” the older unicorn said with a smile, “I’m more than happy to help you in your time of need.”

The white filly got up from the table to go to her room when Rarity asked her, “Sweetie Belle, can I talk to you about something?”

She stopped her trotting and looked at her sister. “Sure, what’s up?”

Rarity rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof and asked, “How was your day at school?”

Blinking twice in surprise, she said, “Okay, I guess.”

“You guess?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I mean, aside from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, the day went pretty well.”

If she hadn’t just been talking with her father just a few moments ago, Rarity would have face-hooved. However, she simply smiled and said, “Well, hopefully Mr. Rich will stop this once and for all.”

“Yeah, hopefully,” Sweetie mumbled to herself.

A moment passed before Rarity asked, “So, how’s Scootaloo?”

“Oh, she’s fine,” said the filly, offering a smile, “She had some grocery shopping to do with her parents today and Apple Bloom had some chores to do at Sweet Apple Acres, so we couldn’t go ‘crusading’ today.”

“I see,” said Rarity, taking a sip of her hot beverage.

As silence dawned on them once again, Sweetie Belle smiled and began making her way to the stairs. Like before, she only took a few steps before Rarity called out to her, stopping her again.

“Sweetie...” she said, a look of worry on her face.

“Yes?” said Sweetie Belle, a small hint of annoyance in her tone.

Letting out a sigh, Rarity said, “I need to ask you a serious question and I need you to give me an honest answer.”

The moment the statement left her sister’s mouth, the annoyance that was inside her had vaporized into nothing, leaving only concern and worry. She trotted over to the table and sat down next to her sister, the look never leaving her face.

The moment Rarity saw the look on Sweetie Belle’s face, she began to question whether or not to talk to her sister about this, especially now. Doubt began running through her mind, the decision to ask her sister what she was going to ask her becoming more and more difficult with every passing second.

Don’t do it, Rarity, she thought to herself. She’s fine the way she is. There’s no need to be planting seeds of doubt in her mind. But...but I need to know. I need to know the truth.

“What’s wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Well...I’m not sure how to put this...” she said, fumbling with a curl in her mane as she spoke, “...I suppose the ‘direct approach’ is probably best.”

She cleared her throat, took a small breath and asked, “Sweetie Belle, are you happy being with Scootaloo?”

Sweetie Belle stared at her for a few moments, not really sure what she meant by that. However, she decided to answer it the way she thought it should be answered. “Of course I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She offered a smile at Rarity, hopping that she had answered properly. However, Rarity shook her head, her mane bouncing around as she did.

“What I mean is...well...” she said, sighing again, “Do you...you know...regret being with her?”

“‘Regret?’” Sweetie Belle asked, raising an eyebrow, “Of course not. Why would I regret being with her?”

“Well...” Rarity began, looking around the room, not really sure how she would react to what she was about to say, “Hypothetically speaking, is there ever a thought in your mind...you know, a tiny part of you...so small that you can’t even see it...”

Before she could continue, Sweetie Belle cocked her head to one said and asked, “Hypo...what?”

Smiling, Rarity said, “‘Hypothetically’. Just a scenario that is not real, but used for the sake of the question.”

“Oh,” said Sweetie Belle, still unsure what it meant.

Sweat began forming on the back of her neck, causing her to scratch at it with a hoof. Rarity could see that the small filly was getting more and more suspicious with each sentence that came out of her mouth, making her decision to talk about this even harder than before.

Taking one last breath, she said, “Do you ever think that you’d be much happier with a colt instead of a filly?”

The moment she asked the question, the white filly’s eyes went wide with shock and confusion; it was a look that Rarity was hoping she wouldn’t see. Now that she was looking at it, she regretted even asking her the question.

Then, Sweetie Belle’s eyes furrowed and she asked, “What are you saying?”

Her heart pounding in her chest, practically hurting her ribcage, Rarity said, “All I’m saying is that, maybe...just maybe...you’d be much happier with a colt instead of a filly.”

“What makes you think I’m not happy?” she asked.

Sighing again, Rarity said, “It’s just that...well...you always seem to come home upset because of the torment and ridicule you get from the foals at school. I was just thinking that...”

In a fit of anger, Sweetie Belle slammed her hooves on the table, taking the older unicorn off guard for a moment.

“I AM happy!” she shouted, her voice cracking, “Maybe it’s YOU who isn’t happy that I’m with Scootaloo! I thought you said you were supportive of us being together!”

“I am,” said Rarity, her tone becoming more firm and direct, “It’s a hypothetical question Sweetie Belle and it doesn’t give you any right to raise your voice at me.”

The moment the statement left her mouth, Sweetie Belle lowered herself in shame; she had lost herself in the moment, causing her to raise her voice at her sister. Seeing that she had done wrong, she softly said, “I’m...I’m sorry.”

Lowering her own tone, she said, “No, Sweet’ums, I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Then, she got up and stood next to her sister, lightly wrapping her hooves around her in an embrace. “I am supportive of you two being together,” she said softly, “It’s just that I see you upset almost every day you come home. I just want what’s best for you. I’m looking out for you in any way I can. I don’t want you to think that I am not behind you and your choice to be with Scootaloo.”

“It’s okay,” she said, offering a hug in response, “But I am happy with her. It’s just Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon that is making me feel upset, honest.”

Smiling, Rarity said, “Well, hopefully that will all end soon.”

With that, they released their embrace, allowing Sweetie Belle to make her way up to her room. When she was out of earshot, Rarity sighed and sat back down, taking another sip of her tea.

Then, she mumbled to herself, “Well, that went swimmingly.”

Upstairs, Sweetie Belle went into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. Then, she let out a sigh and trotted over to her bed. There, she lied on her back and stared up at the ceiling, letting the conversation that just transpired sink into her mind. As she thought about it more and more, she began to question herself, not sure if there was a ring of truth behind any of what Rarity had said.

As the thoughts continued to run through her mind, Sweetie Belle got up and made her way to the window. She looked at the streets of Ponyville in all its glory, as ponies of different shapes and sizes made their way to and fro. As she continued to watch the citizens of their home town going about their business, she couldn’t help but ask herself something out loud.

“Would I really be happy with a colt instead of a filly?” she asked, allowing the question to wrap around her mind. Truthfully, as much as she wanted to say “no” to the question, she couldn’t because she hadn’t been with a colt in order to say “no”. However, it because of this that she couldn’t say “yes” either. Therefore, the question went unanswered as she trotted away from the window and over to her dresser.

There, she had a picture of her and her fellow Crusaders, all of them with smile on their faces. As she looked at the picture, she smiled and sighed, allowing the thoughts that were there to dissipate into nothing.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” she said to herself, “I’m happy being with Scootaloo and that’s all that matters.”

Looking away from the picture, she lied on her bed again, this time, with a smile on her face. She closed her eyes softly and said aloud, “We’re together and we’re happy. What could possibly change that?”

He sat in a seat of a large, refine building, a structure he wasn’t used to being in. The comfortable chair he sat in wasn’t anything like he was used to either; he’d been in chairs that were far more comfortable than this one. However, he didn’t let those thoughts distract him from why they were here.

As he waited, he tapped his hoof on the hardwood floor, listening to the sound that it made. Nope, it definitely wasn’t what he was used to, but he decided to get used to it; he was here for Celestia knows how long, so he figured it was best to stop comparing it to his former home and get used to it.

After a while, the door that was near him opened and two ponies walked out. One was his older brother and the other was an amber mare, whom he was told was the mayor of the town they were in, Ponyville.

“Everything is in order for your brother,” the mayor said with a smile, “He’ll be ready to start first thing tomorrow.”

“Great,” said the older stallion. “Is there anything he’ll need?”

Without answering, the mayor pulled out a few scrolls and handed it to him. “Everything is here on these lists. We’ll inform the local school about him starting, so he’ll receive a nice, warm welcome.”

“Thank you so much, ma’am,” he said, offering a hoof-shake to the mayor.

Then, he and his older brother left the building, known as Town Hall, and made their way to the small inn that they were going to be staying in for a while.

As they trotted, the older stallion said, “Well, little guy, you’ll be starting school tomorrow. Are you excited?”

The young foal sighed and said, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Seeing that he wasn’t as excited as he was letting on, the older stallion said, “Hey, don’t be like that. I know this isn’t what we wanted, but we have to be here. It was a hard decision to leave home, but it’s what had to be done. Things will get better, I promise.”

The young colt said nothing. He just sighed and continued to walk with his brother to the inn, their new “home sweet home”.

After they checked in and made their way into their two-bedroom room, they decided to have some dinner. As the older of the two prepared their meal, the small colt sat at the table, staring blankly at the tile floor.

Seeing that he was still upset, the stallion said, “I know you’re still pretty upset that we had to leave home, but we should make the best of it, you know. Who knows, maybe you’ll make a lot of new friends when you start school tomorrow.”

Sighing again, the young foal rolled his eyes and said, “I doubt that. You know all the new foals get picked on their first day in a new school.”

The stallion scoffed, “That’s not true. You weren’t picked on when you started school before.”

Smiling, the foal said, “Yeah, that’s true. But I didn’t make too many friends in school either.”

He trotted over to his younger kin, rubbing his hoof on his back, “Don’t think that way, little bro. This is a different town with different ponies. Once you see that the ponies here are nice, you’ll make a ton of new friends.”

The foal smiled at his brother again, offering him a light hug. The stallion returned the gesture before releasing it to tend to their dinner before it burned.

As he continued to make their meal, the young colt sighed and looked at the ground, letting his thoughts continue to float around his head.

Maybe he’s right, he thought to himself. Maybe things will be different here than they were back at home. Maybe moving here won’t be a bad thing after all.

However, the thoughts of his friendless past resurfaced back in his mind, causing his thoughts to change.

Who am I kidding? No one really liked me before and I don’t think they’ll like me here, he thought again, sighing as he did. How is this place any different? What could possibly ever change?

Chapter 4: The New Arrival

"Okay, children, let’s settle down," said Ms. Cheerilee as she trotted from her desk to the center of the classroom, overlooking the children.

When she did, all the talkative fillies and colts stopped their chatter and focused on the cerise earth pony in the front of the room, smiles on all their faces.

"Now children, we have a new student joining us today,” she said, pointing to the door with a hoof. All the foals looked at the door to see it open a little and a young colt slowly trot into the room, a saddlebag around his back.

He was a gray pony with a charcoal mane, lavender eyes and no Cutie Mark on his flank. As he trotted to the center of the room, next to the teacher, he took one quick glance at the ponies in the room before quickly averting his gaze to the floor. As he did, one of his fore-hooves began making tiny circles in the floorboards.

“Everypony,” said Ms. Cheerilee, slightly catching the young foal off guard, “This is Rumble. He just moved here from Cloudsdale. I hope each and every one of you will make him feel welcome. Now, Rumble, why don’t you take your seat.”

She pointed to one of the empty seats in the back of the room with a hoof, a smile still plastered on her face. He looked up at her, smiled a quick smile back, and began making his way past the other students. As he did, he saw that a few of them were smiling back while others were giving him a look, a look he was all too familiar with.

As he continued to make his way past the students, he thought he heard one of the fillies mutter to another, “Oh great, another ‘blank flank.’” The moment he heard this, he looked at the ground and sighed, taking his seat without saying a word.

When he looked up, he saw that few of the students were still looking at him, smiling at him and greeting them with hushed welcomes. He would smile and wave at them, but Rumble didn’t say anything to them; what could he say to a bunch of ponies he didn’t know and were, probably, silently judging him.

As he took a closer look at the ponies around him, he noticed that most of them were earth ponies. He began feeling even more insecure now that he realized he wasn’t the same species as the others. Rumble’s heart began beating faster and his cheeks started feeling warm on his face. However, when he caught a glance at an orange Pegasus that was a few seats in front of him, he let out a relaxed sigh; at least he wasn’t the only Pegasus in the room. Then, his eye caught a glimpse of a white unicorn filly. When he did, his heart began to slow to normal, slightly easing his tension, though not fully.

Soon, Ms. Cheerilee began her sermon for the day, teaching them about something to do with math. In all honesty, Rumble wasn’t really paying much attention to what she was saying; he was still extremely nervous about being in his new environment to really listen to her lesson on how to add numbers or whatever. He just looked around the room, catching a glimpse at the other students in the room.

He saw that two ponies were busy passing notes during the lecture, some were struggling to stay awake, while others were fully alert and mouth-writing the notes in their books. At some point, he decided to make himself less of a spectacle by taking out a notebook and a writing implement from his saddlebag. Now, if he could only direct his attention to the lesson at hoof, he’d be good.

The rest of the morning seemed to drag on like this for Rumble, him trying to pay attention to whatever the school teacher was teaching. However, try as he might, he was just too nervous to really take any notes on any of the lessons begin taught.

Soon, his heart jumped in his chest as the school bell rang, signaling that it was time for lunch. When it did, all the fillies and colts in the room got up and slowly headed for the door to the playground, him being the last one to get up from his seat with his bagged lunch in his mouth.

Soon, he trotted outside and overlooked the other foals either munching on their lunch or playing around in the playgrounds. As he made his way down the steps and towards the benches that were all around, some of the other foals went up to him to greet him and introduce themselves. He would respond with quick responses before running out of things to say to them. Soon, he trotted to the nearest bench and sat down, getting ready to eat whatever it was his brother packed for him; something good, he hoped.

However, before he could open his lunch, he felt two pairs of eyes watching him, making him feel very uncomfortable. Rumble turned his head to see that two fillies were watching him with incredulous eyes. He offered them a smile and got ready to say hello when the pink one with a tiara on her head spoke up first.

“So, you’re the new pony on the block, huh?” she asked in what sounded like a snooty tone.

“Well...um...” he said, unsure of what to say to her, “Yeah, I...I guess I am...”

“Hmph,” she said, as she and her friend began walking around his backside, almost as if they were checking him out. Not sure what they were doing, all he did was sit there and watch.

Soon, the other one with the white glasses on her nose said, “Looks like you don’t have your Cutie Mark, either.”

Looking at his bare flank, Rumble lowered his head in shame, trying to cover it up with his tail.

“Well, don’t you worry your little head about it, Rumble,” said the pink one as she ran a hoof through his slicked back mane, “You’re not the only one without their Cutie Mark in the school, you know. Right, Silver Spoon?”

Silver Spoon nodded and said, “It’s not like you’re the only one who isn’t, like, special.”

Rumble felt his heart begin to crumble as the two ponies continued to torment him. Although he was saddened and feeling more and more depressed with every word that came out of their mouths, a part of him couldn’t help but say “I told you so”; he had received this kind of ridicule when he used to live in Cloudsdale, though not to this extent, he must admit. Getting a similar kind of treatment here was nothing new to him, but no matter how used to it he was, it still hurt.

However, the mood all changed when another voice yelled out, “Hey, leave him alone!”

The moment he heard the voice call out, Rumble turned his head to see that three fillies were standing behind them, all of them with angry looks on their faces. In the center was a yellow earth pony with a red bow on her head. To her left was the orange Pegasus from before while, to the earth pony’s right, was a white unicorn.

“Leave him alone, Diamond Tiara!” said the yellow filly, who appeared to have a Southwestern accent.

“Yeah, do you have to pick on everypony without a Cutie Mark?” asked the orange Pegasus.

“What’s it to you?” shot back Diamond Tiara.

“Leave him alone!” said the white unicorn, whose voice appeared to crack as she spoke.

It was then that the two bullies looked around them to see that most of the other foals were looking at their commotion. Many of them were just staring at the scene playing out while others sided with the three fillies that stood up to them. The moment they saw they were outnumbered, the two bullies muttered something under their breath, stuck their noses in the air and trotted away, leaving him alone.

When they were out of earshot, the three fillies walked up to him, all of them with smiles on their faces. The other speculators went back to whatever is was they were doing prior to the spats that just happened.

“Are you okay?” asked the yellow earth pony.

“I’m fine,” he said, looking at the table before him.

“Don’t worry,” said the orange Pegasus, “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are always picking on everypony.”

“Well...um...” he said, feeling his cheeks beginning to feel warm, “Thanks.”

“No problem!” said the yellow filly.

With that, he directed his attention back to his lunch, unsure of what to say next. As he began eating his food, he couldn’t help but feel the three fillies’ eyes still watching him. Occasionally, he would look at them with his peripheral vision to see them with smiles on their faces. When he did, he’d quickly look away.

Why are they staring at me? Rumble couldn’t help but ask himself as he ate his lunch. However, he figured it was best to let them be and ignore them; they’d stop staring at him, eventually.

Seeing that he wasn’t saying anything, Sweetie Belle looked at her fellow crusaders, all of them shrugging at each other.

Clearing her throat, Scootaloo asked, “So, your name is Rumble, right?”

Since he had food in his mouth, Rumble looked back at them and nodded, chewing a little faster to be able to speak. Unfortunately for him, he must have taken too big a bite because he needed to chew a lot longer than he really should be.

“My name’s Scootaloo,” she said, offering her hoof to him. Seeing the gesture, he extended his hoof and shook it.

“The name’s Apple Bloom,” said the earth pony, following the same motion as Scootaloo.

When he turned his attention to the unicorn, she smiled, extended her hoof to him and said, “I’m Sweetie Belle.”

He shook her hoof, finally swallowed his food and said, “Hi.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Rumble,” said Apple Bloom, as the three of them began trotting away.

“Nice to meet you, too,” said the colt. As they left, he called out, “And thanks, again!”

When he did, Sweetie Belle looked back at him and smiled, waving a hoof at him. When she did, Rumble could have sworn his heart sped up a few beats. The moment he did, he turned his head away and looked back at the table. Taking a deep breath, he could have sworn he felt his cheeks were beginning to get warm.

However, he decided to let the thought slide and finish his lunch. As he did, he couldn’t help but look back at the three fillies that had helped him with the bullies. As he watched the three fillies, standing together and talking amongst themselves, Rumble couldn’t help but focus his attention on the white filly, Sweetie Belle. There was something about her that made him stare at her, barely blinking as he did.

As she spoke with her friends, her mane bounced around with its tiny curls and dual color. He recalled how she spoke and couldn’t help but smile, remembering how her voice had cracked in a way that made it sound cute. Then, he recalled the smile she had given him as she trotted away with her friends. The other fillies in the classroom smiled at him, sure, but there was something about the way that this filly smiled that made his cheeks turn an interesting shade of crimson.

However, when the filly turned her head in his direction, he quickly looked away, looking back at the table where his lunch was sitting.

What’s going on? Rumble asked himself. This has never happened to me before.

As the thoughts kept floating around in his mind, he continued eating his lunch, trying against himself to keep his eyes focused on what he was doing without looking back at the unicorn filly. Although he was successful at keeping his gaze away, that wasn’t enough to keep his thoughts off of her.

As the image of the unicorn crossed his mind again, he felt something get caught in his throat, causing him to cough. As he began coughing uncontrollably, he grabbed his drink as fast as he could and began drinking it, clearing his throat. At some point, he forgot to completely chew his food and swallowed it whole by mistake. After he was done with his temporary choking, the only thing that kept coming to his mind was one simple question: what’s happening to me?

When the school bell rang, he quickly packed up his trash, threw it away and made his way back into the classroom. As Rumble made his way up the stairs, he decided to shake the thoughts of the unicorn from his mind and focus on getting through the rest of the day.

The rest of the school day seemed to liven up for him ever since then. He was able to pay attention to Ms. Cheerilee and to what she was teaching. However, every now and then, he kept looking back at Sweetie Belle for a moment before looking away. It went on like this until the last bell rang, ending school for the day.

“Have a good day, everypony,” said Ms. Cheerilee, “I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

As all the fillies and colts began leaving, Rumble began packing his things and left with the others as opposed to leaving last. When he trotted outside, he saw his older brother, Thunderlane, standing there waiting for him, a smile on his face.

“Hey, little guy,” he said, patting his hoof on his back, “How was school?”

“Great,” Rumble said, as the two of them began making their way down the dirt path.

“How’s your new teacher?” he asked, “Is she nice?”

“Yeah, she’s nice,” said Rumble, looking at the ground for a moment

“How about the other kids in your class?” he asked, “Did you make any new friends?”

Before he answered, Rumble looked behind him to see the three fillies from before getting into some sort of wagon that was attached to a scooter. When he saw the white filly putting on her helmet and getting in the wagon, he turned to his brother and said, “I think I did.”

“See, what did I tell you?” Thunderlane said, “I told you you’d make friends here.”

Rumble nodded his head at his brother, smiling as he did. However, it was short lived as his thoughts focused back on Sweetie Belle and what had happened to him earlier. Should he tell his brother about what happened or wait until he, himself, knew what happened?

“Come on, Rumble,” called out Thunderlane, “We have to hurry if we’re going to make it on time.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, he noticed that he was falling behind a little bit. He trotted faster until he caught up with the older Pegasus.

“On time for what?” he asked when he was next to Thunderlane again.

“While you were at school, we got an invitation to a place called, ‘Sugar Cube Corner’,” he explained, “Some sort of party is being held for us later, so we need to hurry home and get ready.”

“A party?” asked Rumble, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s what it said,” said Thunderlane as he smiled at him, “Who knows, maybe it’s some sort of welcoming party or something.”

The colt nodded in understanding as the two of them neared the inn. As they entered the building and headed towards their room, Rumble still couldn’t shake the filly from his mind.

It’s probably nothing, Rumble thought to himself as the two of them entered their room. It probably means that we’ll be good friends or something. I haven’t made too many friends before, so that’s what it must be. Besides, she’s not the only filly I’ve talked to today. I shouldn’t think too deeply into this.

As he placed his saddlebags down in his room, a thought kept resurfacing in the back of his head, a thought that told him that “good friends” was a really big understatement. However, he shook the thought from his mind and focused on the welcome party that they were invited to. He was just friends with Sweetie Belle, as he was with the other students in the class, like Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. There was no reason he should feel any different towards her than anypony else.

Finally convincing himself that they were just friends, Rumble began getting ready for the party they were invited to, hoping that it wouldn’t be anything too extravagant.

Author's Note

I know this chapter may seem indifferent, but in my defense, a lot of what happens in this chapter I can relate to.

Chapter 5: Surprises

“Wait for it...” said the pink party pony that knelt down in front of them. Her forearms were extended and an extremely wide, toothy grin was on her face. Behind her, resting on four wheels, was wagon-type contraption with multicolored flags and several tubes where confetti and streamers shot out. In the very front of it was what looked like an oven, big enough for a small cake to be placed inside.

Not sure what to expect, Thunderlane and Rumble exchanged confused glances at each other before looking back at the pink pony that knelt before them. They had walked inside the building known as Sugar Cube Corner to see that the entire establishment was dark. Then, in the blink of an eye, the pink pony, who addressed herself as Pinkie Pie, turned the lights on, hitting the wagon device so that music would play, and began singing a song that welcomed the two of them to Ponyville. Judging by the way she was jumping around and getting into the music and her song, they could tell that she was a little on the hyper side of things.

Now that her song was finished, she knelt before them with a huge smile on her face, waiting for something to happen. Then, they heard a small ding sound and the door of the small oven opened up. However, instead of a cake coming out, the two Pegasi were hit with even more confetti than they thought possible. Once the confetti stopped, they saw that two of the cylindrical tubes in the way back of the wagon began to shake, as if something was trying to come out of it. The two brothers watched in surprised as a cream-colored substance flew out of it and landed directly on the three of them, Pinkie Pie included.

When it had stopped, the three of them opened their eyes to see, and smell, that the cream-colored substance was cake batter.

Before they could say anything, Pinkie Pie began to laugh. “Why do I always put confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannon?” she asked in between her laughing. Then, she stepped out of the batter so fast that the cake mold hadn’t moved from its original place, leaving a molded version of the pink pony. Then, in one bite, she gobbled it up and swallowed it, letting out a small belch as she did, causing her to laugh again.

Although they were a little shocked that they were covered from head to hoof in cake batter, the two brothers let out a laugh and began cleaning themselves off; they had to admit that is was funny, though unexpected. As they cleaned themselves off, they finally got a good look at the rest of the establishment and went wide eyed at what they saw.

The entire bakery was designed to be a welcoming party for the two of them. There were balloons, streamers, several tables lined with various kinds of sweet treats and punch, and giant banner that said “Welcome to Ponyville” in different colors. As if that wasn’t enough, a large mob of ponies of different colors, sizes and species all said “welcome to Ponyville” in unison; judging by the numbers, they were convinced that almost everyone in town had come, though it was probably impossible to everyone inside the small building.

Smiling, Thunderlane said, “Thanks everypony. Thanks a lot!”

“So, were you two surprised? Where you? Huh, huh, HUH?” asked Pinkie Pie, as she leaned in within close proximity of Thunderlane’s face.

Taking a few steps back and shifting his eyes back in forth in a mix of confusion and uncertainty, he smiled an awkward smile and said, “Uh...I sure was...yeah.”

“YAY!” shouted the party pony as she bounced up and down, going so fast it was hard to make out any of her equine features, “Let’s get this party started!”

With that, music began playing, provided by the town DJ, Vinyl Scratch, and the welcoming party had officially begun. Everypony that was present came to welcome the two Pegasi to their town, including the mayor, who Thunderlane has spoken to the day prior. Amidst the greetings and welcoming, Rumble couldn’t help feel his cheeks beginning to get a little warm; he wasn’t used to a big party like this thrown for them, nor was he used to getting so much attention at one time.

“You two are going to LOVE it here!” said Pinkie Pie, as she began bouncing up and down in rapid succession again, “This is the best place in all of Equestria! We have so many things to do, so many places to see, so many stores to shop in, so many friends to make, so many sweets to eat, so many meals to cook, so many...”

Thunderlane couldn’t help but smile sheepishly as the pink pony continued with her hyper-babble, not seeming to catch her breath as she continued listing all the things they could do in town. Fortunately for him, a lavender unicorn trotted next to her and put her hoof in her mouth, silencing her long, never ending chain of babble.

“I think they get the point,” she said, “Why don’t you go and make sure there’s enough food for everypony.”

Pinkie let out a huge gasp, no doubt making up for the lack of air in her lungs. “That’s a party-rific idea! You two have to try my cupcakes! They’re simply to die for!”

Before anyone could say anything, the earth pony disappeared in a blur towards the back of the establishment and through two double doors; it was pretty obvious that the doors lead into the kitchen area of the bakery.

Clearing her throat, the unicorn said, “My name is Twilight Sparkle. It’s nice to meet the two of you.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Rumble, offering a polite smile.

“Same here,” said Thunderlane, extended his hoof to her, “Thank you so much for throwing this party for us.”

“Don’t thank me,” said Twilight, exchanging a hoof-shake with the brown Pegasus, “You have Pinkie Pie to thank for that.”

“Does she always make a big deal about every new arrival that comes to town?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and a sheepish grin.

“Oh please,” said Twilight with a roll of her eyes, “She makes a big deal about everything. You should have been here when she threw a ‘I-made-a-new-recipe-everypony-try-it Party’ last week. She accidently poured syrup in her cake batter and baked it. She was so intrigued by it that she threw a party to celebrate her newfound recipe.”

“Wow. Pinkie throws a party for just about anything, doesn’t she?”

“You have no idea...”

The two of them exchanged a laugh as Pinkie Pie returned with a tray of cupcakes in her mouth and grin on her face. She placed the tray down on the nearest table and began rubbing her hoof on her chin, lost in a thought of some kind.

“Hmmm, this needs something...” she said to herself as Thunderlane and Twilight approached the table to have a cupcake. When they did, Thunderlane took one and began munching away at it, a satisfied smile on his face. However, Twilight looked at them and cocked her head at the sight of them.

“Hey, Pinkie,” she asked, snapping the earth pony from her thoughts, “I thought you were going to make your popular rainbow cupcakes for the party.”

Pinkie let out a snorted laugh. “I wanted to, but the author said it would be a bad idea and asked that I make new ones for this story. Besides, it's always great to try new things and you know how much I love new things!”

Hearing her statement, Twilight shook her head, like doing so would magically make sense of what she said. “Pinkie...did you just say-”

“I KNOW! PUNCH!” she shouted, her thoughts focusing in on what she was missing. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished to the kitchen again, leaving the two ponies stunned in surprise.

Twilight blinked in surprise as Thunderlane asked, “What is she talking about?”

Offering an awkward smile all her own, she shrugged and said, “Who knows? That’s Pinkie Pie for you.”

After letting out another chuckle, Thunderlane saw several foals beginning to gather together near one of the tables near the front door. The stallion turned to his younger sibling and asked, “Are those foals in your class, Rumble?”

The small Pegasus took a look at the group. He recognized many of them from his school and was fortunate enough not to see the two bullies that had given him a hard time. Then, he turned to his brother and nodded.

“So, why don’t you go hang out with them?” he asked, smiling as he did.

“Oh...uh...I don’t know...” the colt said nervously.

“Don’t worry, Rumble. They’re not going to bite you.”

Rumble couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at his statement. Then, swallowing nervously, he slowly began making his way over to the other foals. When they saw him approach, they smiled and waved at him, reintroducing themselves like they had at school. All the while, Rumble kept shifting his eyes back and forth at the crowd, a smile on his face as he did so. He kept looking for the three fillies that had helped him with the bullies before, Sweetie Belle and the other two that he couldn’t recall their names. Where were they? Were they not coming?

Letting out a small sigh, he refocused his attention back to the other foals. He already cleared his mind of the white filly in question and he didn’t want to have a mental relapse. However, a small part of him hoped that she would come so that he could, at least, talk to her.

“Come on, ya’ll,” said Applejack as she, Rarity, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders approached the bakery, “We’re already late as it is. Let’s get a move on before the party ends.”

“My apologies, again, Applejack,” said Rarity, as she fixed the yellow sun hat that rested atop her head, “It was difficult picking out the perfect outfit for such an occasion.”

“Ah know,” said the orange pony, “Let’s just get there, lickity split.”

As the two mares trailed behind, the Cutie Mark Crusaders trotted ahead of them, talking in whispers amongst themselves.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Sweetie Belle?” asked Scootaloo.

“Of course I’m sure,” said Sweetie Belle, “It’s the perfect gift for Rumble.”

“Ah don't see what the problem is,” said Apple Bloom, “Don't ya think it’ll be a good idea, Scoots?”

“I don’t know,” said the Pegasus filly, “Something tells me that it’s not a good idea. I mean, what if he takes it as an insult or something?”

“Don't be silly. He won't be insulted,” said the yellow earth pony, “Besides, we could use all the help we can get.”

“Don’t worry, Scootaloo,” said the unicorn filly as she nestled against her neck, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Letting out a small sigh, Scootaloo said, “Alright, I guess it’s worth a shot.”

“Then it’s settled,” said Apple Bloom.

When they finished their conversation, the group of ponies had reached the bakery where the welcoming party was in full swing. As they approached the front door, they heard the music playing from within. Immediately, the three fillies galloped to the front door to enter the party, Rarity and Applejack following close behind.

The moment they went inside, they spotted Rumble talking to the other classmates by the front door. As the three of them bee-lined to him, Rarity and Applejack trotted to the other guest of honor, Thunderlane, to introduce themselves. It wasn’t hard to pick him out among the crowd of ponies because he was the center of attention, talking with the ponies that stood around and listened to him. As they approached they heard him talking to the crowd.

“Well, it was because of personal issues that we had to move here,” he said, chuckling as he did.

“So, does that mean you won’t be staying long?” asked a mare standing next to him.

“I’m not sure,” he said, “By the way things are looking, we’re going to be here for a while. If you all are as hospitable as you are now, I might not want to leave.”

That statement got a few laughs from the ponies as he took a sip of punch from his glass. As he drank, he saw the two mares that approached from the corner of his eyes. The moment they made contact with the white unicorn with the yellow sun hat and pretty yellow dress, adorned with various gemstones along the waist and neckline, he nearly choked on his drink. After beating his chest with his hoof to regain his composure, he turned his attention to the two mares, the unicorn and the orange earth pony with a brown Stetson on her head.

“Howdy,” said the orange mare, tipping her hat as she spoke, “You must be Thunderlane, the new arrival in town. The name’s Applejack. Pleasure to be makin’ yer acquaintance.”

“Nice to meet you, Applejack,” he said, “You and your family run Sweet Apple Acres, right?”

“Darn tootin’,” she said, “How did you know that?”

“Oh please; anypony who’s anypony knows Sweet Apple Acres.”

Laughing, she extended a hoof to him, in which he followed suit by reaching out with his own. Then, he focused his hoof to the unicorn, who smiled and returned the gesture.

“It’s nice to meet you, Thunderlane,” she said.

“Hello,” he said, taking her hoof with his own bringing it to his lips, planting a small kiss on it when he did, “The pleasure is all mine. I have to say that that is one beautiful dress you are wearing.”

The comment made her cheeks go red. “Oh, this silly thing, it’s just a little something I made at the Boutique, is all.”

Thunderlane raised an eyebrow. “‘The Boutique’, you mean the Carousel Boutique?”

“Yes,” she said, tilting her head in confusion.

“You’re name wouldn’t be Rarity, would it?”

Rarity’s eyes widened with surprise. “You’ve heard of me?”

“Of course, you’re the famous dressmaker I’ve heard so much about,” he said, “A friend of yours named Rainbow Dash has brought you up on occasion, especially when we’re on weather duty together.”

“Oh, has she?” she said nervously, fumbling with a curl in her mane.

“You bet,” he said, offering her a polite smile, “It’s an honor to meet you, Rarity. Would you like me to get you and your friend some punch?”

Not able to find a response, Rarity nodded her head at him before turning away to hide her red cheeks. When he was out of eyeshot, Applejack nudged Rarity on the shoulder in a playful manner.

“Ah think he likes you,” she said, low enough for only them to here.

“Well...” she said, trying her best to suppress a small giggle, “He is kind of cute...”

The second Rumble’s eyes fell upon the three of them entering the bakery, his cheeks began to heat up and his heart began to race uncontrollably. As if his eyes were on auto lock-on, they instantly looked at Sweetie Belle, causing his cheeks to go from a light shade of red to a dark crimson. He tried to look away, focusing his attention at the other foals that were talking to him, but no matter how hard he tried, his eyes kept shifting back to the white filly and her friends.

When the three fillies spotted him, they exchanged a quick glance and head nod at one another before they approached him. As they did, Rumble could feel his legs tense up, almost as if they had gone completely numb.

“Hi, Rumble,” said the three of them in unison.

“H-Hi...” he said. In his head, he tried to remember the names of the other two ponies next to Sweetie Belle, so he wouldn’t make a fool of himself by remembering one and not the others. All he could recollect was that one had something to do with apples while the other sounded like the word scooter. Try as he might, he just couldn’t remember.

“We’d like to talk to you,” said Apple Bloom, offering a polite smile.

“We have a surprise gift for you,” chimed in Scootaloo.

“O-Okay,” said Rumble, trying to focus his attention on all three of them instead of just the one.

“Come on, we’ll tell you outside. That way, you can hear us,” said Sweetie Belle, as the three of them turned and began heading towards the door again.

As they gestured for him to follow, he could feel the bottom of his hooves beginning to tingle. Anxiety began racing through his body as he struggled to get his body to move. Soon, when the three of them were out of the sweets shop, he felt his legs able to move again. Taking a deep breath, he followed the three of them out of the bakery, all the while, wondering what it was they wanted to give him as a gift. As he made his way to the door, he could have sworn he heard some of the other foals beginning to giggle.

When he walked outside, he saw the three of them standing there waiting for him with a smile plastered on all their faces. This made his anxiety intensify as he stopped his trotting in front of them.

“Okay, Rumble, are you ready for your gift?” asked Scootaloo, her tiny wings unfurling as she spoke.

“Sure,” he said, looking around for whatever it was they were going to give him.

“Well, we saw that you don’t have a Cutie Mark, just like the three of us,” explained Apple Bloom, “And we were wonderin’ if you’d like to join us.”

“‘Join us’?” he asked nervously, “Join in what?”

“In our crusade, our mission, to find our special talents and earn our Cutie Marks,” said Sweetie Belle, “Our gift to you is asking you if you’d like to join...”

Then, the three of them said in unison, “…THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!”

“‘The Cutie Mark Crusaders?’” he asked, “What is that?”

“It’s our team,” said Scootaloo, “Where we try and find our special talents and earn our Cutie Marks.”

“We’re the only members right now,” explained Apple Bloom, “But we’re always lookin’ to expand!”

“How...” he began, trying to find the right words to say, “How do you try and find your special talents?”

“By meeting at our clubhouse and coming up with different things to do that will help us find what we’re good at,” answered Sweetie Belle, “Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and I have been trying, but we’ve been quite unsuccessful. We figured if you joined us, then maybe the four of us will earn our Cutie Marks together.”

The moment the answer was stated, a few thoughts began running through Rumble’s mind. For starters, he was glad that Sweetie Belle had said the names of the other two; now if he could only remember them from now on, he’d be good. Secondly, if he agreed to join their group, not only will he be able to have friends that appreciated him for being a ‘blank flank’, but he’d also be able to spend time with Sweetie Belle. If he was lucky, he’d be able to muster up enough courage to talk to her and get to know her better.

Straightening his posture, Rumble smiled and said, “Sure, I’d like that a lot.”

“Great!” they said in unison, causing the colt to be taken aback by their sudden expression of joy.

He shifted his eyes back and forth, not sure what to do now. “So, what happens now?”

“Well, we’re having a crusader’s meeting tomorrow after school,” said Apple Bloom, “Just wait for us and we’ll lead you to the clubhouse.”

“Okay,” said Rumble, “Thank you.”

“No problem,” said Scootaloo as she extended her hoof to him, “It’s the least we can.”

Rumble took her hoof and shook it. Then, Apple Bloom offered the same gesture, followed closely by Sweetie Belle. However, when he shook the white unicorn’s hoof, their eyes met for the first time since he first arrived. When they did, the two of them found each other staring at one another, both of which didn’t seem to blink.

Rumble’s heart, which was beating rapidly mere seconds ago, seemed to slow down to normal as he gazed into her eyes. As much as Sweetie Belle wanted to turn away, she couldn’t help but stare into his eyes, as if something was holding her there.

“So...” said Apple Bloom, snapping the two of them from their trance, “We should go back to the party, huh?”

“Yeah,” said Sweetie Belle, as she released Rumble’s hoof. Then, she smiled at him and began making her way to the door. Almost immediately, Rumble turned his head away from the others in a desperate attempt to hide his deep red cheeks.

As the four of them made their way back to the party, Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but think to herself that, what had just happened to her felt awfully familiar, like she had felt that way once before, a long time ago...

Chapter 6: Unexpected

As the old saying goes, "time flies when you're having fun"; for Rumble, this was no exception. One moment, he was at the surprise party at Sugar Cube Corner, enjoying everypony's company and getting to know the residents of the small town. Then, in what felt like the blink of an eye, the sun had set, the next day came, and he was back in school. Not to say that he had a problem with school, especially since he had been well acquainted with many of the foals in his class, but there was only one that he didn't get to know: Sweetie Belle.

The day seemed to flow very normally, not too fast nor too slow. However, the young colt did find it hard to pay attention to what was being taught, much like he had the day prior. His attention kept going back to the white unicorn filly, even though he tried his best not to do so. What made it more difficult for Rumble was that he was going to be spending the afternoon with her and her friends, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. The thought of being with her, whether with her friends or not, made his heart speed up and his cheeks feel slightly warm. Furthermore, he didn't fully understand why he felt this way about Sweetie Belle and no other pony in his class. Try as he might, he couldn't think of one reason why he felt the way he did or what the feeling was to begin with.

Eventually, the school bell rang and all the fillies and colts in Ms. Cheerilee's class began to exit the building, the teacher telling them to have a good day. After collecting his things, Rumble trotted out into the sunny afternoon, a small breeze hitting him the moment he trotted out the door. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw that the three fillies were standing there, waiting for him. Immediately, his gaze kept trying to shift back to Sweetie Belle. However, he fought it and kept his focus on all three of them, a smile on his face.

"So, Rumble," said Scootaloo, her tiny wings fluttering as she spoke, "Are you ready to join the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders?'"

"Yes...I guess..." he said softly, still trying to keep his smile on.

"Okay, let's get going," said Sweetie Belle, as the three of them turned and began trotting down the road. Letting out a small sigh to himself, Rumble began following them, keeping his distance behind them.

Okay, Rumble, he thought to himself. Keep it together. You're just hanging out with your friends, right? There's nothing wrong with that. Still, I wish I knew what to say to Sweetie Belle. Maybe I can think of something on our way to their clubhouse, wherever it is.

"Are you guys sure this is a good idea?" asked Scootaloo, a hint of a worried look on her face, "I mean about having Rumble joining us and all?"

"Of course it's a good idea. This is going to be so great!" Sweetie Belle said, skipping as she spoke, "A new member of the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'! Now we have four times the chance of getting out Cutie Marks."

"I don't know. Something just doesn't seem right about this. What do you think, Apple Bloom?"

There was a moment of silence after the question was asked. Curiously, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked in the direction of Apple Bloom to see why she hadn't answered. When they did, they saw that the yellow filly was looking at the ground, her eyes shifting back and forth as if she was looking for something.

Raising an eyebrow, Scootaloo asked, "Hey, Apple Bloom, are you alright?"

"Huh?" asked Apple Bloom, snapping out of whatever trance she was in. "Oh...uh...yeah, that was a great idea! Let's get there right away!"

Immediately, Apple Bloom began trotting faster than her friends, getting a head of them by a couple of feet. Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle with a confused look while the white unicorn could only shrug one of her shouldering in response.

The rest of the journey to the clubhouse was made in silence, Apple Bloom leading the way. As they walked, Rumble noticed that they were heading past Sweet Apple Acres, the apple farm he heard so much about. When they passed the main gate to the farm, he looked in awe at all the apple trees that were strewn about the grounds, letting out a small gasp as he did; he had never seen so many apples in his entire life.

Soon, the four of them went past the main barn and into a more secluded section of the farm. As they did, Rumble kept a close eye on his surroundings, making sure he knew exactly where they were and how to get back if he needed to. However, his observations were short lived when his eyes fell upon what he could only assume was their clubhouse.

The brown house rested on a tree and had several windows on all sides, a balcony surrounding it and a ramp that lead up to the main entrance.

"Rumble," said Scootaloo, "Welcome to the clubhouse of the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'!"

"Wow," said Rumble, "Did you three make this?"

"Well, sort of," said Sweetie Belle, "It was Applejack's old clubhouse when she was our age, so we didn't actually make it from scratch."

"But Apple Bloom made all the new renovations, like the roof and the walls and...well...everything else, for that matter."

"Wow," the colt said again, "You have a real knack for building things, Apple Bloom."

The earth pony didn't respond with words. All she did was smile a sheepish grin and run a hoof through her red hair-bow, her cheeks turning an interesting shade of red. An awkward silence fell upon the four of them as they all searched for something to say.

Soon, the orange Pegasus said, "So...how about we give you the tour of our clubhouse, Rumble?"

"That's a great idea," said Sweetie Belle, her voice cracking as she spoke. When it did, Rumble could feel his heart beginning to speed up. He didn't know why, but he liked the way it cracked like that; to him, it sounded very cute.

"What do you say, Apple Bloom?" asked Scootaloo, "Want to do the honors of giving our newest member the official tour?"

"Huh?" asked Apple Bloom, looking like she was snapped out of her trance again. "Oh...uh...sure...ah guess."

Soon, all of them were heading up the ramp into the clubhouse, Apple Bloom, once again, leading the way and Rumble falling behind the others. When they were inside, Rumble looked around at the beautifully decorated interior that was their clubhouse. It was small, but big enough to house all of them with ease. Drapes and white window sills lined the windows as drawings and pictures lined up the walls. He saw that there was a ladder that led up to another upper section of the clubhouse but he couldn't see what was up there.

Taking his eyes off of his environment, Rumble focused his attention on the fillies before him, more specifically on Apple Bloom. They all stood there for a while, each one waiting for something to happen. Eyes shifted back and forth and forced coughs were heard from Scootaloo. Then, probably out of impatience, the orange filly nudged Apple Bloom on the side, clearing her throat forcefully as she did.

"Oh...uh...right," said the farm filly, her eyes looking at the ground and shifting back and forth again. Then, she looked up at the colt and gave him another sheepish grin.

"So..." she said, as she raised her arm in the air, "This is our...uh...our clubhouse. Here we do our...um...our clubhouse...stuff..."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged a confused glance at one another while Rumble sat on his haunches, trying his best to focus on the yellow farm filly. He watched as she looked back and forth around the clubhouse, trying to find something that she didn't seem to find. However, she flashed a toothy smile as she trotted over to the closest thing to her: the window.

"This is our window!" she said with a hoof raised in the air, pointing at it, "This is where we look outside at...at whatever's out there...or somethin'..."

She felt sweat drops beginning to form on the back of her neck as she trotted over to a small table with a vase on it.

"Over here, we have a table!" she said, "Here, we do our...um...table-like...stuff..."

Her heart began pounding harder in her chest as she trotted over to the back wall, where there was something drawn on it. From the looks of it, it was drawn with white chalk and had three O's and three X's, both of which horizontal and were separated with a white line that was drawn between them.

"And over here, we have...um...we have..." Apple Bloom began. However, as she looked at the drawing on the wall, she blinked twice at it before tapping her hoof against her chin. Then, with another sheepish grin, she turned back to Rumble and said, "To be honest...ah don't really know what this is...but it's here...in case...um...in case you wanna...um...look at it, or...or somethin'."

The yellow filly rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof and said, "So...whatdaya think?"

Silence followed as Rumble looked from Apple Bloom to the clubhouse and back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were exchanging confused glances at one another.

After a few moments, Rumble said, "Oh...uh...it's...very nice...very nice."

Apple Bloom released a sigh of relief as Scootaloo cleared her throat and said, "So, basically, what we do is try and think of everything and anything we can to earn our Cutie Marks. Then, we try them out! Whatever it is, it's got to be something we're good at!"

"Anything?" Rumble asked.

"Yeah," chimed in Sweetie Belle, "Of course, we try to keep our safety in mind, so you don't need to worry about that."

"Okay..." said Rumble, trying not to stare at the white unicorn for long, "Sounds like fun."

"So..." said Scootaloo, "Any ideas on how we can earn out Cutie Marks?"

Again, silence fell on all of them as they sat on their haunches and waited for an answer. Rumble began searching around the room, feeling sweat beginning to form on the back of his neck. Since he didn't expect to be asked this question right away, he didn't have an answer ready for them; not to mention his thoughts were mostly concentrated on Sweetie Belle (despite the fact that he tried to avoid this).

The Pegasus colt shifted his eyes to the ground, trying to find some kind of an answer. Then, his eyes focused on some of the scratches in the wooden floor. It was most likely a coincidence that the marks in the ground were shaped that way, but at closer observation, some of the marks in the wood almost formed the shape of a diamond. Having seen this, an idea immediately popped into his head, causing him to look up at the fillies before him.

With the best mile he could possible muster, he said to them, "How about...kite flying?"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged smiles at one another. Then, the former said, "That's good, but we already tried doing that a while ago."

"Oh," said Rumble, as he looked down the ground again.

"It's not your fault," said the white filly, "I guess we should have told you what we did already before we..."

"Now what a minute, girls," interrupted Apple Bloom as she trotted between the two of them, "Ah think we should give it another go!"

"Huh?" said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in unison. As the two of them raised an eyebrow at their friend, Rumble looked up at her, a surprised look on his face.

Her cheeks turning a small shade of red, the farm filly said, "Well, ah think we should try kite-flying again."

"But we already did, remember?" asked Sweetie Belle, "The kites kept falling to the ground and getting caught in trees and stuff!"

"Ah know, ah know, but Applejack's always tellin' me that 'practice makes perfect'. Besides, it can't hurt to try again. Come on, ya'll. Let's give it another go!"

"Well..." said Scootaloo, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof, "I guess it's worth another shot...I guess..."

"Well, what are we waitin' for?" Apple Bloom said as she began making her way to the main entrance of the clubhouse. On her way, she passed by Rumble, who offered a polite smile at her. She smiled back, her cheeks still an interesting shade of red. However, she kept her eyes on him for a moment too long as her hoof caught onto a raised floor board, causing her to lose her balance and trip.

Apple Bloom tumbled out of the doorway of the clubhouse, looking like a bouncing ball as she fell down the ramp and hit the soft grass at the very bottom.

"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo called out, "Are you alright?"

Her eyes spinning in her head, she managed to call out, "Ah'm okay!" As she tried to regain her focus, she couldn't help but think to herself, Great job, you klutz. You made yerself look like a fool!

Scootaloo gave a look of concern as she darted out of the clubhouse to check their fellow crusader. This left Rumble and Sweetie Belle alone inside for a few moments. Their time alone was cut short when Rumble saw the white filly beginning to leave.

This is your chance, he thought to himself. Say something to her!

"Um..." he managed to choke out. Thankfully, this caught the attention of Sweetie Belle, who stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Hmm?" she asked, offering a smile to him.

The two of them stared at each other for the first time that day. Rumble could feel his heart beginning to race inside his chest, almost pounding against his ribcage. As he gazed into her beautiful eyes, he tried desperately to think of something, anything, to say to her. All he managed to do was open his mouth in preparation to say something. Unfortunately, no words were able to come out; however, he felt them caught in his throat, making it harder for him to breath, more or less speak.

As Sweetie Belle looked into Rumble's eyes, she felt something beginning to come over her. She didn't know why, but she had a sense of familiarity with the feeling; it was as if she had felt this way before, a long time ago. Immediately, her thoughts went back to the day before, when she looked into his eyes at the party. She recalled feeling the same way now that she felt back then. However, a part of her still felt that she had felt this way long before Rumble came along, but she couldn't put her hoof on when.

"Sweetie Belle! Rumble!" called Scootaloo from outside the clubhouse, "Are you two coming or what?"

Instantly, Sweetie Belle took her eyes off of Rumble and looked outside to see Scootaloo and Apple Bloom waiting for them.

Looking back at the colt, she smiled again and said, "Let's get going, Rumble."

All Rumble could do was close his ajar mouth and nod, trying his best to make his feigned smile look natural. Then, the white filly trotted out of the clubhouse, leaving him alone for a few moments. In the split second she was gone, he managed to exhale deeply; he hadn't recalled when he started holding his breath, but at one point, he did.

A second or two later, he got up and began trotting out of the clubhouse. When he reached the bottom of the ramp, he saw the three fillies were waiting for him.

"So, where're we gonna get our kites?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I think I still have the kites from last time at my house," said Scootaloo.

"Great," said Sweetie Belle, "Let's get going, then."

Nodding her head, Scootaloo turned down the dirt path and began leading the others to her house to get their kites. Apple Bloom followed next with Sweetie Belle following her and Rumble trailing behind. As the grey colt trotted behind the others, he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh to himself, his eyes looking from Sweetie Belle to the ground.

Well, that didn't go as expected, the thought to himself. What's happening to me? Why can't I talk when I'm around her? Why is this happening all of a sudden?

He let out another sigh. Maybe I'll have better luck next time. If only there was a way that I could spend some time with her without the others. Maybe then I'd be able to think of what to say.

After a short distance, Sweetie Belle increased the speed of her trot to catch up to Apple Bloom. "Are you alright?" she asked her.

"Huh?" she asked, appearing to be snapped out of some kind of trance.

"I asked if you were alright."

"Oh, ah'm fine, thanks."

"Are you sure?"

At the last question, Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, ah'm sure. Why're you askin'?"

"Well, it's not like you to be so...well...clumsy like that," explained the unicorn, "I was just a little worried about you, that's all."

Apple Bloom put on a smile and said, "Don't you worry yerself. Ah'm a-okay! Nothin' wrong here, no sir-ee!"

With that, Apple Bloom turned and began trotting a little faster. As she did, Sweetie Belle looked at her and cocked her head to one side.

Something is definitely up with Apple Bloom, she thought to herself. It's not like her to act like this. I wonder what she's up to. Also, is it just me, or have her cheeks been turning red a lot today?

With nothing more than a shrug, she continued trotting down the dirt path as the four of them made their way towards town, all of them hoping their second attempt at "kite-flying cutie marks" will pay off.

Thunderlane was trotting through Ponyville, trying his best to memorize some of the more helpful places around town. It'd only been a few days since he moved here, but he was pretty confident he had most of the town memorized. He kept in mind places like Town Hall, Sugar Cube Corner, an odd store that sold quills and sofas, and other places like that.

As he continued trotting down the road past a library in a tree, he spotted a familiar face leaving the building. When the pony in question spotted him, she tucked a book into her saddlebag and approached him with a smile.

"Rainbow Dash!" he called out to the cyan Pegasus in front of him.

"Hey, Thunderlane," she responded, extending her hoof to give him a hoof-bump, "What's happening? I heard you and your brother moved into town."

He returned the gesture and smiled. "Yeah, and I have to admit, this town is pretty nice. I didn't expect to receive such a warm welcome yesterday."

As Thunderlane continued trotting down the road, Rainbow Dash unfurled her wings and began flying along side of him.

"So, you planning on staying here for long?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said, looking at the ground, "It all depends on what's happening back at home. Hopefully, we'll get to stay here for a bit longer because I really like it here."

"Well, glad to hear you're enjoying yourself. By the way, are you ready for tomorrow?"

The moment the question left her mouth, Thunderlane stopped trotting. "Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?"

Hovering in front of him, Rainbow raised an eyebrow and asked, "Don't you remember? We have weather duties tomorrow. There's a scheduled morning rain shower that we need to have, not to mention that it needs to be cleared up by the afternoon."

"Oh...that rain shower was scheduled for tomorrow?" Thunderlane asked, a worried look on his face.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at him. "You didn't forget, did you?"

"No, no, no, of course not," he said, a toothy grin replacing his look of worry. "I totally remembered. What made you think I forgot?"

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow again, clearly not convinced that he remembered. Knowing she was looking right through his lies, the stallion sighed and lowered his head in shame.

"Alright, alright, you caught me. I forgot, okay?"

She rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Typical Thunderlane." Then, she focused her attention back to him and said, "Good thing I was here to remind you, huh? Otherwise, you'd have to explain why you didn't show up!"

"Yeah," he said nervously, "Good thing."

"Well, I need to get going. I'll see you tomorrow, Thunderlane." With that, she flew off into the air, leaving a streak of rainbow in her pass. When he was certain she was out of sight, Thunderlane let out an audible sigh.

Well, this is just great, he thought to himself. I didn't expect that storm to be scheduled for tomorrow. Now I'll need to find someone to watch after Rumble while I'm gone. But, who am I going to ask? I don't know too many ponies here that I can trust. There's got to be somepony who I can...

Thunderlane's thoughts were cut off when he spotted a familiar unicorn trotting down the road. He didn't have to think for long to recognize the beautiful Rarity, trotting along with a saddlebag on her back and a lovely smile on her face. Instantly, his heart began to beat and a contented sigh escaped his lips; in all his life, he had never seen such a beautiful pony.

Immediately, he shook his head and straightened his posture as an idea popped into his head. Although he was worried about what the outcome would be, he knew that he had to ask, and who better than the lovely vision trotting in front of him. Besides, if she said no, he'd have to ask another pony so he figured he'd have to start somewhere.

Slowly, he trotted up to Rarity, cleared his throat, and called out, "Excuse me."

Rarity stopped her trotting and turned to look at him, a surprised look on her face.

"Oh," she said, "Hello, Thunderlane. How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," he said, scratching the back of his neck with a hoof. "Listen, I know we haven't known each other for long, but something has come up and...well...I was...um..."

Rarity turned her whole body to face him as a look of concern came across her face.

"What's wrong, darling?" she asked.

Letting out another sigh, he continued. "Well, I have to go and perform weather duties tomorrow and...let's just say that it took me by surprise and…well...I was just wondering...if it's not too much trouble, that is...if you could...um..."

She sat on her haunches, cocking her head to one side in confusion. When he saw this, Thunderlane let out one last sigh and blurted out, "Would it be alright if you can watch Rumble tomorrow, just until the late afternoon? I completely forgot about my weather duties and I don't know who else to ask."

She was taken aback by his request; the look in her eyes was a clear indication of that. However, the look was short lived as she began tapping her hoof on her chin, looking down at the ground as she did.

"Well," she said, "This is rather unexpected."

"I know it's very 'last minute', but you look like a mare that I can trust," he said, a smile coming across his face. When it did, Rarity couldn't help but smile, her cheeks turning a small shade of red.

"Oh, of course I will, darling," she said, "He can come home with Sweetie Belle right after school tomorrow."

Thunderlane let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. You're a life saver!"

The two of them smiled at one another, both of their cheeks becoming redder than they ever thought possible. With one last thank you, Thunderlane turned away and began making his way back to the inn, a wave of relief washing over him.

Thank Celestia she said yes. She's such a generous mare, he thought to himself. There has to be a way for me to thank her for this.

He allowed his thoughts to dwell on this as he trotted away. As he did, Rarity couldn't help but let a small giggle escape her lips.

He's so cute, she thought to herself. With that, she continued to make her way back to the Boutique, her cheeks still a small shade of red.

Chapter 7: Reassuring Signs

The day was slowly fading into evening as the sun began to set across the horizon. It wasn’t so late that the sky was changing color, but late enough for the four foals to know that it was time to head home. The four of them were trotting down the dirt path, heading to Sweet Apple Acres before going to Ponyville, all of them in complete silence. As they walked, they saw wide assortments of creatures scurrying about, like birds and squirrels and the occasional butterfly that hovered around them.

As they continued to walk, Apple Bloom decided to try and break the silence between them. “So...” she began with a sheepish grin on her face, “That kite-flyin’ sure was fun, right girls?”

“Yeah, tons of fun,” said Scootaloo with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, “Nothing but broken kites and no Cutie Marks. It was no different from the last time we tried it.”

Rumble lowered his head in shame. “Sorry about that,” he said to her, “I guess I should have come up with something better, huh?”

"It’s not your fault, Rumble," said Sweetie Belle with a smile, “It was worth another shot. Besides, it wasn’t like we had anything else better planned.”

Rumble offered a smile in response, but quickly fell silent again. No matter what the circumstances were, his heart always seemed to speed up whenever she talked to him. However, he decided to try and put those thoughts behind him for right now and focus on getting home.

A short time later, they all reached the main entrance to Sweet Apple Acres. When they did, Apple Bloom turned to the others and said, “Well, ah guess ah’ll see ya’ll tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow, Apple Bloom,” the two fillies said in unison, offering a small giggle to each other when they did. Then, the two of them began trotting away.

“See you around, Apple Bloom,” said Rumble, offering another polite smile to her.

Apple Bloom returned the gesture by waving at him as she turned and began making her way towards the barn. However, like before, she kept her eyes on him for a moment too long as she accidently tripped on a rock, making her land flat on her face.

Immediately, Rumble trotted over to her with a worried look on his face and asked, “Are you okay, Apple Bloom?”

“Yeah, ah’m okay,” she said as she quickly got up. Nervously, she began brushing herself off with a look of embarrassment on her face.

“Are you sure?” he asked, cocking his head to one side.

“Oh, sure,” she quickly said, flashing a toothy smile to him, “Don’t ya worry ‘bout me.”

Rumble smiled at her as he began trotting away, speeding up to catch up with the others. As she watched him leave, she lowered her head and let out a sigh, her ears and hair-bow drooping when she did.

“Way ta go, Apple Bloom,” she said loud enough for only her to hear, “Why can’t ya just stand on yer own four hooves? At this rate, he’s never gonna...”

Her thoughts were cut short when she saw a pink butterfly beginning to hover in front of her. As it stayed there for a few moments, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but gaze at its beauty. It floated delicately in front of her, fluttering its tiny wings in rapid succession. She offered a smile to the butterfly as it continued to dance in front of her before it slowly began to fly away.

As she watched the beautiful creature fly off into the sky, Apple Bloom smiled, let out a small sigh and said, “Maybe things’ll go better tomorrow.”

With that, she turned and entered her home with a smile still on her face and her cheeks beginning to turn its interesting shade of red again.

As evening fell upon Ponyville, the clutter of ponies became less and less. Therefore, the streets were beginning to empty out when the three foals entered town. They trotted in silence as they began making their way through the streets towards the inn that Rumble was staying at. As they walked, Rumble kept his eyes focused on the road ahead of him, trying his best to not think about Sweetie Belle and what had happened throughout the day, like his failed attempt to make conversation with her.

Soon, the three of them were in front of the inn. Rumble turned to the two fillies but focused his attention on everything else but the unicorn that was in front of him.

“I guess I’ll see you two tomorrow,” he said with a smile (which was clearly forced, though he tried his best not to show it).

“See you tomorrow, Rumble,” said Sweetie Belle, smiling and waving at him.

“Bye, Rumble,” said Scootaloo, who also waved goodbye.

With that, the two of them trotted down the road together. As they made their way to the Carousel Boutique, which was on the way to Scootaloo’s house, Sweetie Belle looked at the orange Pegasus with a smile on her face.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” she said to her, “Still think it was a bad idea to invite him to join us?”

“Not really, no,” said Scootaloo.

“Why did you think was a bad idea in the first place?”

Scootaloo shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know. I just had a feeling that something would go wrong if he did. But, seeing that nothing has, I guess there’s nothing to worry about after all.”

“See? I told you so,” said Sweetie Belle as she playfully nudged against Scootaloo, making her stumble slightly. With a smile on her face, Scootaloo retaliated by returning the gesture, causing Sweetie Belle to stumble. The unicorn let out a giggle before doing it once more, making Scootaloo start to giggle as well.

As they stopped horsing around, Sweetie Belle asked, “Was it just me, or was Apple Bloom acting very differently today?”

Scootaloo smiled. “You noticed that too, huh?”

“It was kinda hard not to! What do you think got to her that made her act so strange like that? She’s never that clumsy and never spaces out like she did today.”

“Who knows?”

The two of them shared a laugh as they quickly approached the Boutique. When Sweetie Belle saw the establishment, her laughter immediately stopped as she began recalling what had happened earlier.

She began remembering what Rarity had asked her the other day, about her being happy with Scootaloo and if she regretted being with her like they were. Furthermore, the question of whether or not it would be better if she was with a colt instead of a filly also echoed in her mind, making her feel worse than before. As the questions danced in her mind, she immediately hung her head and let out a sigh, a slightly saddened expression on her face.

Hearing the sigh, Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle with a concerned look on her face. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing, honest,” she said, trying her best to hide her expression.

The Pegasus filly narrowed her eyes at her. “Come on, Sweetie Belle. I can see that it’s something. What’s wrong? You can tell me.”

“Well...” she began as she stopped trotting. Scootaloo followed suit, her face still with a look of concern. Swallowing, she continued, “I wanna ask you something, but you have to promise to give me an honest answer.”

The orange filly tilted her head in confusion. “Okay, I promise.”

“Pinkie Promise?” Sweetie asked as she took a few steps closer to her.

If it wasn't for the look on the white filly’s face, Scootaloo would have rolled her eyes. However, she didn’t as she said, “I Pinkie Promise.”

Sweetie Belle let out another sigh as she looked to the ground, making circles in the dirt with her hoof. A part of her didn’t want to ask the question she was about to ask, but she needed to know the truth; she needed to know how Scootaloo really felt.

She closed her eyes tightly as she readied herself to ask the question. Then, she opened them again and blurted out, “Do you regret being with me?”

The question hit Scootaloo like a slap in the face; out of all the questions that she could have asked, she wasn’t expecting one such as that. Silence dawned on the two of them as Scootaloo allowed the question to fully register in her mind. She shifted her eyes back and forth, trying to make sense of why she asked her such a question.

A few seconds had passed before she said, “Sweetie Belle, why would you ask me something like that?”

“Please,” Sweetie Belle said, “Just answer the question.”

The orange Pegasus let out a scoff. “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking.”

Sweetie Belle felt her heart begin to sink as she took a few steps back. She was on the brink of tears as she asked, “So...so, that’s it, then? You...you can’t answer me?”

Scootaloo blinked in surprise. “Of course I can answer you!”

However, because she felt like she was on the spot, it took a few seconds for the answer to come out. “No,” she finally said, “I don’t regret being with you. Why would you...?”

She was interrupted by the unicorn filly pointing her hoof at her and saying, with tears in her eyes, “Y-you hesitated! That means you had to think about it!”

“Wha-...hesi-...HUH!?” Scootaloo blurted out, “What are you...why are you...?”

Immediately, Sweetie Belle turned her back on her as the tears she fought so hard to hold back began streaming down her face. Through her sobs, she managed to choke out, “I should have known you weren’t happy. I should have known...”

“SWEETIE BELLE!” Scootaloo shouted. Immediately, she covered her mouth with her hoof as she realized how loudly she yelled; she caught the attention of several ponies that were passing by, who stopped and stared at her for a moment.

Embarrassed, Scootaloo trotted over to her friend, cleared her throat and said softly, “Sweetie Belle, what’s gotten into you? You know that I’m happy being with you. Why are you asking me these things? Why do you think that I regret being with you?”

The unicorn filly wiped the tears from her eyes and said, “I’m sorry, Scoots. It’s just that, Rarity was talking to me the other day about us.”

Rarity; I should have known, thought Scootaloo as she rolled her eyes.

“She asked me if I was happy being with you and if I regretted us being together,” she continued with a sniffle. She would have brought up the whole “being-happy-with-a-colt-instead-of-a-filly” bit, but decided it would be better if she didn’t bring that up. “I told her that I am happy and that I don’t regret being with you. I guess I just wanted to know if you felt the same way.”

The orange filly smiled as she wrapped her arm around her, bringing her into an embrace. As she did, Sweetie Belle felt her beating heart calm down to normal and her tears beginning to subside. Any unhappiness she was feeling was dissipating into nothing as she returned the embrace, rubbing her head against Scootaloo’s neck.

“I’m happy being with you, Sweetie Belle,” she said in a hushed whisper, “And I don’t regret being with you. Nothing will ever change that.”

“How do you know?” Sweetie Belle asked as she released the embrace to look into Scootaloo’s eyes. “How do you know that nothing will come between us? How do you know nothing will ever change? How do you know if we’ll...?”

Before Sweetie could finish her sentence, or Scootaloo could interject, the two of them were taken aback as a pink butterfly flew between them. It hovered in between them for a few moments before landing on Sweetie Belle’s nose. The white unicorn remained motionless as the orange Pegasus gazed in awe at it. After a few seconds, the butterfly departed, flying into the air before disappearing from sight.

The two of them sat in astonishment at what had just happened. They had always seen butterflies fluttering about in Ponyville, but neither of them had ever had one fly that close to them, let alone land on their noses. Having it finally happen made the two of them smile at one another.

“That was amazing,” said Scootaloo with a smile.

“Yeah,” said Sweetie Belle, her cheeks turning red. “I had read somewhere that, if a butterfly lands on you, it brings you good luck.”

Scootaloo tapped her hoof on her chin as an idea came to mind. “Well, maybe that’s a sign, then.”

“Huh?” aked Sweetie Belle as she looked at her friend.

“Maybe the butterfly landing on you was a sign that everything’s going to be fine and that you have nothing to worry about.”

Her cheeks turning red, the white filly smile and asked, “Do you really think so?”

Scootaloo returned the smile and said, “I know so.”

Then, the two of them embraced each other again, both of them with smiles on their faces. As they did, Scootaloo whispered, “Everything’s going to be fine.”

“I know,” said Sweetie Belle, “Sorry for asking you those silly questions.”

“It’s okay,” she said as she released their embrace and looked each other in the eyes.

“Maybe we can do something tomorrow...you know...just the two of us.”

“Sounds like a great idea to me.”

Then, the two hugged each other one last time. However, they quickly released it as they turned and gave each a soft kiss on the lips, again only a butterfly kiss.

Soon, the two of them began heading down the road again. They only went a short distance before they were in front of the Carousel Boutique. When they got there, Sweetie Belle said her goodbyes to Scootaloo and made her way into the building. As she did, she had a smile on her face as the thoughts of the two of them spending some time together danced in her mind.

“See you tomorrow, Rumble,” Sweetie Belle had said to him.

That was all that he could think about as he waved at the two of them. He could have sworn that he heard Scootaloo say something to him as well, but he was too preoccupied with the unicorn filly to actually hear what she had said.

As Rumble watched the two of them trot down the road, he kept his feigned smile on his face. When he was certain the two of them were out of earshot, he relaxed his face and let out a loud sigh.

“What is happening to me?” he asked aloud. “Why am I feeling this way whenever Sweetie Belle talks to me? Why can’t I ever find the right things to say to her? What exactly is going on?”

Rumble rubbed his mane with his hoof as he allowed his questions to go unanswered. Throughout the entire day, he had tried his best to make conversation with her, to say something other than sounds that came up in his throat. However, no matter how hard he tried, the words couldn’t come out of his mouth.

His thoughts dwelling on this, the grey colt began making his way to the inn. He opened the door to enter, but had to wait because a brown unicorn stallion with a black mask on was leaving as he was entering. Politely, he held the door open for him as he exited the building, holding a stack of papers with his magic. When he was gone, Rumble wanted to enter building but found himself lost in deep thought again.

“What am I going to do?” he asked himself. “Why is it that I feel this way about her? Why don’t I feel this way about anypony else?”

He shook his head to clear his thoughts as he began entering the building. However, he didn’t get a chance to because of an interesting sight that was in front of him. Hovering before him was a pink butterfly, its beautiful wings making it dance in front of him. Rumble watched as the creature came closer to him and lightly tapped his nose. Then, it took off down the road towards town.

Rumble watched for a few seconds before he blinked in surprise. I wonder what that was about, he thought to himself.

He scratched the side of his head as he began making his way into the inn. However, he couldn’t help but look down the road in the direction the butterfly went, just to see where it went. When he did, he let out a small gasp at what he saw next. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing; he moved away from the door and down the road a few steps, rubbing his eyes as he did so, just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. After adjusting his focus, he was absolutely sure what he was seeing was real.

Just down the road, maybe several feet away, he saw Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in the distance. They were definitely far enough so that they couldn't see or hear him, but that wasn't what caught his attention. There, on the tip of the filly’s nose, was the pink butterfly, the same one that was hovering before him not 20 seconds ago. Rumble stood there and watched as the pink creature stayed on her nose for several seconds before it took off into the air, disappearing into the town.

Rumble sat on his haunches for a moment, looking in the direction that the butterfly had gone. He just sat there, staring into the abyss as his thoughts raced in his head.

That butterfly landed on Sweetie Belle, he thought to himself. It was the same one that flew in front of me. I’m sure of it.

Slowly, the grey Pegasus looked at the ground, barely blinking at all. Could that be a sign for something? Could it mean that she and I have a special connection or something? Can it be that I...and her...are...are...

Before he could finish his thoughts, he shook his head violently and tapped the side of his head with a hoof. Don’t be ridiculous, Rumble thought to himself. We barely even know each other. We can’t possibly...

Rumble’s thoughts drifted as he looked into the sky. His heart began to beat a little faster as the thoughts sank into his mind. As they did, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

...or can we? Rumble asked himself.

With the thoughts still in his mind, he turned and began heading back into the inn. As he did, he kept his focus on what he was doing.

Don’t even think about it, he told himself. I’m sure it was just a coincidence.

He opened the door to the inn and began making his way up the stairs to his and his brother’s room.

I’m pretty sure it’s nothing, he kept repeating to himself. I’ll just put this behind me and not even think about it. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to be alone with her anytime soon.

Author's Note

Fun Fact: The "brown stallion with the black mask" is my OC, Diamond Arrow. Although he hasn't hit the drawing pad yet, that's what he's going to look like. What can I say? I little self-insert never hurt anyone!

Chapter 8: Can It Be?

Too soon, he thought as his heart pounded in his chest. This is way too soon.

It was the next morning and Rumble was woken up to get ready to school. All last night, he was doing his best to convince himself to not think about what he had seen yesterday. However, with the news he was told that morning, he wasn't so sure he would be able to.

Thunderlane trotted about the room, making sure he had everything he needed for his weather duties, like his goggles and whatnot. As he packed his things, helped Rumble get ready for school and tried to make breakfast for him and Rumble all at the same time, he couldn't help but notice that the young colt was sitting in his room, frozen like a statue with a face of pure horror. He could see that his eyes were like marbles and his breathing was shallow, almost like was scared. Seeing this, the charcoal stallion sighed and entered the room with him, sitting next to his brother.

"Don't worry about anything, little guy," he said reassuringly to him, "Everything will be alright. It's not like I'm going to be gone all day. Besides, I arranged for you to stay with one of your classmates so you won't feel uncomfortable."

That's just the problem, Rumble thought as he tried to calm himself down. Why did it have to be with her? Why couldn't it have been with anypony else?

Rubbing his back, Thunderlane continued. "I know that it's very last minute, but it's the best I could do. You know I can't take you with me and I'd leave you with Mom and Dad, but..."

He trailed off as he looked at the ground and sighed. Before he could continue, Rumble asked, "Why can't I go to Mom and Dad's?"

A nervous look came across the stallion's face. "Well...let's just say that Mom and Dad are going through some...things right now, things that they need to be alone for."

"Is that why we moved here?" the colt asked. "Are we ever going back?"

Thunderlane sighed. "Yes, that's why we moved here. As far as going back, I don't really know. We'll just have to see, I guess."

Then, Thunderlane gave Rumble a light hug and a kiss on his forehead before saying, "But what I do know is this: things are going to get better, buddy, I promise."

The grey colt returned the hug and smiled. Even though he was comforted by his older brother, that still didn't take away the anxiety of what was happening later. Soon, when the two released their embrace, Thunderlane trotted out of the room. He told Rumble not to worry one last time and to get ready for school before he was late.

Rumble kept his fake smile on his face the rest of that morning, trying to make it appear like he was excited rather than terrified at what was going to happen. Sure, he wanted to spend some alone time with Sweetie Belle in hopes that he would find the right words to say (or anything to say), but on his own accord and when he was ready. Since he was far from ready to be alone with her, and because he didn't have much of a choice, his anxiety was reaching its highest peak.

Soon, it was the time that Rumble feared the most: time to head off to school. With one last goodbye to his brother, Rumble began making his way through the streets of town towards the schoolhouse. As he trotted, he could feel his heart pounding against his ribs, making him trot slower than before.

What am I going to do? What am I going to say? Rumbled kept on repeating to himself. Unfortunately, he couldn't come up with any answers as the school appeared over the horizon.

I guess I should start by saying 'hi' or something, he tried to reassure himself. What better way to start than there, right? After that, everything else will flow normally, right?

He let out a soft moan to himself as he stood in front of the school. His breathing became more and more labored as he trotted up the steps. As he opened the doors, Rumble could have sworn he felt his heart skip a beat because he expected to see the unicorn filly in the room. However, his heart began to rest easy, though not by much, as he noticed Sweetie Belle wasn't in the room. He took a breath as he made his way to his seat and sat down.

Just don't think about it, he tried telling himself. Let's just put it behind me and not even worry about it. That should be easy, right?

Instantly, he put his head on the desk, refusing to lift it up again. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not going to stop panicking about this until this day is done.

Rumble slowly lifted his head up and sighed. I guess I should just make the best of this. Besides, it's just one afternoon. There's nothing bad that can happen in a single afternoon...here's hoping, at least.

With nothing left to do, the colt let out one last breath of air and looked at the clock, hoping that staring at it would somehow slow down time and give him a chance to calm down.

Outside, the Cutie Mark Crusaders trotted to the schoolhouse together. When they got to their, Apple Bloom began making her way up the stairs, only to stop when she turned and saw that the others weren't following her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," said Sweetie Belle, "I just need to talk to Scootaloo for a moment, that's all."

Apple Bloom smiled and rolled her eyes as she took the hint. "Alright, you two, just hurry it up before yer late."

As she trotted up the stairs and went inside, Scootaloo turned to Sweetie Belle and asked, "So, what do you want to do this afternoon? I was thinking that the two of us could have a small picnic together or something. I know the perfect spot for us to go and..."

With a semi-guilty look on her face, the white filly interrupted, "That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. The thing is that I won't be able to make it today."

Scootaloo blinked in surprise and asked, "Really? Why's that?"

"Well, the thing is, Rarity is foal-sitting Rumble today and she wants me to go straight home with him," she explained, "Since Thunderlane isn't coming to pick him up until later, I won't be able to make it. I'm really sorry, Scoots."

The orange Pegasus flashed a smile at her and said, "It's no big deal, I understand. We can make it for tomorrow."

Sweetie Belle smiled and nudged against Scootaloo's neck. "Thanks, Scootaloo. A picnic sounds nice, though. I can't wait."

"Me neither," the orange filly said before planting a small kiss on Sweetie's lips. The gesture made the two of them blush and smile at one another. However, the mood slightly changed when they heard a familiar voice whisper behind them.

"Scoota-Belle," Diamond Tiara whispered as she opened the door, Silver Spoon not too far behind her. The two of them shared a laugh and gave each other a high-hoof as the door closed behind them.

Scootaloo narrowed her eyes and asked, "Will she ever learn to leave us alone?"

"Just let it go," said Sweetie Belle, "It's not worth getting angry over."

The orange filly blinked in surprised at her response. Then, she let out a laugh and said, "So, you finally took my advice and not let those two bother you, huh?"

Sweetie Belle smiled at her. "Yeah, I guess I did. Thanks, Scoots."

"No need to thank me," the orange filly said, "I'm just glad you're not letting it bother you like you used to."

The unicorn filly leaned in and rubbed against Scootaloo's neck as she whispered, "I love you, Scootaloo."

Wrapping her arm around her in an embrace, Scootaloo whispered back, "I love you too, Sweetie Belle."

Then, the two fillies released their embrace and entered the building together, both of them with a smile on their faces and color in their cheeks.

Several hours later, the last school bell rang and the all the fillies and colts began making their way out of the school. As they did, Ms. Cheerilee called out, "See you tomorrow, class. Don't forget to do your homework tonight."

As all the foals rushed out of the building, the Cutie Mark Crusaders left the building behind all the others.

"I can't believe we actually have homework," said Sweetie Belle.

"Yeah, I know," said Scootaloo, "Ms. Cheerilee never gives us homework."

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Sweetie Belle stopped to wait for Rumble to come out with Scootaloo stopping with her. However, Apple Bloom didn't wait, but instead, began heading down the dirt road, not even saying goodbye to the others.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," said Scootaloo, "What's the rush?"

"Oh...uh...sorry ah can't sit and wait with you girls," she said, still trotting as she talked, "Ah have ta get home...ya know...homework and chores and all that. See ya 'round!"

With that, the farm filly began galloping away, leaving Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo alone.

"Something is definitely up with her," said Scootaloo. The white filly nodded in response. "Well, I guess I better get going, too. I'll see you tomorrow, Sweetie Belle."

Then, the orange filly planted a small kiss on her friend's lips before turning and making her way down the road. As Sweetie Belle waved goodbye, her attention was quickly drawn away as Rumble trotted out of the schoolhouse, a slightly worried look on his face.

"Hey, Rumble," she said to him, "Are you ready for...uh...are you okay?"

His eyes quickly darted to her and then away from her, a forced smile on his face. "O-Of course, never better...just...just nervous...I guess..."

"Don't worry," said the filly as she patted his back with a hoof, "You have nothing to worry about. My sister is one of the best mares in Ponyville, you'll see."

Rumble didn't hear the rest of her sentence past "don't worry". The moment her hoof touched his back, his insides began to hurt; it was like somepony was using their magic to grip his chest, making it harder for him to breath and focus on what she was saying. He tried his best to make it look like he wasn't in pain, though he had a feeling she was able to look right though his façade.

Soon, Sweetie Belle said, "Come on, Rumble. Let's get going."

She began trotting down the dirt path, leading the way to the Carousel Boutique. The grey colt followed behind her, trying his best to calm himself down. After a while, Rumble managed to calm his breathing so that it wasn't so forced, but that didn't stop his heart from pounding.

Just say something to her, he kept telling himself. You'll feel much better when you do!

With that new epiphany in mind, he decided to try and start a decent conversation with the white filly. However, every time he tried to say something, he felt his words get caught in his throat again, making it impossible for them to come out.

Luckily for him, Sweetie Belle broke the silence by slowing her trot so they were next to each other and asking, "So, Rumble, how are you liking Ponyville?"

Rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof, Rumble managed to choke out the words, "It's great."

"That's good to hear," she responded, giving him a smile in response. Rumble offered a sheepish grin in response before turning his head to face the road. He could feel his cheeks beginning to heat up, making his anxiety worsen.

The two of them trotted in silence as they reached the Carousel Boutique. As they approached the establishment, Rumble raised his head as high as he could to get a good look at its enormous size and beautiful design.

"Whoa," he managed to say as his eyes panned back and forth at the building.

Sweetie Belle let out a giggle as she opened the door to let him in. When the two of them entered, they saw Rarity trotting back and forth in front of them. By the looks of it, she was cleaning up the Boutique, putting things away and making the place look cleaner than it already was.

When the alabaster unicorn saw the two of them enter the building, she placed a pile of folded linens down and trotted over to them with a smile on her face.

"Hi, Rarity," said Sweetie Belle as she trotted over to her sister and gave her a hug.

"Hello, Sweet'ums," she said as she returned the gesture. Then, she focused on Rumble and said, "Hello, Rumble."

"Hi," said Rumble, offering a polite smile.

She trotted over to him with a smile and said, "I do hope you feel comfortable being here. I know it was very sudden, but let me just say that you have nothing to worry about."

"It's okay," he said.

A moment of silence dawned on the three of them before Sweetie Belle said, "Well, we better get started on our homework, Rumble."

"Y-Yeah," said Rumble, a nervous look on his face.

"Well, I'm just cleaning around the store, so if you need anything, just let me know," said Rarity as she trotted away, picking up the folded linens that she had placed down before.

"C'mon, Rumble, let's get started," said the filly as she escorted him to another room.

He followed her to see that they were in what looked like a kitchen. He watched as she pulled out a chair and sat down, taking out the assignment they were given that day from her saddlebag. Taking a deep breath, Rumble followed suit and in the seat across from her. He took out his own homework and a pencil and began reading over it. As he looked at the math assignment they had to complete, he let out a small sigh and began working on it.

The two of them worked on their assignments in silence, not making eye contact with each other. After a few minutes of working, Sweetie Belle couldn't help but look up at the colt, just to see how he was doing. She saw that he was really struggling with the homework; several times, he wrote down an answer with his pencil in his mouth only to turn it around and erase it.

An unsure look on her face, Sweetie Belle asked, "Are you having trouble with the work?"

He gave her a quick glance before turning his eyes back to the work as he said, "A-A little. I mean, I get some of it, but not all of it."

"Well, maybe I can help you," she said as she got up and pulled her chair closer to his.

"No, no, that's quite alright," he said nervously, his heart beginning to speed up, "It's no big deal, really!"

Sweetie Belle didn't listen as she sat down in the seat and said, "It's okay, Rumble, I don't mind helping. But, I have to admit that I'm not really good at it myself, but maybe we can help each other."

Rumble tried to think of a good reason to talk her out of helping him. However, he didn't want to be rude nor could he come up with an excuse to tell her no. With his hooves tied, he smiled and said, "O-Okay."

Sweetie Belle looked at the work and began explaining what it was that they needed to do and how to do it. As she told him about what numbers went where and what to do with them, Rumble found himself paying very close attention to her, more than he really anticipated. For some reason, when she explained what to do, it made much more sense to him.

Then, the unicorn filly picked up her pencil and began writing out the problem to show him what she was doing. It was in that moment that Rumble slowly raised his eyes and looked at her directly. The moment he looked at her, he found himself staring at her for several seconds, his cheeks getting warmer and warmer with every passing second that he did. Luckily for him, she was too focused in what she was doing to notice.

She's so...so..., the grey colt thought to himself as he kept his eyes on her for what felt like an hour, even though it was only a few moments. When she put her pencil down to explain what she did, he quickly turned his gaze off of her and on the paper she just wrote on. He focused his attention on what she was explaining, hoping that she didn't see his crimson cheeks against his grey coat.

"I think I'm beginning to understand what to do," said Rumble as he tried to hide his red cheeks. Luckily, he had been listening to what she was saying and really began understanding how to do the math homework.

Sweetie Belle lowered her head in shame, "Well, at least you get it so far. This is part that I don't get. I don't know what to do after this."

Rumble looked at the math problem before him and gave a small flicker of a smile. "Well, it's funny you should say that because I seem to get this part of the problem."

Lightly clearing his throat and rubbing his hoof in his mane again, Rumble asked, "Would you...um...like me to...to...show you?"

The white filly gave him a smile. "Sure, that would be a good idea."

"Okay then," said Rumble as he began explaining what to do. As the grey Pegasus walked through the problem with her, Sweetie Belle paid close attention to what he was doing. It wasn't long before he had reached the end of the problem, coming up with the final answer to the problem.

"Oh, I get it now," she said with a smile, "Thanks a lot, Rumble."

"You're welcome," he said, slowly inching his eyes up to look at her. "Thank you for helping me."

"No problem at all," she replied, turning her head to him and smiling.

It was in that moment that their eyes met for the first time that day. The two of them sat in silence for several moments, both of them staring into each other's eyes. For the two of them, it felt like time itself had come to a stand-still except for the two of them. Neither of them could think of anything to say; what could one say at a time like this?

Several more seconds passed as the two of them stared into each other's eyes, neither of them appearing to blink. At one point, Rumble could have sworn he smiled, although he couldn't feel his face move. What convinced him that he did was when Sweetie Belle began to smile, her cheeks turning red as she did.

Then, one of the pencils on the table rolled off and collided with the floor, creating a small sound as it made impact. Sweetie Belle blinked her eyes in surprise and turned away from Rumble, stuttering as she did so.

"S-Sorry about that, Rumble," she said to him, trying to hide her rosy cheeks.

"No, no, it's my fault," he said as he went to pick up the pencil that fell.

After he picked up the mouth-writing utensil, he said, "T-Thanks again for the help."

"You're welcome," she said softly, "Thank you, too."

Then, the two of them got back to work, neither of them saying anything to each other. As they worked, neither of them could muscle up enough courage to look at the other, in fear that they would be staring back at each other.

Well, that was...," thought Rumble as he tried to find the right words to describe what had just happened. Although he couldn't find the right words to describe it, there was one thing he was absolutely sure of: when they were staring at each other, a feeling of happiness had come over him. Even though he was frozen solid in the moment, a part of him wished it didn't end. As he continued working, his mind kept going back to what had just happened, making him smile as he thought about it.

What is happening to me? The Pegasus asked himself. I don't know what that was, but one thing's for sure, I really liked it.

What was that all about? Sweetie Belle asked herself. She wasn't so much questioning why she was staring at him like that, but why the feeling felt so familiar. This was the third time she felt this way when she looked at him and she still had no clue where she had felt this way before. She gave a mental shrug as she continued her work, even though she couldn't stop thinking about it.

Why do I feel that way whenever I look at him like that? Sweetie Belle thought. Why does it feel so familiar? What exactly is going on?

"Well, I never thought that this place would get so messy," Rarity said to herself as she took a pile of dirty clothing off the floor with her magic, "Thunderlane will be here later this afternoon and I want this place to be spotless."

She trotted down the hall with the clothing, heading for the laundry room. However, as she neared the kitchen, a thought quickly came across her mind.

Perhaps I should check on the foals and make sure they're alright, she thought. As she passed the kitchen, she quickly glanced at the two of them to make sure they were alright and to see if they needed anything. However, what she saw when she looked at the two of them froze her in her tracks.

In the kitchen, Sweetie Belle had moved her chair next to Rumble's and the two of them were helping each other with their homework. However, when she saw her sister look down to write something on her paper, Rarity saw Rumble staring at the white filly, a look in his eyes that she recognized instantly. She watched as the young colt gazed at her sister for several minutes before Sweetie Belle raised her head, causing him to quickly look away. The moment he looked away from her, Rarity ducked behind the corner, her hoof against her heart.

Oh my stars, she thought to herself. I...I know that look.

Immediately, she peeked around the corner to see the two of them working again. However, she saw that Rumble's cheeks were still their deep shade of red and that he was trying his best not to look Sweetie Belle in the eyes.

Can...Can it be...? The alabaster unicorn thought as she ducked out of sight again.

She tapped her chin with her hoof as she allowed her thoughts to sink in. Then, she peeked into the kitchen once again, just to make sure that what she was seeing was true. When she did, her eyes went wide and she let out a small gasp at what she saw now.

The two of them were staring into each other's eyes, neither of them saying anything, neither of them turning away. Although she focused on the look on Rumble's face, her attention was immediately drawn to the look on Sweetie Belle's face. She saw the familiar look on her face, the red in her cheeks that she remembered seeing, the glint in her eyes that was unforgettable.

Rarity stared at the two of them for as long as they stared at each other, which was close to a minute and a half. Then, a pencil rolled off of the table and hit the floor, snapping the two of them out of their trance. Rarity ducked away once more, her hooves covering her mouth to hold in a louder gasp.

I...I don't believe it..., she thought to herself. She can't be...can she?

As if in a trance, she took the pile of clothes and continued making her way to the laundry room. When she passed the kitchen, she quickly glanced into the room to see the two of them doing their work, not looking at each other anymore.

When she entered the laundry room, she put the clothes in a basket in the room to be washed. As she began to leave, only one question began floating in her mind; a question that popped in her head the moment she saw them staring at each other; a question that she didn't want to think about at all, but now that she did, she couldn't stop thinking about it; a question that may confirm what a certain cowpony told her only a few days before.

Can he be the one...?

Author's Note

Yes, ponies refer to the shipping names we come up with as insults. Sue me!

Chapter 9: Love is in Bloom

As the sun slowly began to set, Thunderlane flew down to Ponyville, Rainbow Dash close to his side. The two of them had landed in front of the Carousel Boutique, making the charcoal stallion stare in awe at its beauty.

“Whoa,” he said, raising his head to see the top of the building.

“It’s really something, huh?” asked Rainbow, a crooked smile on her face.

“Yeah, it’s something alright. Thanks for showing me where it is. I don’t think I would have found this place on my own.”

“No problem, Thunderlane.”

The cyan Pegasus offered the stallion another hoof-bump. Smiling, he returned the gesture and began walking towards the building. However, he took only two steps before a thought came to his mind, making him turn and face the Pegasus mare again.

“Hey, Rainbow,” he said, feeling relieved that he had caught her before she flew away.

“What’s up?” she asked as she hovered in front of him.

Thunderlane looked back at the building, then back at Rainbow Dash, a nervous smile on his face. “Rarity is one of your good friends, right?”

“Yeah,” she said, landing on the ground, “Why?”

“Well, I was wondering,” the charcoal stallion hesitated, shuffling his hoof on the ground, “How would you go about thanking her for a favor?”

“Rarity? Ha! That’s easy! You see, she really likes...” She stopped in midsentence as the question sunk into her head. Then, a sly smile came onto her face. “Wait a minute. Why are you asking?”

Immediately, Thunderlane’s cheeks went red. “Well, I asked her to foal-sit Rumble while I was on weather duties and I wanted to thank her for it, that’s all.”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, her face looking like she was trying to hold back laughter. “Is that right? You wouldn’t happen to have a thing for Rarity, would you? Like a crush, perhaps?”

“What? No, no, no, of course not. I just want to thank her for her generosity, honest!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seriously, I barely know her! I don’t have a crush on her!”

Silence fell between the two of them for a few seconds. Shifting his eyes back and forth, Thunderlane leaned in closer and asked in a hushed tone, “Why? She doesn’t have a special-somepony already, does she?”

That did it. Unable to hold back any longer, Rainbow Dash broke out into laughter, falling on her back as she did. As she tried to calm herself down, Thunderlane lowered his head in embarrassment, his cheeks turning a darker shade of red. Several moments went by before the cyan mare began to calm down, standing up as she did.

“No, she doesn’t,” Rainbow said, wiping the tears that had formed from her laughter, “This is too rich! I can just see it now, you and Rarity, together!”

“Come on, RD,” said the stallion, “Stop fooling around. I need to pick up my brother, you know.”

“Sorry about that,” said the mare as she patted his back with a hoof, “Anyway, if you want to thank her, I would suggest you ask her out somewhere. She really likes going places, like those fancy-shmancy restaurants and stuff.”

“Really?” he asked, tapping his chin with a hoof.

“You bet,” she said, unfurling her wings and taking to the sky, “Just don’t be surprised if she plays ‘hard-to-get’. Good luck, Thunderlane.”

With that, the rainbow-mane Pegasus took off, leaving the stallion alone in front of the Boutique. Turning to face the grand structure, he trotted up to the front door and cleared his throat, stoking his mane back with a hoof. Then, he got ready to push the door open when he instantly froze, a thought coming across his mind.

Do I knock on the door or just walk in? The stallion asked himself, mentally debating his options. This is a place of business, so I could just walk in, but this is also her home. Wouldn’t it be more polite to knock first?

He began shifting his weight around as he fished his mind for the proper way to go about the situation. His heart beat seemed to intensify the longer he waited for an answer. After a moment, he decided to go with the latter and knock on the door. However, on the second knock, the door seemed to push open a little bit before resting on his hoof. A small gold bell above the door chimed as the door hit it, clearly making his presence known. His decision being made for him, Thunderlane took one last breath before he pushed opened the door and entered the Carousel Boutique.

Inside, he saw that the whole building was sparkling clean. Everything was neatly folded and put away where it was supposed to be. To his right, he saw that Sweetie Belle and Rumble were sitting at a small table with a stack of papers and crayons, the two of them drawing and coloring together. A little further back, he saw Rarity standing next to a pony mannequin, putting an assortment of sparkling gems on a yellow dress that rested on it.

As he trotted inside, the three of them looked up from what they were doing, all of them smiling at his presence.

“Hello, Thunderlane,” said Rarity, trotting over to him with a smile.

“Hey, Thunder!” said Rumble, standing up as he spoke.

“Hello,” said Thunderlane, “Sorry about the door. I didn’t know if I should knock first or just walk in. It’s hard to decide when your home is a place of business, I guess.”

“Oh, that’s alright,” said Rarity.

He turned to his younger kin. “Rumble, why don’t you go and get your things?”

“Okay,” said the colt as he made his way to the kitchen to get his saddlebags. As he made sure all his belongings were inside, he let out a sigh of relief. Thank Celestia this day is over. Now I can go home and try to forget all about it...hopefully.

As he waited for his younger brother to come out, Thunderlane trotted about the Boutique, looking at the store from the floor up. However, his eyes kept going back to the outfit that Rarity was working on before he arrived; the sparkling of the gemstones seemed to glimmer in the corner of his eyes, making him look at it. Going against himself, he turned to face the ensemble, trotting over to it with a wide-eyed expression.

Rarity saw that he was going towards her latest creation and began to follow him, her eyes not leaving him for a second. When he was in front of the dress, Rarity smiled and cleared her throat.

“Do you like it?” she asked, “I’ve been working on it for quite some time now.”

“Yeah, I do,” he asked, turning to look at her, “It looks...very...”

He trailed off at the end of his sentence as his eyes locked onto hers. She looked right back at him, a smile on her face that made his heart speed up. Thunderlane gave her a smile, his cheeks burning against his face. She must have been feeling the same, he figured, since she smiled back, her cheeks turning pink against her alabaster coat.

“...beautiful,” he said softly, finishing his sentence. They stared into each other’s eyes for a few seconds more before Rarity turned her head away from her, trying to suppress a giggle.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” she asked.

The charcoal Pegasus was about to say something in response when Rumble came into the room, his saddlebags on his back.

“Ready when you are,” he said, his tone sounding like he was eager to get home.

“Right,” he answered him. Then, he said to the mare, “Thanks again for watching Rumble while I was gone. I hope he didn’t cause too much trouble while I was gone.”

“No need to thank me,” she said, her tone as soft as silk, “It was my pleasure. Your brother is an absolute gem.”

Nervously, he scratched the back of his neck with a hoof. “You know, I was thinking, maybe you’ll let me make it up to you.”

Rarity said, “There’s no need for that, darling. It was no trouble at all.”

“I know, but I would like to make it up to you, if you’ll allow me.”

Silence dawned on them for a few seconds.

Thunderlane cleared his throat and said, “Well, I was thinking, if it’s all the same to you, how about I take you out to dinner tomorrow night...just to show you how grateful I am.”

The alabaster mare tapped a hoof against her chin as she looked up to the ceiling. Unbeknownst to him, she was actually thrilled to have him ask her to dinner and wanted to agree to it right away. However, she didn’t want say ‘yes’ to his offer too quickly, so she decided to pretend like she had to think about it.

“I don’t know,” she finally said, “I might be a tad busy tomorrow night, working on this dress order and all.”

“Well, how about tomorrow afternoon, then? I mean, you gotta eat some time, right?” he interjected, forcing out a laugh when he finished speaking.

“Well...” she said, turning her head away from him, pretending to be in deep thought again. She had to admire his persistence; it made him look that much cuter than before. However, the thought of pretending to be busy left her mind as she looked at the two foals in front of her. Rumble was standing behind his brother, looking around for a bit, while Sweetie Belle sat and continued working on her drawing.

Instantly, her mind flashed back to what she saw in the kitchen earlier that day; the way the two of them acted around each other, the way they looked into each other’s eyes for several seconds. Shifting her eyes from Sweetie Belle to Rumble and back to Sweetie Belle, a coy thought came to her mind, making her smile.

Hmmm... I wonder..., she thought to herself. Then, she turned back to the stallion and said, “Maybe I can make some free time tomorrow afternoon. How does lunch at Sugar Cube Corner sound?”

“Really?” he asked, a smile on his face, “That would be great. What time would you like me to come by?”

“How about three o’clock?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

His smile immediately dropped. “Um, okay...but...what about the foals?”

Rarity let out a small giggle. “Silly, we can take them with us!”

“WHAT!?” Sweetie Belle and Rumble shouted in unison, both of them looking directly at the two of them. Unfortunately, neither of the adults turned to acknowledge the two of them, nor did they turn to look at each other.

I told her that I was meeting Scootaloo tomorrow, Sweetie thought to herself, a defeated look on her face. How could she forget that?

Please say ‘no’. Please say ‘no’. Please say ‘no’, Rumble kept thinking to himself, his breathing become more and more shallow.

It was Thunderlane’s turn to be lost in thought. As much as he wanted to decline taking the foals with them, he remembered what Rainbow Dash had said. She might be playing ‘hard-to-get’, seeing how I would react in this situation, he thought to himself. I should just accept. As much as I wanted us to be alone, anything’s better than nothing. I’m lucky she said ‘yes’ in the first place, so I better strike when the iron’s hot, as they say.

With that thought is his head, turned to her with a smile and said, “That would be fantastic.”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes turned into pin-points; this would mean she would have to cancel her meet with Scootaloo again. Meanwhile, Rumble’s heart sped up so fast that he was convinced it stopped beating. He has survived this day with Sweetie Belle; he wasn’t sure he would make it through another one.

“Great,” said Rarity, “We’ll see you tomorrow, Thunderlane.”

“See you tomorrow,” the stallion said. He turned to his frozen brother and said, “Come on, Rumble. Let’s go home.”

The young colt could barely feel his hooves lift off the ground as he turned to the door and began trotting away. Sweetie Belle, who regained her composure much quicker than he did, said her goodbyes to the two of them as they trotted towards the door. Rarity trotted ahead of them and held the door open with her magic, Thunderlane flashing a toothy grin as he walked by. Rarity began blushing as she smiled back, closing the door behind them when they were outside.

The moment the door closed behind them, Rumble let his breath go; like before, he didn’t remember when he started holding his breath, but somehow, he did. As the two of them made their way to the inn, Thunderlane still had a grin across his face.

“Well, that went way better than I thought,” he said, “Honestly, I was worried she was going to say no.”

The grey colt remained silent. He just kept his eyes on the road, only nodding his head in response.

“So, did you have a good time with Rarity and...uh...what’s her sister’s name again?”

“Sweetie Belle,” the colt said, his chest feeling like it was caving in on itself.

“That’s right. I gotta try and remember that. Still, did you have a good time with her?”

Again, Rumble didn’t answer him. All he did was lower his head, his cheeks getting warmer at the thought of what had happened earlier. Not hearing a response, Thunderlane looked at him with concern.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asked.

The Pegasus colt flinched; the question catching him off guard. He looked at his brother and quickly turned away, hoping to hide his blood-filled cheeks. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he said.

The charcoal stallion raised an eyebrow at him. He didn’t know why, but Rumble was acting very strange all of a sudden. He noticed this behavior earlier when he told him about the foal-sitting arrangements, but he shrugged it off then, thinking that it was a result of nervousness. Now, he wasn’t sure why he was still acting this way. There was one thing he was certain of: he only acted this way when Sweetie Belle was brought up.

I wonder..., the thought to himself as the two of them approached the inn. As he held the door open for his younger brother, Thunderlane looked at him and noticed the redness in his cheeks. He knew that something was definitely up, but he needed to confirm his suspicion before calling him out on it.

The two of them trotted up the stairs and into their room. As Rumble placed his saddlebags down on the floor as Thunderlane cleared his throat.

“So, are you excited to see Sweetie Belle again?” he asked, paying close attention to his response.

“What?” he said, being caught off guard once again. Brushing the top of his mane with a hoof, he said nervously, “Oh...uh...yeah, of course. I...I can’t wait.”

With a nervous smile, the colt quickly trotted to his room, closing the door behind him. It was then that everything started to become perfectly clear

I think I know what’s going on, he thought to himself, a knowing smile on his face. He then let out a scoff. Who would’ve thought?

Rarity closed the door behind the two brothers, her cheeks still an interesting shade of red. The moment the door was closed, she let out a tiny squeal of excitement, her smile growing wider than she ever thought possible.

I can’t believe he asked me out, she thought as she turned to continue working on her latest fashion creation. This is simply amazing!

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle called, snapping the mare out of her thoughts. Immediately, Rarity stopped trotting and looked at her.

“Yes, Sweet’ums?” she asked.

“Do I have to go?” she asked, “I told you I was supposed to meet up with Scootaloo tomorrow!”

Uh-oh. Better think fast, she thought as she forced a smile on her face. “Well...I was just thinking...since they were new to town...it’d be a good idea to make them feel comfortable, is all.”

“But...” Sweetie began before she was cut off by her sister.

“No ‘buts’, Sweetie Belle,” said Rarity. Her response caused the filly to lower her head, a look of sadness coming across her face. Guilt began coursing through the fashionista as she trotted over to her sister, rubbing a hoof on her back. “I know you were supposed to go with Scootaloo tomorrow, but you see her all the time. Thunderlane and Rumble don’t have too many friends in town. Would it be so bad to spend just one afternoon with them?”

“Well, when you put it that way,” said the filly, “I guess I can always see Scootaloo another time.”

“Well, there you go,” she said with a smile, “I promise you can spend time with her the day after tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she said as she got up. Then, she trotted up the stairs to her room. When she was out of sight, Rarity let out a sigh through her nostrils.

I’m sorry to do this to you, Sweet’ums, she thought. But I need to be sure that he’s the one. Who knows? If he is the one, you might thank me for bringing you along.

The white filly went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her and letting out a sigh.

“Great,” she said flatly, “What am I going to tell Scootaloo now? She’s going to be pretty mad at me for cancelling on her again!”

She trotted over to her bed and lied down, resting her head on her pillow. “Maybe she won’t be so mad when I explain to her why I needed to cancel. I mean, Rarity’s right; Thunderlane and Rumble are new to town and...”

Sweetie Belle stopped in mid sentence as her thoughts went back to earlier. She recalled how she and Rumble stared into each other’s eyes and how she felt when they did. Then, the feeling came to her mind, making her blush a little bit. She could have sworn that she recognized the feeling from somewhere, but she just couldn’t put her hoof on when.

Shaking her head, Sweetie Belle focused her attention back on the problem at hoof: telling Scootaloo that she wasn’t going to be able to make it tomorrow. How would she react? Will she be accepting and understanding of the situation, or would she be upset and angry with her? As much as she considered the possibility of the orange filly getting angry with her, she knew that it wouldn’t be for very long. They were together, so Scootaloo would be more understanding and forgiving. Besides, it was like Rarity had said: she always hung out with Scootaloo. It wouldn’t be so bad to go with Rumble and Thunderlane for just one afternoon.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she said out loud, “I just have to explain the situation to her and everything will be okay.”

The unicorn filly got off of her bed and trotted over to her window, a small smile on her face, “It’s just one more afternoon. How bad can that be? Besides, I’m sure Scootaloo will understand.”

Author's Note

Yes, the title is a play on the song [in case that wasn't obvious enough].
Meanwhile, in my screwed up mind...

Chapter 10: The Mistake

“I don’t understand,” said Scootaloo, her eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean you have to cancel again?”

It was the next morning and the two fillies were standing outside of the school, ready to begin the day. Before they went in, Sweetie Belle had explained the situation to Scootaloo, hoping she would understand why she had to cancel their special meeting once again. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand at all, and judging by the look on her face, she wasn’t too thrilled about it either.

“I know how it sounds and I’m really, really sorry,” said Sweetie Belle with a guilty tone. “But Rarity set up a get-together with Thunderlane and Rumble this afternoon.”

“Did you even tell her that we were supposed to go out today?” Scootaloo asked, anger clearly present in her tone.

“Of course I did! I don’t know why, but it was like she completely forgot! I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Scootaloo said sarcastically. “You know, if you don’t want to hang out with me, you should just say so.”

“But I do want to go with you!” Sweetie Belle could feel tears beginning to well up. Luckily, she was able to prevent them from leaking from her eyes. “It’s just that I don’t have a choice.”

Before Scootaloo could retort, she was taken aback by Sweetie Belle nudging up against her neck, a guilt-ridden look on her face. Instantly, her annoyance faded away as she let out a small sigh and brought her closer into an embrace; try as she might, she couldn’t stay angry at her for long.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” she said softly. “I promise we’ll spend time together tomorrow. ‘Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye’.”

Scootaloo let out a tiny scoff and rolled her eyes; she wasn’t a big fan of ‘Pinkie Promises’. A small smile forming in the corner of her mouth she said, “Alright, Sweetie Belle. Just make sure you tell her that tomorrow we’re-“

“Hey, Sweetie Belle!” a voice came from behind them, her accent making it clear who it was. Apple Bloom galloped up to them, only to stop in her tracks when she saw the two of them nudging up against each other. “Oh, sorry...am ah interruptin’?”

“Hey, Apple Bloom,” said Sweetie with a smile. “No, you’re not. What’s up?”

“Ah just wanted ta ask ya somethin’,” she said. “Ah know you two’re gonna be out later, so ah was wonderin’ if yer sister was gonna be home.”

Sweetie Belle let out a small sigh. “Sorry, Apple Bloom, but there was a change of plans. Rarity and I are going out this afternoon with Thunderlane and Rumble.”

“Oh,” Apple Bloom said her cheeks turning a very light pink. “Alright, is she gonna be there tomorrow? I really need ta speak ta her.”

“Of course, but why-”

“Great! See ya later, girls!”

Sweetie Belle was about to say something, but Apple Bloom trotted off into the schoolhouse, a smile on her face. The two of them looked at one another as they stood there, dumbfounded expressions on both of their faces.

“What just happened?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“We seriously need to talk to her,” said Scootaloo, pointing a hoof in the direction their friend just went. “She’s up to something, I know it!”

“I agree. I wonder what she needs to speak to Rarity about.”

Knowing that they weren’t getting any answers at that moment, the two of them offered each other a shrug as they made their way into the building.

“Thank you,” whispered Sweetie Belle. “For understanding, that is.”

“You’re welcome,” Scootaloo responded, her tone matching her friend’s.

The two of them shared a small kiss before opening the door and entering the building. As the two of them trotted to their desks, Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but direct her attention to Rumble. She tilted her head to one side as she noticed the expression on his face. He was staring forward, his pupils nothing more than tiny dots and his chest puffing in and out in rapid succession. Although she wanted to ask him if he was alright, class was about to start, so she didn’t have enough time. So, Sweetie Belle simply gave a small shrug as she sat down in her seat.

Scootaloo sat down in her seat, giving Sweetie Belle one last glance. However, a thought came across her mind, causing her to tap a hoof against her chin and furrow her eyebrows in deep thought.

Rarity, she thought. Why does it seem like she’s sticking her nose into our business? First, she makes Sweetie cancel because she agrees to foal-sit Rumble. Then, she asks her if she’s happy being with me, now this! Besides, it’s not like her to forget that Sweetie Belle and I are going out. Why all of a sudden?

As Ms. Cheerilee trotted to the front of the room, greeted the students and started the day’s lesson, Scootaloo let out a huff through her nostrils. You gotta stop thinking so deep into this stuff, Scootaloo. It’s not like Rarity’s trying to come between us or anything. Why would she?

“Rarity, I’m home!” shouted Sweetie Belle as she trotted into the Boutique.

“Marvelous!” said Rarity as she trotted down the stairs, an ecstatic look on her face. “You’re just in time to try on my latest creation!”

Not waiting for a response, Rarity levitated Sweetie Belle with her magic and brought her up the stairs and into the work room. Sweetie Belle didn’t even have time to take her saddlebag off before she was placed behind a changing screen, the two of them scuffling for several moments. Soon, Rarity moved the screen away and brought a mirror in front of the filly to allow her to see her new outfit.

The initial shock of what had just happened subsided as she overlooked the outfit she was now wearing. The dress was all red with a tight belt going around the waist and a short skirt at the end. The left shoulder had two small roses pinned on it, both of which were the same size.

Before she could give a compliment on the outfit, Sweetie slightly jumped as Rarity placed the final touch to the outfit: a red headband which had another rose on it that rested atop her left ear. Unlike the others, this rose was adorned with a small ruby in the center.

“So, what do you think?” she asked, a hopeful look on her face.

Sweetie Belle smiled at her appearance. “Wow! It looks really pretty!”

“Why thank you, Sweet’ums,” she said with a smug look on her face. “I’ve been working on it for quite some time, hoping to finish it in time for an auspicious occasion such as this! It’s just perfect for our little get-together later this afternoon.”

Her smile slowly faded as she asked, “Do I need to wear this? I thought it was just-”

“But of course,” she interrupted. “It’s important to present ourselves properly, especially when with company.”

“Oh...okay...if you say so.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready myself. Try not to dirty up the dress while you wait, please.”

“I promise.”

With that, Rarity trotted off to get herself dressed and ready for their lunch-date. When she was out of sight, Sweetie Belle looked over herself once again, a slightly confused look on her face. As much as she loved the way the dress looked, a part of her felt very unsure about wearing it.

Why does Rarity want me to wear this for a small lunch with Thunderlane and Rumble? She couldn’t help but ask herself.

Sitting on her haunches, she let out a small sigh as she watched her sister get ready with much anticipation in her motions. Rarity seemed to dance back and forth in the room, putting on her own unique dress, applying the right amount of makeup on her face and everything. All the while, she had a beaming smile on her face and would often release a giggle to herself every now and then.

After what felt like half an hour, Rarity was ready to go. She was wearing a dress that was similar to Sweetie’s, but instead of being red, it was light blue. The waist line had baby-blue sapphires going around it and the train of the skirt was woven with sparkles that twinkled when the light hit it. She had even sprayed a little perfume on her neck, filling Sweetie’s nostrils with the sweet aroma of roses.

“Wow, Rarity,” said Sweetie Belle, her eyes widening with delight. “You look beautiful!”

“Thank you, Sweetie,” she said as she flipped her mane. “Now, come along. It’s almost time for Thunderlane and Rumble to arrive.”

With that, the two of them went downstairs to wait for their company to arrive.

Outside, Thunderlane and Rumble trotted up to the Carousel Boutique; the former had a confident look on his face while the latter couldn’t stop his legs from shaking. During school, Rumble had managed to put the thoughts of their get-together behind him. Now that the time was drawing nearer with each step he took, it became harder and harder to not think about it.

Just remain calm, he kept thinking to himself as the two of them stopped in front of the grandiose building. Just remain calm and everything will be alright.

“Well, little bro, we’re here,” said Thunderlane as he extended a hoof to open the door. With a small gulp and one last sigh, he said, “Here goes nothing.”

Thunderlane opened the door, the bell above it echoing throughout the empty establishment. As they went inside, the two of them were surprised to see that Rarity and Sweetie Belle were nowhere in sight.

“Rarity?” he called out. “Are you home?”

A feeling of concern began running through his body while Rumble, on the other hoof, couldn’t help but let out a small sigh of relief.

Maybe luck is on my side, he thought to himself as a smile came across his face. Maybe they’re not here, so we can go home and-

“Here we are,” they heard Rarity say in singsong. Then, she and Sweetie Belle emerged from the kitchen and approached them.

“Hey, Rarity,” said Thunderlane, “We’re ready...for...our...”

She let out a giggle as he trailed off at the end of his sentence, an awestruck look on his face as he looked her outfit up and down. Giving him a playful smile, she asked, “Do you like?”

Thunderlane nodded. “You look so...so...wow!”

Rarity responded by offering another giggle at him. Then, she focused her attention on Rumble, who was sharing his brother’s sentiments. However, his attention was drawn to Sweetie Belle, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape.

“Hi, Rumble,” said Sweetie Belle as she rubbed the back of one of her legs with a hoof.

He couldn’t find the right words to say as he stared at the vision in front of him. Everything about her took his breath away. The only thing that he could feel was the blood rushing into his cheeks, turning them a deep red.

After what felt like an eternity had passed, he managed to choke out one simple word.

“Hi.”

Sweetie Belle simply responded with a smile. Then, she turned her head to one side to try and hide her blushing cheeks. Seeing this reaction from the two of them brought a smile to both Rarity and Thunderlane’s faces.

“Well, shall we get going?” asked Thunderlane as he held the front door open for her.

“Of course, darling,” said Rarity as she trotted passed the stallion. He could smell her perfume as she did, making him smile in her passing.

Sweet Celestia, he thought to himself, his nostrils taking in the sweet scent of her perfume. She’s simply...amazing!

A short while later, the four of them entered Sugar Cube Corner and sat down at a table that was big enough for all of them. Rarity and Sweetie Belle sat down next to each other while Thunderlane and Rumble sat across from them.

As they sat down, Thunderlane said, “I didn’t know this place served lunch too. I thought it was just a bakery.”

“They only served baked goods for the longest time,” Rarity explained. “They started serving food recently. The Cakes thought it would help them bring in more customers.”

The two of them shared a laugh as they looked at their lunch menus, deciding on what they were going to have.

After placing their orders, the four of them sat in silence. In an attempt to break the ice, Thunderlane cleared his throat and asked, “So, how’s that dress order you were working on yesterday?”

“Oh, it’s coming along magnificently, darling,” said Rarity as she offered a confident smile. “Thank you so much for asking.”

As the two of them continued with their conversation, Sweetie Belle looked at Rumble to see that he was looking out the window. What caught her attention most of all was the small beads of sweat that were trickling down his face.

“Are you okay, Rumble?” she asked him.

“Huh?” he said, coming out of the trance that he was in. He looked at her for a split second before turning his eyes away. “Oh, yeah, I’m okay.”

Silence fell upon them as he directed his attention to something on the floor, a feigned smile across his face the whole time. Sweetie tried to think of something to say to him, but she couldn’t find the right words to say. So, she directed her attention back to her sister, watching her and Thunderlane continue to chat amongst themselves.

It wasn’t long before their lunch was served and the four of them began eating. As they munched on their sustenance, Rarity and Thunderlane would give each other an occasional glance, both of them sharing a small chuckle every time they did. Sweetie, on the other hoof, couldn’t help but notice the look on Rumble’s face as he ate the sandwich in front of him.

He had the same look on his face now like he had in school; eyes in pin points and his breathing heavy. The small droplets of sweat began running down the side of his head more frequently than before, which he wiped away with the back of his hoof. Also, he kept looking everywhere and focusing his attention on everything else except where they were; it was almost like he didn’t really want to be here in the first place.

“Rumble?” she asked, a concerned look on her face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Huh?” he asked again. This time, he jumped in surprise, knocking his napkin to the floor.

“Sorry about that,” she apologized. “I didn’t mean to scare you like that. Here, let me get that for you.”

As she leaned down to get it, Rumble followed suit and said, “No, no, that’s okay. I can get it.”

“It’s alright,” she said as she reached for it. “It’s my fault it fell.”

“No, I insist,” he said as he reached for the napkin as well.

Then, the two of them grabbed the napkin at the same time. However, Rumble’s hoof managed to nudge against Sweetie Belle’s, causing the two of them to look at one another in embarrassment. It was then that the two of them looked each other in the eyes for the first time that day.

Like before, it felt as if time was standing still as they gazed at one another. Rumble could feel his cheeks beginning to feel warm as the anxiety he had been feeling all day seemed to vanish. Sweetie Belle could also feel the blood beginning to rush to her cheeks. However, she also felt that familiar feeling again. As she looked into his lavender eyes, she could almost recollect where she had felt this way before. It was some time ago and it had happened right here, in Sugar Cube Corner...

“Sweetie Belle,” Rarity’s voice called, snapping her out of her trance. “What are you doing?”

Shaking her head, she got up and said, “Sorry, sis. I was just helping Rumble.”

“Is everything alright?” Thunderlane asked.

“Yeah,” Rumble replied as she sat up as well. “I just dropped my napkin and Sweetie Belle helped me get it, that’s all.”

Setting his napkin beside his plate, he took a bite of his sandwich, trying to make it seem like nothing had happened. Unbeknownst to him, Thunderlane flashed a knowing smile as he directed his attention back to Rarity, shrugging in response. Rarity replied with a smile, also well aware at what was going on.

After a couple of hours of delicious food and wonderful conversation, the four of them trotted towards the inn to drop off Thunderlane and Rumble, since it was closer than the Boutique. Once there, Thunderlane turned to his brother and cleared his throat.

“Say, Rumble,” he said, “Why don’t you go wait for me upstairs?”

“Okay,” said Rumble, a feeling of relief washing over him. Before he left, he turned to Sweetie Belle and said, “See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow, Rumble,” she responded as he opened the door and went inside.

“Well, this has been a magnificent evening,” Thunderlane said in confidence. However, he caught what he had said, making him stutter in embarrassment. “What am I saying? It’s the middle of the day! I meant to say ‘afternoon’.”

Rarity giggled as he stumbled on his own words, a nervous smile forming on his face. Straightening his posture once again, he said, “What I meant to say is, this has been a magnificent afternoon.”

“Yes, yes it has,” said Rarity as she batted her eyelashes at him.

Blushing, he took her hoof in his and said, “Maybe, we can do this again sometime.”

Before she could answer, the stallion placed a kiss on her hoof. Looking up at her, the two of them looked each other in the eyes and smiled.

Sweetie Belle began tapping the tip of her hoof into the dirt, waiting for the two of them to finish. She stopped when she saw something in her peripherals that caught her attention. Not too far away, she saw a brown unicorn stallion walking past them with a black mask on his face and a large stack of papers in his magic. She watched as he took one of the papers in the pile and taped it on a nearby pole before trotting off towards the rest of town.

Tilting her head in curiosity, she said to Rarity, “I’ll be right back.”

“Try not to ruin your dress, Sweet’ums,” she called out to her as she trotted away.

A smile came across Thunderlane’s face as he said, “You know, you’re lucky to have a sister like Sweetie Belle.”

“I know,” she responded as she smiled. “She can be quite a hoof-ful at times, but I’m still grateful to have her as a sister.”

“You know,” he said, leaning in a little closer and speaking in a hushed tone. “Just between us, I think Rumble has a crush on Sweetie Belle.”

Rarity turned to him with a shocked expression. “What? How do you know?”

Thunderlane chuckled. “I can see it in the way he looks at her and in the way he acts whenever she’s around or whenever I bring her up. It’s almost too obvious, if you ask me.”

That would explain what I saw yesterday, Rarity thought to herself. I wonder...

“Forgive the pun,” he continued, “For Rumble, fillies like her are a rarity.”

“What do you mean, darling?”

“Back home, in his old school, Rumble never really made too many friends. Don’t get me wrong; he was able to talk with other colts his age, but when it comes to fillies, he was never able to approach them, let alone talk to them. He was just too shy for his own good.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking at the filly reading a flyer that was attached to the pole. “It’s nice to see him finally able to overcome his shyness, especially with a filly who’s...”

Quickly, he covered his mouth with a hoof, stopping himself from finishing his sentence. Seeing this quick action, Rarity asked, “What’s wrong, darling?”

“Nothing,” he said, “It’s nothing, really. It was a stupid thing to say, especially with a filly her age.”

Turning to face Sweetie Belle and back to Thunderlane, she asked, “What were you going to ask?”

“I can’t say it.”

“Why not?”

“Because...well...”

There was a moment of silence.

“Because...” Rarity prompted.

Letting out a sigh, Thunderlane said, “Because...it...it might offend you...and...and I don’t want you to think of me as ‘insensitive’.”

Leaning in a little closer, Rarity said, “You can tell me. I won’t be offended or think any less of you, I promise.”

Looking down at the ground, he let out a sigh and asked, “Is she...well...you know...”

Rarity stared at him in confusion. Seeing that she didn’t have a clue what he was asking, he inhaled deeply before blurting out, “Is she into other fillies?”

The question took her by surprise, causing her to take a few steps back. Her eyes began to shrink as her heart began to race. Out of all the questions he could have asked, this was one that she wasn’t prepared for.

Seeing her reaction, he quickly said with worry in his tone, “Please, don’t think I’m against it or anything! I have no problem if she is! It’s just that...well...”

Letting out a sigh, he sat on his haunches. “I don’t want to expose him to that stuff yet, not at his age, not with everything that’s going on with our parents and all. It’s been very hard for the two of us, but even harder for Rumble. It’s hard for me to explain things to him, especially with sensitive things like these. Heck, I wasn’t able to tell him why we had to move away from home. I just don’t think talking to him about that is a very good idea, at least, not right now. You understand, don’t you?”

Rarity had a blank expression on her face as she shot a glance at her younger sister. As she looked at her reading the flyer, her thoughts began racing on overdrive, causing sweat to form on the back of her neck.

What am I to do? He doesn’t want to expose his brother to this sort of thing yet, she thought to herself. If I tell him that Sweetie Belle is in love with another filly, he may not want Rumble to be around her anymore...or worse...he may not want to be around ME anymore! WHAT IF HE THINKS I’M THE SAME WAY?

Her left eye began to twitch as she looked at Thunderlane, who had a hopeful look on his face as he waited for her to answer his question. Slowly, a smile was forced upon her face as she let out a chuckle.

“Why...why...of course I understand, darling,” she said to him. “And don’t worry yourself about it! Sweetie Belle isn’t like that in the slightest, I assure you!”

Thunderlane let out a sigh of relief. “Thank Celestia about that. Please, don’t think me as insensitive or anything. I am just trying to look out for my brother, is all. I want to talk to him about it and I plan to someday, but when the time is right.”

“No, no. I understand completely,” she said, forcing out a laugh.

Then, Rarity was taken by surprise by Thunderlane bringing her into an embrace. Then, he said, “Thank you so much for understanding.”

A split second passed before he realized what he was doing. Quickly, he released his embrace, his cheeks turning a deep crimson and a sheepish grin on his face. Rarity also wore an awkward smile, but for a reason that was entirely different.

Their moment of embarrassment was short lived when Sweetie Belle trotted over to them, a toothy grin on her face.

“Rarity! It’s coming to Ponyville this year!” she shouted with joy. However, she stopped in her tracks when the two of them looked at her. Embarrassed, she quickly said, “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No, no. It’s quite alright, dear,” she said. Turning to Thunderlane, she said, “I really need to get going. Thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon, Thunderlane.”

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure,” he said, rubbing a hoof against the back of his neck. As he trotted to the doors of the inn, he said, “I’ll see you around, Rarity.”

The two of them waved goodbye to each other before heading their separate ways. As the two of them trotted down the dirt path to the Boutique, a wave of guilt rushed over Rarity.

What have I gotten myself into? Now he thinks Sweetie Belle likes colts instead of fillies, she thought to herself. What am I going to do now? It’s not like I can convince Sweetie Belle that she likes Rumble instead of...

She stopped in mid-thought as an idea came to mind, causing her to smile.

Maybe I can convince Sweetie that Rumble is a more suitable choice, she thought. It’ll take some doing, but I’m sure I can pull it off.

As their home came into view, Rarity thought to herself, I don’t want to do this to my own sister, but it’ll be worth it in the end, for the two of us. Thunderlane and I can be together and Sweetie Belle can be with somepony and not have to worry about being ridiculed for it. Besides, her love for Scootaloo might be just a phase. What harm can come from me helping her to realize that?

Author's Note

How many of you saw THIS coming?

Chapter 11: Starting the Fire

The school bell rang loudly as the fillies and colts exited the building, all of them excited to start their weekend. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trotted outside to wait for Apple Bloom, who had to finish packing up her belongings

“Are you absolutely sure?” Scootaloo asked as she raised an eyebrow.

“I’m one-hundred percent sure,” said Sweetie Belle with a look of confidence. “There’s nothing planned for today, nothing that can interrupt us, so we can spend the rest of the afternoon together!”

Smiling, Scootaloo said, “Great. So, I’ll go and get the food for our picnic.”

“Okay. I’ll get the rest of the stuff from my house and I’ll meet you at the clubhouse.”

Soon, Apple Bloom trotted out of the building with a smile on her face. As the other two looked up at her, they were surprised when she walked right passed them, heading down the dirt path.

“Hey, Apple Bloom,” called out Scootaloo. “Where are you going? We were waiting for you!”

“Huh?” she called out, stopping in her tracks. “Oh, uh, ah hafta hurry home. Ah gotta go get somethin’.”

As she began trotting away, Sweetie said, “Apple Bloom, is everything alright?”

She stopped once again. “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”

“It’s just that...you’ve been acting a little...well...differently lately.”

“W-Whaddaya mean?” she asked, her eyes shifting back and forth, “Ah haven’t been actin’ differently. Everythin’s fine here...a-okay...nothin’ wrong at all, honest!”

Before they could say something, she began galloping away, shouting to them, “Ah hafta go! Ah’ll see ya’ll later!”

“We’re still on for our ‘Crusader’s’ meeting tomorrow, right?” Scootaloo shouted out to her.

“Of course!” she shouted back, not stopping her momentum. “See ya tomorrow!”

The two of them stood there with confused expressions again. A few moments passed when Scootaloo shook her head and said, “We’ll talk to her next time. For now, let’s get things ready for the two of us, shall we?”

“Okay,” said Sweetie Belle with a smile. The two of them trotted down the road together until Scootaloo needed to go in another direction to her house. Giving each other a small kiss on the lips, the two of them went their separate ways. As Sweetie trotted towards the Boutique, she couldn’t help but wonder what exactly Apple Bloom was up to.

Sweetie Belle trotted back and forth in the kitchen as she gathered several things for their picnic, like plates, cups and other things. Placing all the belongings in a small basket, she took it in her mouth and placed it by the front door so she wouldn’t forget it. Then, she turned around to get one more thing that she needed. However, she needed to ask Rarity’s permission to use it.

She made her way to Rarity’s work room to see her going through a chest of various gemstones, holding a lot of them in her magic and matching them up to a line of hats she made. Lightly knocking on the door, Sweetie Belle trotted.

“Yes, Sweet’ums?” she asked, placing the seven different colored jewels down.

“Can I borrow that checkered blanket you have?” she asked

“Of course,” she said. “It’s outside one the clothes line. I’ll go and get it for you.”

“Thanks, Rarity!”

Rarity trotted down the stairs and out the back door. On a nearby tree was the clothes line that had various articles of clothing attached to it, including the blanket that she often used for picnics. Taking it in her magic, she folded it up and began trotting back to the house. However, she stopped in her tracks when a noise came from behind her.

The sound of rustling leaves made her turn her head in suspicion, an eyebrow raised. Surprisingly, the sound instantly stopped when she looked in the direction of the bushes that were next to the tree that the clothes line was tied to. Cautiously, she began to approach the bush, her eyes beginning to narrow as she extended a hoof to it. Then, the sound of somepony calling her name made her jump back and let out a small shriek.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” Sweetie Belle said apologetically. “I didn’t mean to scare you, honest!”

Taking a few deep breaths to help regain her composure, Rarity said, “It’s quite alright, Sweet’ums. I was just...distracted, is all. Here you are, dear. Just try not to get it too dirty”

She levitated the folded cloth in front of Sweetie Belle, who took it in her mouth and trotted inside, giving her a muffled, “Thank you.”

Rarity began to follow her when something attached to the wall of the Boutique caught her eye and stopped her in her tracks. It was a flyer of some kind that was advertising some sort of upcoming event that was happening in a few weeks. She used her magic to take it off the wall and read it to herself for a moment. As her eyes scanned the ad, a smile came across her face.

This must be what Sweetie Belle was talking about yesterday, she thought. In that instant, an idea popped into her head. This might be the help I need.

Rolling the paper up, she trotted inside and began looking for her sister. She didn’t have to go far to see Sweetie Belle trying to stuff the blanket into her basket by jumping up and down on it, which wasn’t working out too well. Setting the paper down on the nearest table, Rarity trotted over to her with a smile on her face.

“Come on, come on,” she mumbled to herself. Then, she stopped jumping on it and said with a huff, “Dumb blanket.”

“Need some help?” she asked innocently as she took the blanket out of the basket with her magic.

“Yes, please,” Sweetie said. “Thanks, sis.”

“No problem at all,” she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. “So, Sweetie, it’s just you and Scootaloo going out today?”

“Yeah,” she said, trying to rearrange the items in the basket to make room.

She bit her lower lip as she tried to organize her thoughts and put them into words. Then, she looked around the room and said, “You know, I was thinking about yesterday and I couldn’t help but notice how well you and Rumble were getting along together. You two seem to be very comfortable with each other, huh?”

The filly took out the cups to reposition them and said, “I...I guess so.”

Rarity could feel her heart starting to race even faster than before. “I know that you and your friends haven’t spent too much time together with him, so I was wondering...I mean, if it’s all the same to you...”

Taking a deep breath, she said, “...why don’t you take Rumble along with you?”

“WHAT!?” Sweetie shrieked, dropping the neatly arranged basket on the floor. She turned to look at Rarity with a look of shock as the mare gave her an awkward smile. “Rarity, you promised that I could go out with Scootaloo today!”

“I know, I know! It’s just that...well...” she said, trying to make her smile look as natural as possible. Then, she let out a sigh and hung her head, a look of sadness coming across her face. “Oh, never mind. It was a foolish thing to think about.”

As Rarity turned her back to her, Sweetie Belle asked, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

The mare flashed a coy smile before putting on her routine again. “It’s just that, I was talking to Thunderlane yesterday and he told me what Rumble was like back in his old home, how he wasn’t able to make many friends. He also told me that you and your friends are the first friends Rumble has ever made. I guess...I thought that...if he spent more time with you and your friends, he’d be more confident to make other friends.”

Letting out a fake sigh of guilt, she said, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I was just trying to help him out, is all. Be sure to be back before supper time.”

With that, Rarity slowly began to trot away, her head still hanging low. A humongous wave of guilt began washing over Sweetie Belle, making her feel really bad for Rumble. Every fiber of her being kept telling her to say “no” to the offer, to go out with Scootaloo alone like she had promised over and over again. However, there was a small voice in the back of her head that told her to say three simple words...

“I’ll do it,” she said softly, stopping Rarity in her tracks. “I’ll invite him with us. I didn’t know he didn’t have any other friends and, I guess we’d be pretty bad friends if we didn’t help him out.”

She trotted up to her younger kin and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You’re doing a very noble thing, Sweetie Belle. I’m sure Scootaloo will feel the same way. Besides, if she loves you, I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“I’m sure she will, too,” she said, offering a weak small smile. Then, she turned to the door and said, “Well, I’ll see you later.”

“Have fun,” she said as the filly took the basket in her mouth and trotted off down the road. When she was certain she was out of earshot, she let out a sigh.

You’ll thank me for this, Sweet’ums, she thought. Maybe you’ll see that Rumble is a more-

“Pssst!” a voice whispered to her, interrupting her thoughts. Turning her head to the left, she saw that the bushes beneath the tree were shaking, much like the bushes had in the back of the house.

“Who’s there?” she called out as she trotted over to the bush. “Show yourself!”

“Is she gone?” the small voice asked.

Rarity stopped in her tracks and asked, “Who?”

“Sweetie Belle.”

“Yes...” she answered, her voice becoming very unsure. “May I ask why?”

Silence followed as the bush continued to shake. After several seconds, Rarity was surprised to see a familiar face poke out from within.

“Apple Bloom?” she asked. “What in Celestia’s name are you doing?”

“Ah wanted ta talk ta ya,” she said, her voice still low, but not in a whisper. “But ah wanted us to be alone first.”

“Alone? What about? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everythin’s alright,” she said as she trotted out of the bush.

“Was that you in the bushes in the back?” Rarity asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that,” she said as she stuck her head in the bush again. “Ah had ta make sure Sweetie wasn’t home.”

A few moments went by before the filly got out of the bush. This time, she had a small brown bag in her mouth that looked very full.

“Apple Bloom,” Rarity said, “May I ask why you’re sneaking around here?”

She placed the bag on the ground and said, “Can we talk inside? Ah don’t want anypony ta see us.”

“Sure, I suppose, but sweetie, what...” She stopped midsentence as she looked down at the small bag. The top of it was slightly open, revealing the pile of bits that were inside of it. Seeing her looking at the bag, Apple Bloom picked it up again and quickly trotted to the Boutique, trying her best not to show her blushing cheeks.

She watched as the filly opened the front door and went inside. Sticking her head out of Opal’s cat door, she looked both ways, as if she was making sure that nopony was around. After pulling her head back in, she stuck out a hoof and gestured for her to follow.

Flabbergasted, Rarity shrugged a shoulder before trotting to the Boutique, feeling very nervous about finding out what the filly wanted to talk about and why she was in possession of so many bits.

“So, Rumble, how was school today?” Thunderlane asked as the colt trotted into the kitchen.

“It was okay,” he said, a smile on his face. “We had a test today, but it was an easy one, so I think I did alright on it.”

“That’s good,” the stallion said. A smirk on his face, he asked, “How are your friends? Any plans to see them again?”

He felt his heart skip a beat. “W-We’re meeting each other tomorrow.”

“That’s great. I’m so glad to see you able to make friends. You seem to be getting along better here than back home, especially with Sweetie Belle.”

Rumble’s heart began beating faster as his cheeks filled with blood. It seemed like his problem was getting worse with every passing day; he used to feel this way whenever he was around her. Now, he was getting this way just by the mere mention of her name.

Relax, Rumble, he thought to himself as he took a few deep breaths. You’re not seeing her today, so there’s nothing to-

The two of them were surprised when they heard a knocking at their door.

“Who could that be?” Thunderlane asked as he got up and trotted to the door. Rumble positioned himself to see who it was as the stallion opened the door. Then, his heart halted to a stop when he caught a glimpse of who it was.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle,” said Thunderlane.

“Hi,” she said with a smile. “Is Rumble home?”

“Of course he is. I’ll go get him,” he said as he trotted over to the colt. Offering a smile, he whispered to him, “She’s asking for you, big guy.”

Rumble could feel his heart beat again and it was hurting his chest as it raced on overdrive. Slowly, he got off the chair and approached the doorway, trying his best not to look the filly in the eyes.

“Hi, Rumble,” said Sweetie, a soft smile on her face.

“Hi,” he responded as he rubbed a hoof against the ground. “What’s up?”

“Well, we were having a picnic this afternoon and I was just wondering...that is, if you weren’t doing anything later...if you would...I don’t know...like to join us?”

There was a long moment of silence after that. Rumble tried his best to come up with some sort of excuse to get out of going, but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t think of anything to say. Sweat felt like it was trickling down the back of his neck as he tried even harder to say something.

“I...I don’t know,” he managed to say after a while. “I don’t...I mean, I haven’t...uh...”

Sweetie Belle looked to the ground and said, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I completely understand.”

Thunderlane smiled to himself as he watched his younger brother trying to get the right words out. Seeing that he needed a little bit of a push, he trotted up to him and said, “Well, we’re not doing anything this afternoon, so I don’t see why not.”

Putting a hoof on his shoulder, he continued, “Go on, little bro. Go have some fun with your friends.”

Rumble quickly shot him an unsure look as his breathing began to intensify. After receiving a nod from him, he turned to Sweetie Belle again and said with a toothy grin, “Okay, I’ll come along.”

“Great,” she said with a smile. “We’d better get going. Scootaloo should be waiting at the clubhouse by now.”

“Have fun, you two,” said Thunderlane as he closed the door after Rumble had trotted out. Then, the two of them stood there, both feeling a little awkward.

Sweetie Belle could see that Rumble was starting to sweat like he had yesterday. Concerned, she asked him, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said through gritted teeth, trying his best to smile. “It’s no big deal, really. Why don’t you lead the way? I’m still having trouble remembering where the clubhouse is.”

“Okay,” she said as she went to reach for her basket.

“Want me to take that for you?” Rumble asked.

Blinking in surprise, Sweetie could feel her cheeks beginning to feel warm. With a nervous smile, she said, “Sure.”

With that, the two of them left the inn and began making their way towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Merciful Celestia, Rumble thought to himself as he and Sweetie Belle trotted through town. What did I do so wrong to deserve this? Whatever it is, I’m sorry, okay! Please, just wake me up from this nightmare!

The rest of the journey was made in complete silence as they trotted through the town towards Sweet Apple Acres. It wasn’t long before the two of them made it to the clubhouse, Rumble still trotting behind Sweetie Belle. As it came into view, they could see Scootaloo sitting at the bottom of the ramp with her back towards them, her scooter upside down in front of her and a brown basket by her side. She was spinning one of the wheels around, no doubt making sure there was nothing wrong with it.

When she was confident they were close enough, Sweetie Belle called out, “Hey, Scootaloo!”

Her ears perking up at the sound of her name being called, Scootaloo turned her scooter over and rested it on the tree that supported the clubhouse. Then, she turned to her and said, “Hey, Sweetie Belle, what took you so long? I was about to-”

She stopped in midsentence as her eyes fell upon the two ponies that stood in front of her. The two of them sat in front of her, Rumble placing the basket down in between him and Sweetie Belle.

“Hi, Scootaloo,” said Rumble.

“Hi,” she said, clearly shocked to see him there.

A moment of silence fell upon them as she looked from Sweetie Belle to Rumble and back again. Then, her look went from shock to confusion to disappointment. Although she managed to conceal it from them, Scootaloo was enraged at what was happening. She was promised that she and Sweetie Belle were going to spend some quality time together. Now, she was in the presence of her and Rumble. She was so angry that her promise was broken again that she was inches away from walking away and calling the whole thing off.

Forcing a smile on her face, Sweetie Belle cleared her throat and said, “Well, ready to go on our picnic?”

Her heart began to speed up as Scootaloo locked her eyes onto her, a look of pure disbelief on her face and anger clearly in her eyes. It was enough for Sweetie Belle to drop her fake smile. She hung her head down low and began rubbing a hoof against the back of one of her legs; if there was ever a time she regretted taking Rarity’s advice, it was now.

Rumble began to feel like the elephant in the room, though they were outside. Judging by Scootaloo’s reaction, he knew she wasn’t too thrilled to see him there. If fact, he’d go so far as to say that she didn’t want him there in the first place. Therefore, he lowered his head in shame as well.

“I’m sorry,” he said to her. “If you don’t want me here, I can just leave. It’s no big deal, honest.”

Seeing the look on his face, a small wave of guilt washed over her. Taking a deep breath, Scootaloo said as calmly as she could, “No, it’s alright. You’re here now, so it’s not a problem. Shall we get going, then?”

“Okay,” said Sweetie Belle as she trotted up to her. Unfortunately, she stopped in mid-step when she felt her hoof press against her chest, preventing her from getting any closer.

“Let’s just go,” she said flatly to her, giving her a look of resentment.

Looking around for a few moments, Rumble asked, “So, where’s Apple Bloom? Isn’t she joining us?”

“No, she’s not,” she said through gritted teeth. Then, she looked at Sweetie Belle and said, “Though she may as well.”

She felt her heart sink as she watched her friend pick up her basket in her mouth and trot away in anger. Letting out a sigh of defeat, she picked up her basket and began following her as tears began to well up in her eyes.

Rumble began to follow behind the two of them, an unsure feeling coming over him. As he trotted, he couldn't shake a thought from his mind: Why were Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle having a picnic together without Apple Bloom?

“Are ya sure this looks good on me?” Apple Bloom asked as she placed the top on the big box that was in front of her.

“Of course, dear,” said Rarity with a smile. “It looks ravishing with your complexion.”

“And are ya sure this is the best one ya have?” she asked, tapping a hoof on an even smaller box that she placed on top of the big one.

“For the hundredth time, it’s the best one that I have.”

The filly smiled as she gave her the brown bag of bits. Then, she said, “Just one more thing.”

“What is it, darling?”

Leaning in close, Apple Bloom whispered, “Ya hafta promise not ta tell anypony about this! Not Applejack, Big Mac, or even Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle! Nopony must ever find out ‘bout this!”

“I promise,” she said with a worried expression. “But, sweetie, what exactly do you need these for? It’s not like you to buy these things, and where in Equestria did you get all these bits?”

“Sorry, but ah can’t tell ya that. It’s a secret.”

“But, why-”

Rarity was silenced by Apple Bloom placing a hoof over her mouth and whispering, “Don’t tell anypony.”

Rarity gave her a nervous smile as she nodded in response. Then, she placed both boxes in a big plastic bag so she could carry them home with ease.

“Do be careful,” she said as she began to trot away.

“Ah will, and thanks again,” Apple Bloom said as she began trotting towards the door. However, she stopped when something caught her eye.

On a nearby table, she saw a piece of paper rolled up on top of it. Looking behind her, she saw that Rarity was trotting up the stairs to her work room. When she was out of earshot, Apple Bloom set her bag down and unrolled the paper to see what it was. The second she read what it said, her eyes went wide with excitement.

This gives me an idea! Apple Bloom thought to herself, a huge grin growing on her face. Rolling the paper back up, she placed it in her bag and left the Boutique. Then, she began galloping back to Sweet Apple Acres, her cheeks turning from light pink to crimson as her idea continued floating around in her head.

Author's Note

Did you get the reference of the "seven different colored jewels"?
Yeah, I went there. Sue me!

Chapter 12: The Promise

A disaster.

That was the best way to describe the picnic the three foals just had: a complete and total disaster.

The sun was slowly setting as they began trotting back home, all of them in silence, all of them wondering what had just happened.

Throughout the whole picnic, the three of them sat in silence most of the time and barely made eye contact with one another. Scootaloo had a look on her face the whole time that was a mix of annoyance and anger, making Rumble believe that his presence there was not welcome. He would have left, but Sweetie Belle kept on insisting that he stayed, offering him some of the food they had brought and trying to make conversation with him, though it was very short-lived. Furthermore, he would have said something, like question why the two of them were having a picnic alone in the first place, but the look on Scootaloo’s convinced him that opening his mouth about anything was a bad idea.

Sweetie Belle, on the other hoof, tried her best to make the most of it, but it was pretty obvious all her actions and emotions were forced. She managed to feign smiles and force out laughs when appropriate, but on the inside, she was crying, screaming at herself for taking Rarity’s advice and ruining everything.

Now that it was over, the three foals entered town and made their way to the inn to drop off Rumble. When they got there, Sweetie Belle stopped with Rumble but Scootaloo kept trotting down the road, hanging her head with an angered look on her face.

“Well, I guess we’ll see you tomorrow, Rumble,” Sweetie Belle said nervously.

“Yeah,” he said, “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

They both turned their heads to Scootaloo, only to see that she was much further down the road already. Quickly, Sweetie began galloping after her as Rumble watched with a saddened expression on his face. Letting out a sigh, he turned, entered the inn and trotted up the stairs to the room. As he opened the door, he saw Thunderlane sitting at the table reading a book of some kind. Seeing his younger brother enter the room, he looked up and smiled at him.

“Hey, Rumble,” he said. “How was your picnic with your friends?”

Perking up ever so slightly, he smiled and said, “Okay.”

Without another word, he trotted into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. Then, he lied on his bed and let out a defeated sigh as he rolled on his back, looking at the ceiling.

Way to go, Rumble, he thought as he closed his eyes. You ruined everything.

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie called out as she caught up to her.

“Leave me alone,” she said flatly, not turning to look at her. “I’m not talking to you.”

“Please, just let me explain!”

“I don’t want to hear it, so just go away.”

Ignoring her, Sweetie said, “Look, I know our special picnic together was ruined, but-“

“No, it wasn’t ruined!” Scootaloo interrupted, her tone turning to sarcasm. “In fact, it was really ‘special’! Maybe, next time, we can invite the whole class with us! Then it’ll be REALLY special!”

She could feel tears beginning to well up. “Scoots, I’m really, really sorry!”

“Uh-huh, sure,” she said disbelievingly as she trotted up to her front door.

As Scootaloo reached to open the door, Sweetie Belle quickly said, “I know I ruined everything, but you have to believe me when I say that I didn’t want it to be this way!”

Instantly, she froze as a confused look came across her face. Then, she turned her head to her and asked, “What do you mean?”

A small teardrop streamed down her face as she said, “I didn’t want to ruin this for us. I didn’t want to break my promise to you.”

Turning her whole body around, Scootaloo asked, “Then why did you?”

Sniffling, she said, “I tried not to, but I couldn’t help but feel bad for Rumble.”

“Why?”

As best as she could, Sweetie Belle explained the whole situation to her, about what Rarity had said and how she encouraged her to take Rumble with them, just so he could get comfortable enough to make other friends. As Scootaloo was listening, she couldn’t help but get the same feelings as before, a feeling that Rarity was sticking her nose in their business.

Rarity, she thought, her eyes scanning the ground for a moment.

Sweetie lowered her body and said, “I wanted so badly to say ‘no’, to just go with you like I promised. But, I just felt bad for him, so I asked him to come along.”

Scootaloo opened her mouth to say something when she was silenced by Sweetie Belle wrapping her hooves around her neck, letting out the tears she had tried so hard to fight back.

“I’m sorry, Scootaloo,” she said through tears. “It’s all my fault! I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!”

In an instant, most, though not all, of Scootaloo’s aggression began to fade as she cried her soulful green eyes out. Small droplets of tears began leaking from her own eyes as her friend cried on her shoulder, her remorse as clear as the evening skies.

“I know you really hate me for this,” she whispered when her crying began to calm down. “I understand if you never want to see me ever again.”

Then, she gave her a tiny kiss on the cheek before releasing her embrace and trotting away, her head hanging low and tears still leaking from her eyes. With that small kiss, the rest of whatever anger Scootaloo was feeling vanished.

“Hey,” Scootaloo said softly, trotting in front of her to stop her in her tracks. “I don’t hate you Sweetie Belle. I could never hate you. Sure, I’m a little angry at what happened, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Bringing her into an embrace again, she continued, “I love you, Sweetie Belle. Nothing is ever going to change that.”

Tightening her embrace, Sweetie said through tears, “Please forgive me, Scootaloo. I’ll make it up to you...I don’t know how, but I will.”

“It’s okay, Sweetie Belle, I forgive you, just try not to break your promises anymore,” said Scootaloo. Then, she mumbled under her breath, “...or listen to Rarity, for that matter...”

With her still in her arms, Scootaloo planted a kiss on Sweetie Belle’s lips; it was still the same butterfly kiss that they always gave each other, but this one lasted a little bit longer than the others they shared. After they were finished, the two of them shared in another hug, both of them with smiles on their faces. When Sweetie opened her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the flyer she had seen yesterday and let out a gasp of joy.

“I have an idea!” she said as she released her embrace and trotted to the pole, Scootaloo following close behind.

“What is it?” Scootaloo asked.

“I saw this flyer yesterday! ‘The Festival of the Night’ is almost here!”

“Isn’t that the festival that celebrates the longest night of the year?”

“Yeah, and the best part is that it’s coming to Ponyville this year!”

She leaned in closer to Scootaloo. “Maybe, we can go together...I mean, if you want to, that is.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” she agreed with a smile. “Of course, we’ll have to do something before then.”

“Of course,” she said, nuzzling against Scootaloo’s neck. “You just tell me when and I’ll make sure that nothing gets in the way again.”

Tapping a hoof against her chin, she looked up to the sky to think about it. Then, she said, “How about tomorrow, after our ‘Crusader’s’ meeting?”

“Okay,” she responded. “I promise that nothing will ever come between us again. Thank you for accepting my apology.”

“No problem,” said Scootaloo as she planted a small kiss on Sweetie’s forehead. “I love you, Sweetie Belle.”

“I love you, too, Scootaloo.”

Then, the two of them went their separate ways. As she trotted though, a thought came to Scootaloo’s mind, making her look at the ground in deep thought.

Rarity, she thought again. Why does it seem like she’s trying to get in the way of me and Sweetie Belle. Sure, Sweetie went along with it, but it was Rarity who made the suggestion to invite Rumble with us in the first place!

With that thought in mind, a piece of the puzzle seemed to present itself. Why is it that she’s only started doing this when Thunderlane and Rumble came to town? Do they have something to do with it?

As she got to her house, she hesitated as she looked back in the direction of the Carousel Boutique. Opening the door, she raised an eyebrow as one last thought came across her mind.

What exactly is Rarity up to?

Author's Note

Follow-Up Blog Post regarding this chapter can be found here

Chapter 13: It Can't Be!

There was a slight chill in the air as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle made their way through the streets of Ponyville. The two of them were heading to the inn to pick up Rumble before making their way to the clubhouse, where all four Cutie Mark Crusaders had agreed to meet on this windy Saturday morning.

"I’m totally excited for this meet," said Scootaloo with a smile. "I have a really great idea that I know will get us our cutie marks for sure!"

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be a great idea,” said Sweetie Belle as she nudged against her neck. Scootaloo planted a small kiss on her forehead in response, the two of them smiling at each other.

As the inn came into view, the two of them were surprised to see that Rumble was already exiting the building. However, the first thing they noticed was the saddened expression that he had on his face. That and the way he hung his head made it all too clear that he was upset about something.

“Hey, Rumble,” Scootaloo shouted when they were within earshot.

He looked up to see the two fillies approaching. Then, he hung his head again and said, “Hi.”

Giving him a worried look, Sweetie Belle asked, “Are you okay?”

Not looking up to her, he said, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? If something is bothering you, you can tell us. Maybe we can help.”

Rumble let out a sigh and said, “It’s just that...well...I feel really bad about yesterday, that’s all. It was my fault for ruining the picnic. You two didn’t seem to have a good time because I was there, especially you Scootaloo. I could tell by the look on your face that you didn’t want me there. I’m really sorry that I ruined everything.”

Scootaloo lowered her head in shame for a few moments; not only was she recollecting what had happened, but also how she had acted as well.

Putting her hoof on his shoulder, she smiled and said, “It wasn’t your fault, Rumble.”

Looking up at her, he asked, “What do you mean?”

“I’m the one who ruined it for all of us, not you. I shouldn’t have acted that way and I’m sorry if I made it seem like I didn’t want you there. I was just a little...well...upset, but I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Then, Scootaloo extended a hoof to him and said, “Do you forgive me?”

Smiling, Rumble said, “Of course I forgive you. Wouldn’t be much of a ‘Cutie Mark Crusader’ if I didn’t.”

Then, the two of them gave each other a hoof-bump, all three of them letting out a laugh.

“Well, we better get going,” said Scootaloo.

“Okay,” said Rumble and Sweetie Belle in unison. The two of them let out a small giggle as the three of them began walking down the road towards the clubhouse. They walked in silence as they approached Sweet Apple Acres with Rumble trailing behind the two fillies. As he watched the two of them trotting side by side, the same question from yesterday popped into his head, making his eyes shift back and forth as he looked at the ground.

How do I ask them? Rumble thought to himself. Do I just come out and say it, or should I go about it in another way?

After a few seconds of thinking, he let out a small sigh and asked, “Hey, can I ask you two a question?”

“Sure,” said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in unison as the three of them stopped in front of Sweet Apple Acres.

“Well...” he began, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. “I don’t know how to put this, but...you see...um...I was just...a little curious...why were the two of you-?”

“Hey, ya’ll!” a familiar voice called out to the three of them, stopping Rumble in midsentence. The three of them looked in her direction to acknowledge her arrival only to do a double-take at the filly as she approached.

They watched as Apple Bloom trotted up to the three of them, a smile on her face. However, what stood out to them was the light blue bonnet that rested on her head. As she trotted up to them, she tied the strings under her chin as best as she could and readjusted the headgear so that it would stay in place.

“So, Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Apple Bloom said proudly. “Ah hope yer ready, ‘cause ah’ve come up with the perfect way to earn our Cutie Marks!”

The three of them stared at her in silence, all of them trying to comprehend why she decided to wear a bonnet on her head.

Shifting her eyes to each of her friends, Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow and asked, “What?”

“Apple Bloom?” asked Sweetie Belle, tilting her head to one side. “What’s with the bonnet?”

Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. “Oh, this? It’s nothin’, really. Ah just thought today was a good day ta wear one, that’s all.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Scootaloo said sarcastically, rolling her eyes along with it. “And I’m a talking hedgehog.”

“Ha, ha, very funny,” she retorted. “Ah can wear it if ah want to!”

“Just be careful with that,” said Rumble, as he pointed to the loosely tied strings. “It’s kinda windy today, so you might want to...”

Before he could finish his sentence, a strong gust of wind blew past that sent Apple Bloom’s bonnet flying off of her head and into the air.

“Oh, no!” she shouted as she began trotting after it, not taking her eyes off of it. Not wasting any time, the three fillies began galloping after it, trying to position themselves to catch it before it hit the ground. Unfortunately, every time it looked like it was about to land, it only blew upwards again with the heavy wind.

“Don’t worry,” Rumble said as he unfurled his wings. “I’ll get it for you.”

He took to the sky and began following the bonnet as it continued to fly back and forth in the breeze. As he flew about, the three ponies stopped and stared at him, each of them with a different reason for doing so.

Sweetie Belle had a look of concern on her face, hoping that Rumble could catch the bonnet before anything bad happened to it, like getting dirty from hitting the ground. Her left eye twitching, Scootaloo gave him an envious look as he flew back and forth; he was about the same age as she was, and yet he was able to fly and she wasn’t. Apple Bloom simply stared at Rumble, not taking his eyes off him for a moment as he appeared to dance in the air. With every move he made, she felt her heart flutter a little bit faster as she let the idea of him, chivalrously trying to retrieve the bonnet for her, sink in.

Soon, Rumble managed to catch the headgear in the air with his hooves, putting it in his mouth as he descended in front of the others.

“Alright, Rumble!” cheered Sweetie Belle as he trotted up to Apple Bloom.

Taking it into her hooves, Apple Bloom felt her cheeks beginning to feel hot as she said, “Thanks, Rumble.”

“No problem,” he said with a smile. It was at that moment the three of them saw the real reason why Apple Bloom was wearing the bonnet in the first place.

Apple Bloom’s mane wasn’t in the same puffy style they were all familiar with. Instead, it was pulled back into a ponytail [no pun intended], with the main part of it braided and hanging off to one side; it was reminiscent of the braided mane Silver Spoon often wore.

Realizing that they were all staring at her new mane-style, she quickly put the bonnet back on her head, blushing in embarrassment.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Sweetie Belle said, “Wow, Apple Bloom. I really like your mane!”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shot her a questioning look. Her eyes shifting back and forth between them, Sweetie Belle said, “What? I really mean it this time!”

Shaking her head to get her mind on track, Scootaloo asked, “What’s with the new mane style?”

Tying the strings tighter so that it wouldn’t fly off again, Apple Bloom said, “Oh...uh, no reason. Ah just wanted ta...um...try somethin’ new, that’s all.”

Another moment of silence followed.

For lack of anything else better to say, Rumble cleared his throat and said, “Well, I really like how your mane looks, too.”

Her heart sped up as the words echoed in Apple Bloom’s ears. She looked up to him and asked, “Really?”

“Of course,” he responded with a smile. “It’s...um...really pretty.”

That did it. Taking the bonnet off her head, Apple Bloom turned her back to him to prevent her now red cheeks. “Ya really think it’s ‘pretty’?” she asked.

“Of course.”

Apple Bloom hugged her hat closer to her chest as a toothy grin came across her face. A euphoric feeling began to wash over her, causing a tingling sensation to arise in her hooves. However, it was very short-lived when she caught a glimpse of Sweetie Belle staring at her with a confused expression. Fortunately, Scootaloo was too busy looking at the ground to notice her, a slightly defeated look on her face. Straightening her posture, she put the bonnet back on and tried her best to play it off.

“Well,” she said. “Ah think ah’ll put this away so it doesn’t fly away again. Be right back!”

Without hesitation, she turned and began galloping away.

“I’ll be right back, too,” said Sweetie Belle. “I just need to...um...ask Apple Bloom something.”

The two of foals watched as she trotted away, leaving them alone for a moment. Seeing this as the opportune moment, Scootaloo trotted up to Rumble and tapped him on his arm to get his attention

“Rumble,” she said in a soft tone. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” he said. “What’s up?”

Letting out a small sigh, she said, “Do you think that...maybe...you could help me with something?”

Sweetie Belle trotted up to the house to see Apple Bloom go inside. A few minutes passed before she came out again, letting out an audible sigh as she closed the door behind her.

“Alright, Apple Bloom,” she said, causing her to jump in surprise. “I know you’re up to something, so spill the beans!”

“W-W-Whaddaya mean?” she stuttered, backing up against the door. “Ah ain’t up ta nothin’!”

“Is that right?” asked Sweetie Belle with a coy smile. “Then why did you change your mane today?”

Apple Bloom scratched the back of her neck with a hoof as her heart began to race. “N-No reason. Ah...ah just felt like wearin’ it differently today, that’s all.”

She trotted closer to Apple Bloom. “Look, Apple Bloom, you’ve been acting very weird for the past few days. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

Silence dawned on the two of them for several moments, Apple Bloom looking at the ground as if she was weighing her options. Mentally, she cursed herself for thinking that her friends wouldn’t notice her sudden change and/or think little of it. Lowering her head, she looked at her and asked in a soft tone, “Ya promise not ta tell anypony?”

“I promise.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“‘Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.’”

Rubbing the back of her left foreleg with the other, she mumbled something to her, her eyes squeezing tightly when she finished.

“What did you say?” Sweetie Belle asked as she leaned in a little closer.

She mumbled it again, cringing afterwards once again.

“You’re speaking too low. Can you say-”

“AH SAID...” she shouted before cutting herself off when she realized she was shouting. Squeezing her eyes shut, she finally said, “Ah...ah have a...ah have a crush on Rumble, okay?”

Her eyes growing wide, Sweetie Belle let out a gasp as she said, “Omigosh! Really?”

Apple Bloom nodded, lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut, not knowing what she would say or how she would react. However, she was taken by surprise by Sweetie Belle wrapping her arms around her in an embrace.

“This is so great!” she said. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Ya are?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. “Why?”

“I was always a little upset that Scootaloo and I were together and that you had nopony. I’m just so happy that you finally found somepony that you really like!”

“Thanks, Sweetie” said Apple Bloom with a nervous look. “But, could ya keep it down. They’re not too far away, ya know.”

“Oops, sorry,” she said as she released her embrace. “When did this happen?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she turned away and focused her attention towards Rumble; she could see that he was talking to Scootaloo, looking at her wings as she flapped them as hard as she could to him.

“It happened after the welcome party a few days ago,” she explained as Sweetie Belle trotted next to her. “After we agreed ta let him join us, ah couldn’t stop thinkin’ ‘bout him. Ah didn’t think much of it at first, but when ah had a dream ‘bout him that night, ah just knew that it was somethin’ more.”

Letting out a passionate sigh as she closed her eyes and said, “It was a dream ah’ll never forget...”

Apple Bloom found herself trotting along the shorelines of Las Pegasus, the setting sun turning the skies a fiery orange while the water glistened like diamonds and danced with the waves. She was trotting next to Rumble, the two of them side by side as the sand beneath them crinkled with each step they took.

As they trotted, she looked up to Rumble to see that he was looking at her, a soft smile on his face. Taking in the beauty of his lavender eyes that also beamed with the sunset, Apple Bloom let out a romantic sigh as she rested her head on his shoulder. Her heart sped up a few paces as she felt his wing unfurl and wrap around her waist, bringing her even closer to him.

The two of them trotted together for several minutes, neither of them saying a word to each other, mostly because no words were necessary; they were content just being in each other’s company. Soon, the two of them stopped and turned to face the sunset, listening to the sounds of the waves lightly washing up to their hooves before retracting into the rest of the ocean.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rumble turn his head to face her. Turning her head to look at him, Apple Bloom felt her heart beginning to increase as her eyes locked onto his. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, both of them smiled as their cheeks began to redden. Then, Rumble cleared his throat.

“Apple Bloom,” he said in a soft tone. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she answered. Her voice was so soft that her accent was almost nonexistent.

Slowly, Rumble extended a hoof to her as a smile formed across his face. Instantly, the butterflies in her stomach began fluttering about, making her smile in response as her eyes grew wide.

“Will you be my special somepony?” he asked. He spoke with such confidence, but she could tell by the twinkle in his eyes that he was just as nervous as she was.

Time stood still as Rumble kept his hoof out, waiting for Apple Bloom to answer. After what felt like an eternity passed, the numbness in her hoofs began to subside, allowing her to raise her hoof and place it in his. The moment they touched one another, all the anxiety they were feeling had dissipated like a snowflake in an ocean. All that was left was the feeling of love the two foals shared.

“Oh Rumble,” she finally said, tears of joy forming in her eyes. “Of course ah will.”

Then, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into an embrace. Against the sand behind them, their shadows from the sunset appeared to form the shape of a heart as the two foals held each other for several moments. Reluctantly, the two of them released each other and gazed into the other’s eyes. Then, Apple Bloom closed her eyes and slightly puckered her lips, slowly leaning into Rumble.

“Apple Bloom,” he said romantically, as he too closed his eyes and leaned in. Her heart was pounding so fast that she was convinced it had stopped beating all together.

“Apple Bloom” she heard him say again as the two of them were within close proximity of each other. She could feel his breath against her nose, making her cheeks flush a deeper shade of red than she thought possible.

“Apple Bloom...”

“APPLE BLOOM!” a different voice than Rumble’s shouted, causing her to shoot her eyes open in surprise.

It took several seconds for Apple Bloom to register what was happening right now. Caught in her reminiscing, she had her lips puckered and was leaning in towards Sweetie Belle, who was pulling her head as far away from her as possible, an unsure smile on her face.

Quickly, Apple Bloom straightened her posture as she turned her back on her friend, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

“Ah’m sorry,” she said as she covered her face with her hooves in embarrassment.

“It’s okay,” said Sweetie Belle. She trotted next to her and put her hoof around her shoulders. “You must really like him to have a dream like that about him.”

“Yeah, ah guess,” said Apple Bloom as she dug her hoof into the dirt.

“So, when are you gonna tell him?”

“Ah dunno,” she said, lowering her head and letting out a sigh. “Ah guess when ah’m not bein’ such a klutz ‘round him.”

Sweetie Belle patted her on the back. “Aw, don’t be like that. It’s not your fault.”

“Ah know, but ah can’t help it. It’s like, whenever ah’m around him, time just stands still. Nothin’ seems to matter except the two of us. Mah heart starts ta beat really fast and mah cheeks get really hot. Before ya know it, ah say or do somethin’ that makes me look like a fool.”

Staring blankly at Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle could feel her own heart start to race. What she had just described sounded like what she felt whenever she looked into Rumble’s eyes.

Why does that sound so..., she thought to herself.

“Ah guess you know how that feels, huh?” asked Apple Bloom, interrupting her train of thought.

Blinking twice in surprise, Sweetie Belle asked, “What do you mean?”

She let out a small giggle before answering. “Ah mean when ya first knew ya had a crush on Scootaloo, ya silly filly!”

It was then that she felt her heart skip a beat as realization caused her to widen her eyes in horror. In just that one sentence, everything began to make sense to her and it was scaring her to no end.

Now she remembered why the feelings that she was experiencing with Rumble were so familiar: they were the same exact feelings she had when she first fell in love with Scootaloo. It was a relief to know where the feelings were coming from and why they felt familiar, but it also began to frighten her as the revelation became as clear as day: she was developing the same feelings for Rumble. She was falling in love with him, just like she had with Scootaloo all those months ago.

Slowly, she began backing away from Apple Bloom as her breath started to become shallower by the second. Everything began to rush through her mind at once: How could she be in love with both Scootaloo and Rumble? Who was she going to talk to about this? Could she talk to anypony about this? Should she talk to anypony about this? How would she break it to Apple Bloom, knowing now that she had a crush on him? How would she break it to Rumble? How would she break it to Scootaloo?

“Um, Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked, a concerned look coming across her face. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Sweetie mumbled to herself, slowly shaking her head back and forth. “No...No, it can’t be...it can’t be...I can’t be...”

With all her thoughts hitting her like continuous slaps in the face, she began to feel very light-headed and dizzy. Then, after several moments of trying to make heads or tails of anything, she let out one last breath before she blacked out completely and fell to the ground.

Author's Note

Looks like the plot finally kicked in...and it's a kick in the plot!

Chapter 14: Song and Dance 2 - Dance Harder

Rarity trotted through the busy market with a saddlebag on her back. Since Sweetie Belle was with her friends for the day, she decided to take advantage of the moment to do a little shopping. With a pink scarf wrapped around her neck to keep herself warm on the chilly day, she opened her bag and pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment.

“I do hope the prices of some of these items haven’t gone up,” she thought aloud as she looked at her shopping list.

She took a long look at some of the items before rolling it back up and securing it back in her bags. As she trotted into town, the site of what was happening in front of town hall caught her attention, even though she didn’t stop her trotting. By the looks of it, a stage was slowly being built with several ponies walking on and around it, some with construction hats on and others with blueprints in front of them.

Rarity smiled as she watched some of her fellow denizens beginning to converge in front of it to get a better look at what was happening. Unfortunately, she kept her eyes on the scene for a moment too long before she felt the weight of somepony push into her, knocking her on the ground.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the stallion said, who had also tumbled backwards.

“No, no, It’s my fault,” she said. “I wasn’t looking where I was...”

She immediately stopped when she saw that it was Thunderlane whom she had bumped into. He looked up at her, sharing her sentiments by freezing up.

“Rarity?” he asked with an astonished look on his face.

“Oh my,” Rarity responded, her cheeks turning pink. “This is so embarrassing.”

Thunderlane stared at her for a few moments before he shook his head to regain his thoughts and straightened his posture. Then, he trotted over to Rarity and said, “Here, let me help you up.”

He helped her up, the two of them letting out nervous giggles; neither of them knew what to say to each other to remedy the situation.

An awkward moment of silence passed before Thunderlane let out a chuckle and said, “We’ve gotta stop bumping into each other like this.”

“Y-Yeah,” she nervously responded, her cheeks feeling warmer by the minute.

After a while, Thunderlane cleared his throat and asked as casually as he could, “So, you on your way shopping?”

Trying to hide her cheeks with her scarf, she said, “Just picking up a few things, is all.”

Another awkward moment of silence followed as the two of them tried to make small talk and failing at it.

Go on, Thunderlane, he thought to himself. Just ask her. Maybe she’ll say yes.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of two small foals calling out to them.

“Sweetie Belle? Sweetie Belle, can you hear me?”

It was that all-too-familiar feeling, the feeling of hearing distant voices and seeing nothing but black. Sweetie Belle could hear somepony calling out to her as she tried to open her eyes. As her vision started coming back, albeit slow and blurry, she began to see the shapes of the ponies standing around her. Immediately, she recognized that Rarity was among them and was the one calling out to her. When her vision came back fully, she was surprised to not only see a few new faces around her, but that she wasn’t outside anymore.

Looking around, she saw that she was lying in a bed. Upon further observations of the surrounding furniture and pictures, she saw that she was in Apple Bloom’s room. Rarity, Scootaloo and Applejack were standing on the left of the bed while Apple Bloom, Rumble and Thunderlane stood on the right.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, letting out a sigh of relief and wrapping her arms around her. “Thank Celestia you’re alright! You had me so worried!”

“Ya had us all worried,” said Applejack. “How’re ya feeling, sugar cube?”

“Alright, I guess,” Sweetie Belle said wearily as she rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. “My head hurts, though.”

“Well, ya hit yer head on the ground pretty hard,” said Apple Bloom.

“What happened?” she asked as she looked around the room. “How did I get here?”

“From what I was told, you fainted,” explained Rarity. “Applejack and Apple Bloom brought you in here while Scootaloo and Rumble came for us right away.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” asked Thunderlane.

“Yeah, I’m alright for now,” Sweetie Belle said.

“What happened?” he asked. “What caused you to faint like that?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but quickly closed her mouth as the memories began to rush back to her. She knew the exact reason why she had fainted, but she didn’t know if she should tell any of them about it. Could she tell anypony about it? It was those thoughts that allowed a small moment of silence to follow, Sweetie Belle shifting her eyes back and forth as she fished her mind for an answer.

As her eyes scanned the room, she caught a quick glimpse of Rumble, who was looking at the ground with the same blank stare as before.

Thankfully, Apple Bloom broke the silence. “We were just talkin’ and, ah guess what ah said was too much for her. Right, Sweetie Belle?”

She flashed a feigned, toothy smile as she looked at Sweetie Belle. When she looked at Apple Bloom, she pointed her eyes in the direction of Rumble nervously, who was standing behind her and unable to see the gesture. Sweetie Belle smiled a little bit; she knew exactly what she was trying to say and was thankful that she had a reasonable alibi that didn’t incriminate her.

"Yeah, that’s what happened,” said Sweetie. “Sorry for worrying everypony. I guess it just...took me by surprise.”

“Well, as long as yer okay, sugar cube,” said Applejack as she offered the filly a hug.

“Agreed,” said Rarity with a smile. However, it was short lived as she watched Scootaloo beginning to trot over to her. She felt her heart race as she shot a look from the filly to Thunderlane and back.

Oh no, she thought. Think fast, Rarity! I can’t let her get too close to Sweetie Belle! I can’t let Thunderlane know they’re together!

“I’m glad you’re alright,” Scootaloo said as she reached a hoof out to offer Sweetie a hug. However, she was immediately stopped as Rarity trotted in front of her.

“Um, Scootaloo, could you be a dear and open the window?” she asked. “It’s quite warm in here.”

Blinking in confusion, she slowly said, “Um...okay...”

As she trotted to the window, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and shake her head. After opening the window, she tried to go over to Sweetie Belle again only to see that Rarity was blocking her path.

“Um, Rarity?” Scootaloo asked. “Could you please...?”

“Of course, dear,” she interrupted her. “But could you please go and get some water for Sweetie Belle? I imagine she must be famished!”

The filly blinked in confusion.

Taking the hint, she said, “Thirsty.”

“Oh...uh...okay,” Scootaloo said as she trotted out of the room to get a glass of water.

As she turned to face the others, Thunderlane couldn’t help but let out a compassionate sigh.

She’s so generous, he thought, as Rarity looked at him and smiled in response.

It wasn’t long before Scootaloo came back with a small glass in her hoof. She trotted up to Sweetie Belle to give it to her, but was immediately blocked by Rarity, who nonchalantly stood in her way. Then, she took the glass with her magic and said, “Thank you, dear.”

Rarity gave the glass to Sweetie, who took it in her hooves and began to take small sips of it.

So far, so good, she thought to herself. There has to be another way I can get her out of the room.

Her heart began to speed up again as an idea came across her mind. She scratched the back of her neck with a hoof as she looked up to the ceiling and asked, “Scootaloo, could you be a dear and get Sweetie a straw?”

Lowering her glass, Sweetie Belle said, “But I don’t need...”

“Darling,” she interrupted, putting a hoof on her forehead and pushing it until she was resting on the pillow. “You really should rest your head like this. It’s much better that way.”

Cocking an eyebrow at her, Scootaloo turned for the door again and said, “Okay...I’m sure there’s one around here...somewhere...”

When she was out of the room, Apple Bloom said, “Maybe ah should help her get it.”

“That’s very generous of you, but I’m sure Scootaloo can manage on her own,” Rarity said as innocently as she could.

“Rare’s,” said Applejack. “Not fer anythin’, but ya seem to be nervous ‘bout somethin’. Is everythin’ alright?”

Before she could answer, she was interrupted by the sound of something falling to the ground and Scootaloo shouting, “Sorry!”

Wasting no time, Applejack and Apple Bloom hurried to her aid, leaving the four ponies alone for a moment.

Clearing his throat, Thunderlane looked at Rarity and said, “I have to admit, you’re a very generous pony.”

Flashing a toothy smile, Rarity played with the curl of her mane and said, “Why, thank you, darling.”

As the two of them shared a small laugh, the two foals tried their best to remain calm and avoid making eye contact with each other. Sweetie Belle looked at the ceiling while Rumble looked at the ground; both of them were trying to remain calm as newly found feelings for each other coursed through their bodies.

“It’s so nice to see you care for your sister so much,” Thunderlane said.

“Thank you,” Rarity replied as she trotted up to Sweetie Belle and offered her a loving nudge. “I’d do anything for my little sister.”

Deep breaths, Rarity, she thought as she straightened herself. He doesn’t suspect anything. So long as you keep them apart, everything will be fine.

After a moment, Applejack, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trotted back into the room, the latter of the three holding a straw in her hooves. Like before, Rarity took the straw with her magic and gave it to Sweetie Belle, who put it in her glass and began taking more sips from it.

“So sorry about that,” said Rarity, as she innocently stood in front of Scootaloo, who was trying to go around her.

Applejack looked from her to Scootaloo and back, giving her a questioning look. When all she got was a wide grin in response, she raised an eyebrow and said, “No problem, sugar cube.”

Giving up, Scootaloo rolled her eyes and asked, “So, Sweetie Belle, are you going to be okay for later?”

Immediately, Rarity’s heart began leaping in her chest as she felt sweat drops beginning to form on the back of her neck again.

“I think so,” said Sweetie Belle with a smile. “My head is starting to feel-”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea!” Rarity shouted, interrupting her sister. Everypony gave her a look at her sudden outburst for one reason or another. Clearing her throat to regain her composure, she said, “I think it’d be best if you got bed rest for the rest of the day, Sweetie Belle.”

“Why?” asked Scootaloo in a suspicious tone.

Rarity gave her a matter-of-factly look. “I want to make sure she’s fully well, that’s all.”

“But I am...” Sweetie began to say before she was interrupted once again, this time with Rarity’s hoof covering her mouth.

“Shhh,” she said in a cooing voice. “Don’t speak, you’re injured.”

Thunderlane shot a slightly confused glance at Rumble, who only shrugged his shoulders in response. Applejack, on the other hoof, couldn’t help but share Scootaloo’s sentiments by raising an eyebrow in suspicion at Rarity.

“Rarity, why in the world...” she began. However, she was cut off by Rarity trotting over and putting a hoof around her neck in a friendly embrace.

“Oh, Applejack,” she said with a nervous smile, patting the top of Applejack’s head. “I’m just looking out for Sweetie’s well being, like a good sister!”

“Uh-huh...if you say so...”

Just perfect, she thought. Now, I need to worry about Applejack! No matter, I can handle this.

Rarity was snapped out of her own thoughts when she saw Scootaloo slip past her and make her way over to Sweetie Belle. Her heart pounding and her eyes in pinpoints, she did the only thing she could think of in that moment: she used her magic to lift up the filly and suspended her in the air, preventing her from advancing on her friend.

“Well, would you look at the time?” she said innocently. “I think it’d be a good idea if we gave Sweetie some time to rest.”

“Hey, put me down!” protested Scootaloo as she squirmed to break free.

“Don’t worry, Scootaloo. You’ll spend time with your friends tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? But...”

Rarity interrupted her again. “Now, now, Scootaloo, I know what’s best for Sweetie Belle, and I say she needs to get some rest for today. You and your friends will have to wait until tomorrow.”

Scootaloo’s ears drooped down as a defeated look fell upon her face. She turned to look at Sweetie Belle, hoping she would say something in response.

“Rarity,” Sweetie said. “I...”

She was interrupted yet again, this time from Rarity’s hoof being shoved in her mouth. “Now, now, Sweet’ums, you need your rest.”

Before anypony else could say anything, Rarity began trotting to the door. However, she only took a few steps when she saw the looks on all of their faces; some confused glances while others were suspicious glares.

As she looked at each of them, an idea came to mind when her eyes fell upon Apple Boom. Quickly, she used her magic to levitate her in the same fashion as Scootaloo.

“Now, I think it’s best if we all be good little fillies and gave Sweetie some rest, shall we?” she asked the two fillies as she began making her way to the door.

“But, this is mah room!” Apple Bloom shouted as she kicked her legs around.

“Now, hold yer horses,” Applejack said, enraged. “What in tarnation...?”

“Applejack, darling,” she interrupted as she glided across the room and wrapped a hoof around her neck again. “Surely you know how much my sister means to me. I’m just trying to be as generous to her as I can.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but was immediately silenced by her own hat being lowered from her head and into her face via Rarity’s free hoof. Giggling nervously, she said, “Of course, having a sister, you must know what it’s like.”

Just then, an idea came to mind, causing her to release her magic. Even with the audible oomf from the two fillies who hit the floor, she didn’t stop as she trotted over to her sister.

“I have a much better idea,” she said as she levitated Sweetie in the air. “It would be much better if I brought you home to get some rest.”

“Huh?” was Sweetie Belle’s only response as she was carried from the bed to the door.

Wonderful! I’m home free, Rarity thought. However, she stopped short as her eyes locked onto Thunderlane. Uh-oh, I need to get him out of here, too! Hmm...but how? Wait...that’s it!

She trotted up to him and asked in a casual tone, “Mind walking a lady home?”

Smiling in response, he said in a soft tone, “I’d love to.”

Rumble, who had been silent throughout the whole ordeal, let a sigh of relief out as he trotted out with Thunderlane; even though he was going with Sweetie Belle, the trip wasn’t that long so he didn’t have to be with her for much longer.

“Well, we best be going, then,” said Rarity as she placed her kin on her back, positioning her so she wouldn’t fall off. “Ta-ta.”

“Bye...” Sweetie managed to say before she was brought out of the room, Thunderlane and Rumble following close behind. When Rarity closed the door behind them, she let out a quick sigh of relief as they made their way to the door.

As they all went outside, Rarity trotted faster than Thunderlane and Rumble, trying her best to hide the panicked expression on her face. Although she was relieved that she managed to get Thunderlane out of there without any problems, she knew she wasn’t in the clear yet.

No doubt somepony might try to follow us, she thought. I need to think of a good diversion. There has to be something here that can...

Immediately, her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the perfect ploy right in front of her. Slowing her trot so that Thunderlane and Rumble were next to her, she lowered her head so that none of them, not even Sweetie Belle, could see her using her magic at that moment. With a simple flick of her horn, caused a small “accident” to occur, Rarity simply offering a devious smile as they all continued their journey back to Ponyville.

“What just happened?” Apple Bloom asked as she and Scootaloo got up, both of them rubbing a sore spot on their heads.

“Ah’m not sure,” answered Applejack, tilting her head.

“What was up with Rarity? She was actin’ mighty strange.”

“Ah don’t know, sugar cube.”

After shaking her head to regain her focus, Scootaloo said, “Well, there’s only one way to find out.”

Without waiting for a response, she galloped out of the room and began making her way for the door. When she was outside, she saw the four of them trotting down the dirt path together. Not wasting any time, she began galloping after them, not taking her eyes off of them.

You’re not getting away that easily, she thought to herself. I know you’re up to something, and I’m going to find out what it is, once and for...

Unfortunately, her journey was extremely short lived when she looked in front of her. Across the path that lead to the dirt road, several baskets were tipped over, all of the apples that were inside of them strewn from one end to the other. Standing near them, overlooking the mess, was Granny Smith, who was scratching the top of her head with a hoof.

“What in the wide, wide world of Equestria happened here?” asked Granny Smith. Slowly, she trotted over to the nearest basket and stood it upright, picking up one apple and placing it back inside of it. However, her eyes locked onto the filly before her as a soft smile formed across her face.

“Young’un, would ya mind helpin’ an ol’ pony like me pick up these here apples?” she asked her. “Big Mac is workin’ the orchards and ah could use the help of an able-bodied filly like yerself.”

“But...” Scootaloo began to protest, looking down the road towards the others. As much as she wanted to say no to her, her better instincts kept her from running after Rarity. Lowering her head in defeat, she said in a flat tone, “...fine.”

As she began picking up the apples and placing them in the baskets, she took one last look in Rarity’s direction. The only thing she could do was furrow her eyebrows as she squinted her eyes in anger. Then, she let out a disgruntled sigh as she went back to work. As she picked up a red delicious, there was only one thought that echoed in her mind, one that she was going to get to the bottom of the moment she was finished:

I know you’re up to something, Rarity, and I’m going to find out what it is!

Chapter 15: Realizations

Rarity and Thunderlane trotted down the dirt path side-by-side with Rumble following close behind and Sweetie Belle still on her sister’s back. It was late afternoon by now and the weather, although sunny, was still quite cool with a small breeze kicking in every now and then.

As they entered Ponyville, Rarity’s anxiety had dissipated enough for her motions to appear less feigned; her smile was natural, her step was relaxed and she was able to make small talk with little to no trouble at all.

“So, how are things?” Rarity asked.

Thunderlane replied, “Everything’s fine. How about yourself?”

“Just fine, darling.”

It was in that moment a thought came across her mind, causing her to look behind her while tapping a hoof on her chin. Looking ahead, she furrowed her eyebrows as she looked down at the ground, her eyes shifting back and forth.

Seeing this, Thunderlane asked, “Is everything alright?”

“I suppose,” she said in an unsure tone. She looked up to him and asked, “Do you ever get that strange feeling like you’ve forgotten something?”

He let out a laugh. “Are you kidding? I’d forget my own name if everypony didn’t say it all the time!”

The two of them shared a laugh as they entered Ponyville. Looking ahead of them, Thunderlane saw the stage in front of Town Hall, his expression turning to one of astonishment.

“Wow, they’re really working fast,” he commented.

“Indeed,” Rarity agreed. “At this rate, they’ll definitely have everything finished in time for the festival!”

As the two of them continued talking to each other, the two foals tried their best not to make eye contact with one another. As Rumble trotted, he kept his focus on the road, trying not to let his wondering eyes look at the filly, even though his eyes kept trying to. Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle kept her eyes on the ground as well, trying to get her thoughts together, especially the new-found feelings for Rumble.

It wasn’t long before they all reached the inn. As Rarity and Thunderlane stopped their trotting, they were surprised to see that Rumble was still walking towards the door; it was like he didn’t even notice the others had stopped.

“Um, Rumble,” said Thunderlane.

“Hmm?” asked Rumble, finally stopping and turning to face him. “Oh, uh, I’m gonna go inside. Bye, Rarity. Bye...um...Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie Belle met his gaze for a split second, waving a hoof in response as the colt quickly turned his head away from her, closing his eyes as he walked through the door. Watching him, Thunderlane let a small scoff escape his nostrils, shaking his head as a thought came across his mind. However, he put it in the back of his head as he looked at Rarity again; he would deal with it after Rarity left.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said. “I don’t know what’s gotten over him.”

“No, no, it’s quite alright,” she said as she ran a hoof in her mane. “It’s me who should be sorry...for my behavior earlier, that is.”

Thunderlane tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “Why would you need to be sorry?”

She felt her cheeks beginning to flush. “I was acting very...foolish, I suppose. I’m not normally like that and I apologize for exposing you to my uncouth behavior.”

Uncouth? He thought to himself as he said, “There’s no need to apologize. I’m sure I’d act the same way if it were Rumble in that position.”

The two of them shared a laugh as Sweetie Belle remained silent, keeping her gaze on the ground.

“Besides,” Thunderlane said. “I trust you enough to know what you’re doing.”

Immediately, Rarity stopped laughing as she stared at him, her mouth slightly hanging open. Although her face didn’t show it, she was both surprised and mortified at his statement, making her heart race.

“W-What did you say?” she asked.

He shifted his eyes back and forth, as if he had said something he shouldn’t. “I...I said that...I trust you.”

The words hit her again, echoing in her ears as she lowered her head, looking like she was about to cry. In that split second, everything began rushing through her mind, making her ears droop in response.

Seeing this, Thunderlane trotted up to her and asked, “Are you okay?”

She looked up to him, her eyes locking onto his. Tears began to pool, though she was able to prevent them from leaking. Letting out a sigh and putting on a soft smile, she said, “I’m fine, darling. I’m just...happy, that’s all.”

Before he could say anything, Rarity slowly reached a hoof around his neck and brought him into an embrace. He returned the gesture, letting a small smile form as he lightly closed his eyes. They stood there in each other’s arms; shorter than a blink, longer than an eternity. All the while, Sweetie Belle remained unfazed as she only looked at the two of them for a second before looking away, focusing on her own thoughts.

Releasing their embrace, Thunderlane said, “Well, I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah,” said Rarity, wiping an eye with a hoof. “I suppose.”

He smiled and nodded his head as he said, “Bye, Rarity.”

“Goodbye, Thunderlane.”

As he trotted away, he let a sigh escape through his nostrils. His eyes looked down at the ground as the question he wanted to ask her earlier entered his mind; this would have been the perfect time to ask. As much as he wanted to turn and ask her, reason interfered, reminding him that she needed to take care of her sister first. Looking ahead, he opened the door and turned his head to face Rarity one last time, smiling at her as he trotted into the building.

Rarity smiled in response, lightly waving a hoof at him as he entered the inn, the door closing behind him. Then, she turned and began trotting back to the Boutique in silence. Every now and then, she would shift her eyes towards Sweetie Belle without turning to fully look at her. Then she would look in front of her, the tears from before beginning to well up again.

When the two of them reached the Boutique, Rarity brought Sweetie Belle up to her room and placed her in bed, instructing her to get some bed rest. Then, she left the room, closed the door behind her and trotted down to the kitchen, sitting in one of the seats opposite the window that was above the table.

Looking out the window, she let out a small sigh as the events of the day began flashing through her mind again. As she recollected her behavior and all the lies she’d been telling, she rested her head on the table as a saddened expression came across her face.

“Why am I doing this?” she asked herself in a hushed tone. “Why have I stooped to such a low like this?”

As the questions went unanswered, she lightly closed her eyes. It was only then that the tears she fought back began to stream down her cheeks, dripping on the table below. She used a hoof to wipe the remnants off her cheeks as she sat up straight. She sniffled as she looked out the window again.

“Cheer up, Rarity,” she said as she desperately tried to fight the tears, but to no avail. “It’s all working out just fine. There’s really no need to feel upset. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to keep this façade up for long. I just need to wait for the opportune moment, that’s all.”

She lowered her head again, the three simple words Thunderlane told her echoing in her ears again: I trust you. Rarity closed her eyes again as the tears began to flow once again.

“I’m only fooling myself,” she said with a sniffle. “It’s only a matter of time before he...he...”

She let her statement go unfinished as she wiped her eyes again. “You’ve dug yourself so deep that it’ll be impossible to come out of this unscathed. This wouldn’t even be happening if I wasn’t...”

She nearly jumped out of her fur as the sound of the bell above the front door echoed throughout the Boutique, stopping her midsentence. Taking several breaths to calm her heart, she wiped her eyes as best as she could as she got up and trotted to greet the patron, brushing one of the curls of her mane back with a hoof. However, when her eyes caught a glimpse of who it was standing there, an annoyed look on their face, she froze where she stood as her heart began to pound in her chest again.

All she could do was put a smile on her face and say, as calmly and collected as she could muster, “...H-Hi.”

Thunderlane trotted up the stairs with a determined look on his face. When he opened the door to the room, he saw that Rumble was sitting at the table with a small piece of fruit in his hoof. Prior to him entering, he could see that the colt looked like he had just seen a ghost. When he entered the room, Rumble turned his head to him and smiled while chewing his food.

Closing the door behind him, Thunderlane trotted over to him, sat down and said, “Rumble, I think it’s time you and I had a talk.”

Swallowing what was in his mouth, Rumble asked in a worried tone, “What about? Did I do something wrong?”

He shook his head. “Of course not.”

Rumble tilted his head in confusion. “Okay, then what?”

As the colt tried to calm his anxiety by taking another bite of his food, Thunderlane squinted his eyes teasingly, shot him a smile and said, “I know your secret.”

Immediately, Rumble froze, not even moving his mouth to chew his food. His pupils shrank as he felt sweat beginning to form on the back of his neck. Slowly, he swallowed what was in his mouth, an audible gulp emitting from his throat.

His eyes darting back and forth, he smiled and asked, “Secret? What secret? I don’t have a secret!”

The smile never left his face. “I know all about your little crush on Sweetie Belle.”

“WHAT!?” Rumble shouted. Seeing an eyebrow raise on Thunderlane’s face at his reaction, he quickly cupped his forehooves over his mouth, mentally cursing at himself for his outburst. Slowly, he lowered his hooves from his mouth, feigned the best smile he could and asked, “What do you mean ‘crush’?”

“I’ve noticed the way you’ve been acting around her.” he said. “You’ve fallen in love with her, haven’t you?”

Instantly, Rumble’s heart began to slam against his ribcage; he knew he’d been feeling strange and acting differently around Sweetie Belle, but the last thing he expected was that he had developed a crush on her. Now that he knew what it was, he felt more afraid than ever before.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tried to explain. “I don’t have a crush on her, honest!”

“Don’t try that with me, bro,” Thunderlane said. “I know the signs all too well.”

“But it’s the truth! I barely speak to her! She’s just a friend, just like Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!”

“Who are you trying to convince, me or you?”

Rumble fell silent at the question, his eyes shifting back and forth as he fished his thoughts for an answer.

Thunderlane let out a small sigh as his expression turned from a teasing look to a reassuring one. “I know I’m not Mom or Dad, but you don’t have to be ashamed to tell me. I’m here to help you with this stuff, no matter what it is. There’s nothing wrong with having a crush on somepony. It’s completely normal, especially for a colt your age.”

With that statement, Rumble lowered his head as his ears drooped down. He knew he was right, whether he wanted to accept it or not. Letting out a small sigh, he asked, “How did you find out?”

“I started noticing it when we first moved here, especially after the welcoming party we attended,” he explained. “Ever since you first told me about your friends, you’ve been acting very strange. I thought it was just because you’ve been making friends here, but when I picked you up from Rarity’s a few days ago, I saw you acting the same way when I brought up Sweetie Belle. It was pretty obvious you were falling head over hooves for her, and I don’t blame you; she is Rarity’s sister, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she grew up to be just as beautiful as her!”

Rumble lowered his head with a worried look on his face; if it was so obvious to Thunderlane, it must’ve been obvious to everypony else.

“Don’t worry,” he said in a reassuring tone. “I won’t tell her, but I think it’s time we talked about this.”

Looking up to him, Rumble asked, “Why do we need to talk about it? There’s nothing much to say.”

Thunderlane laughed. “Of course there is. It’s not every day you find a special somepony, you know.”

He got up and sat next to his brother. “I know you’re nervous about this, but I’m your brother. I’m here to help you.”

“Help me?” Rumble asked. “Help me with what?”

“Well...,” the stallion said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. “For starters, telling Sweetie Belle how you feel about her and...”

“What? No!” he shouted, cutting him off by jumping out of his seat. “I can’t tell her!”

“Can’t...or won’t?”

A moment of silence followed as Rumble looked to the ground. Then, he turned his back on his brother, hanging his head in what looked like a defeated pose.

“I...,” he said, letting out a sigh. “I don’t think she likes me the same way, so there’s no point in trying.”

“What makes you say that?” Thunderlane asked.

“I...I don’t know,” Rumble said. “I guess it’s because she doesn’t even look at me. It’s like she doesn’t even know I exist. Something just tells me that it’s because she likes somepony else, or just doesn’t feel the same way about me.”

Thunderlane put a hoof around him in reassurance. “Well, you won’t know until you ask. Who knows, maybe she does feel the same way about you and is just too nervous to tell you, just like you!”

His heart started to speed up as he said, “But...I...I don’t know how. Where do I start? I can’t just walk up to her and say, ‘Hi, Sweetie Belle! Guess what? I have a crush on you!’ She’ll think I’m a total weirdo!”

“Well, if you say it like that, sure,” Thunderlane agreed. “But there are other ways to let somepony know how you feel about them.”

Rumble looked up to him in response, a hopeful look on his face.

Taking the hint, he continued. “Well, maybe you can start by hanging out with her as friends. You know, just the two of you.”

The shrinkage in his pupils was all the answer Thunderlane needed. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was trying to help, he would have face-hoofed himself.

“What I meant was just you and Sweetie Belle,” he replied. “You know, without your other friends.”

Rumble began to turn pale.

That didn’t seem to help, Thunderlane thought as he rolled his eyes. “Okay, maybe not just the two of you. Perhaps I can go with you as a chaperone...or Rarity...or both even...”

He paused for only a moment as the thought entered his mind, swallowing a lump in his throat before continuing. “The point is, you can start nice and slow...that is, if you really want to.”

Rumble looked at the ground for a moment as his color came back, as well as his breathing. Thunderlane made a good point, he figured, but could he really tell Sweetie Belle about his newfound feelings for her? If she did like him back, what would happen then? If she didn’t like him the same way, could he accept rejection?

“I...I don’t know...,” Rumble said as that thought entered his mind. “What if she doesn’t like me at all? What if she...rejects me?”

A look of sadness quickly flashed across the stallion’s face as he exhaled through his nostrils. “If she does, then she does. You’ll just have to move on and find somepony else, that’s all. Sure, it’ll hurt...a LOT. But it’s just something that happens. If it does, you know I’ll be there to see you through it, no matter what.”

He put his arm around him again. “But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Just start it nice and slow at first before asking if she wants to be your special somepony. Let her get to know you and see what a great pony you are. Even if she doesn’t like you that way, the two of you can still be great friends, right?”

“I guess,” Rumble said. “But how do I ask her when I can’t even look at her without acting differently?”

“What do you mean by, ‘acting differently’?”

He then proceeded to talk about how he acted whenever he was around her, like how he blankly stared at her, how his heart races and he begins to sweat, and how time seems to slow down except for the two of them. All the while, Thunderlane couldn’t help but smile; could anypony blame him for finding his brother’s first love to be quite adorable? However, upon hearing his brother’s feelings, an idea popped into his head, one that he was sure Rumble would agree with.

“I just don’t know what to do,” Rumble said, finishing his story.

Clearing his throat, Thunderlane said, “Well, if you ask me, I say you should try a nice, subtle approach, something that will tell her how you feel without telling her how you feel.”

Again, he looked up to him with a hopeful look.

“I have the perfect idea, but I’m going to need you to find out something for me first.”

“Okay, what?” he asked.

He told him his idea and what he needed to find out, brining an inquisitive look to colt’s face.

“Why do you need me to find that out? I can just tell you right now.”

“I’m sure you could,” he said with a chuckle. “But like you said, you barely know her. Therefore, I need you find something a little more...personal.”

“Oh,” he said, his eyes looking at the ground while shifting back and forth. “I see.”

Then, the stallion brought him into an embrace. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll help see you through all of this.”

“Thanks,” Rumble said softly. “For everything.”

“No need to thank me,” he said. “That’s what brothers are for.”

With that, Rumble got up and made his way to his room, closing the door behind him. Then, he trotted over to his bed and lied on his back, staring at the ceiling and allowing all his thoughts to register in his mind.

Well, that wasn’t so bad, the thought. Still, I can’t believe that I have a crush on Sweetie Belle. I mean, I know she’s pretty and stuff, but I didn’t think that I was falling in love with her.

It was only in that moment that he realized something. Wow! Ever since this little talk, I don’t feel so scared thinking about her. Maybe that’s a sign or something. Who knows? Maybe Thunderlane’s right. Maybe she feels the same way about me.

Despite that thought, Rumble’s breathing still seemed a little shallow. If only it could get rid of the fear completely. Still, I should just focus on getting Thunderlane what he needs. That shouldn’t be too hard to do, I guess.

He lightly closed his eyes as he let out a sigh. Why is this happening to me?

I don’t know! I just don’t know!

Sweetie Belle was sprawled out on her bed, staring at the ceiling with a worried expression on her face. Ever since she left Sweet Apple Acres, she had been trying to get her thoughts together on her current situation. Sadly, no matter which way she turned, no matter how hard she tried, all her thoughts kept leading back to one inexcusable and inescapable fact: she was falling in love with Rumble.

She covered her eyes with her hooves as she let out a soft groan as a serious case of déjà vu washed over her. It felt like it was only yesterday that she was in the same position, looking at a bare ceiling while contemplating what to do with new-found feelings she had for somepony.

“What am I going to do?” she asked herself. “What can I do? Is this even possible?”

She rolled on her side. “If that wasn’t bad enough, now Apple Bloom tells me she has a crush on him. How am I going to break it to her that I’m...I’m...”

She didn’t even bother to finish her sentence as she got up and trotted over to her window. She rested her forehead against the window, as she looked at the busy town going about their business, making sure her horn didn’t get in the way.

“Maybe Apple Bloom is wrong,” she said, her voice shaky. “Maybe it’s not...what she said it is! It’s probably just my friendship with him growing stronger or something, that’s all!”

Her ears drooped as realization struck. “That’s exactly what I said when I first fell in love with Scootaloo!”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes lowered, focusing on the window sill. “There has to be a way I can find an answer to all of this. There has to be somepony I can talk to about this.”

Her eyes shifted back and forth for a few moments as she fished her mind for an answer. After a while, she shrugged her shoulders and said, “I could always talk to Rarity. After all, I had promised not to keep anymore secrets from her anymore.”

It was in that moment the images of how Rarity was acting in Apple Bloom’s bedroom began flashing through her mind, making her scratch the side of her head with a hoof.

“Come to think of it, Rarity has been acting a little bit differently lately,” she said. “Funny, it seems to have happened right after Thunderlane and Rumble came to town.”

As the words left her mouth, her thoughts began rushing back to the latter, making her cheeks blush at the sight of his soft smile, his slicked-back mane, his lavender eyes, and the overall way he had been acting. A small smile began forming as she envisioned him, a small sigh escaping through her nose. Immediately, she was snapped out of her thoughts when her horn lightly tapped against the window.

Oh no, she thought as she emitted a gasp. It was bad enough I felt this way whenever I looked into his eyes! Now I’m starting to feel this way just by saying his name! It’s my crush on Scootaloo all over again!

“UGH!” she said, lying on her stomach in the middle of the room. “Why is this happening to me? This should be happening to Apple Bloom, she’s the one with the crush on him!”

She let out a sigh as she rested her head against the floor. “This is all my fault. Scootaloo said that letting him joining us would be a bad idea. If I had listened to her, none of this would be happening right now.”

The feeling of guilt didn’t last long; she had a bigger predicament to worry about at the moment. Sweetie’s eyes scanned the ground as she tried to think of an answer. As seconds became minutes, thoughts began forming in Sweetie Belle’s mind, causing her eyebrows to furrow as a determined look began forming on her face. After several minutes passed, she stood up straight and let out a huff of confidence.

“I know exactly what I’m going to do,” she said. “I’m not going to think about him anymore! I love Scootaloo and that’s final! If I’m going to think about him at all, it’ll be to help Apple Bloom and nothing else!”

She began pacing the floor. “Okay, it’s going to be hard to not think about him, since he’s a Crusader and in our class. It’s not like I can just ignore him or anything. There’s got to be a way to stop thinking about this, there’s just got to be!”

After another moment of silent thinking, she said to herself, “It looks like there’s only one thing to do, and that’s to prove to myself that I don’t have a crush on him. Hmm...but how?”

She tapped a hoof on her chin as she began recollecting how she dealt with the situation the last time. However, it was only in her remembrance that she let out another audible gasp.

“No!” she practically shouted. “No way! There has to be another way, anything but...that!”

Even more silence followed before another idea popped into her head, making her shout in excitement, “That’s it! It’s the perfect way to prove that I don’t have a crush on Ru-, I mean, him!”

A confident smile on her face, Sweetie Belle trotted back to her bed and lied down while putting her forehooves behind her head in a lounging position. Lightly closing her eyes, she said, “Everything is going to be just fine. It’s like Scootaloo said yesterday, we love each other and nothing is going to change that!”

As the words left her mouth, she opened her eyes as a small wave of doubt crossed her mind. Turning on her side, she took one of her extra pillows in her arms, hugged it tightly and said in a very soft tone, “...I hope.”

Chapter 16: 'Out of the Frying Pan...'

Rarity just stood there with a slight hint of a grin on her face as the pony that entered the Boutique trotted up to her, the annoyed look still on her face.

Scratching the back of her left leg with her other hoof, she asked, “W-What brings you here, Applejack?”

“Hey, Rare’s,” she said, as she placed two items on the floor in front of her: a sloppily folded scarf and a saddlebag. “Ya fergot these in Apple Bloom’s bedroom, so ah decided ta bring ‘em over.”

She cringed at the sight of the items on the floor; now she knew why it felt like she forgot something and cursed herself for being so foolish for leaving without them.

As innocently as she could, she trotted up to them and levitated them with her magic. All the while, Applejack stood there with a look on her face that made an uncomfortable chill run up and down her spine.

Just remain calm, she told herself as she picked up her belongings and said, “Thank you, Applejack. I had a feeling I had forgotten something. So sorry you had to make the trip all the way out here just to drop them off.”

“It’s alright,” said Applejack. “Actually, there’s another reason why ah came by. Ah was wonderin’ if ah could talk to ya fer a moment.”

Rarity was thankful she had her back facing her; she didn’t see the panicked look flash across her face. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Then, when she was confident she was relaxed enough to face her friend, she turned to her and flashed a soft smile.

“Why, of course, dear,” she said. “Why don’t we talk over a cup of tea?”

Without waiting for a response, she swiftly trotted into the kitchen, filled up her tea kettle with water, and placed it on the stove while getting out a few tea bags and two cups. Applejack trotted into the room and sat down at the table, watching her friend trot back and forth like she was gliding across the room. At some point, she let out a sigh and shook her head, knowing very well what she was doing: stalling.

After several moments of prepping the functions, she sat down across her friend with two cups of tea held in her magic. Applejack looked down at her beverage and then at her friend, who had brought the cup to her lips to take a small sip. Then, she let out a sigh and pushed her drink a few inches away so she could rest her hooves on the table.

“Rarity,” she said. “Ah wanna know what the hay yer up to!”

Slowly, Rarity put her teacup down and asked, “What, pray tell, are you talking about?”

“Don’t play innocent with me, missy. Ah noticed the way you were actin’ earlier, so drop the act and tell the truth.”

Taking a sip of her tea to clear her throat, Rarity said, “Oh, that. I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior back there. I just...wasn’t myself...I suppose.”

“Ya can say that again,” Applejack said as she rolled her eyes. “You looked more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockin’ chairs! If ah didn’t know any better, ah’d say you were tryin’ ta keep Scootaloo away from Sweetie Belle. Is there any reason why?”

Her heart began pounding in her chest again. “Pish-posh! I would never something that preposterous to my little sister!”

All she got in response was an unconvinced rising of an eyebrow.

“Okay, I’ll admit that my behavior was less than exemplar, but honestly, I value my sister’s relationship with Scootaloo and would never do anything to interfere with that.”

“Uh-huh,” said Applejack. “Well, try tellin’ that ta Scootaloo when she gets here. She noticed it almost as much as ah did and, let me tell ya, she’s not too pleased with it either.”

Great, just great, Rarity thought as she tried to maintain her façade by taking another sip of her tea.

The only sound heard was the clock’s steady ticking as the two of them sat in awkward silence. After a moment, Applejack let out a sigh, took a sip of her tea, and continued.

“Look, sugar cube, ah know you have a ‘thing’ for Thunderlane and all; it’s as clear as the horn on yer head! But if yer hidin’ something from anypony, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out, so why don’t ya tell me now and get it over with.”

“Hiding?” she asked, her voice rising a few decibels. “What in Equestria would I be trying to hide?”

“Ah don’t know,” she responded with sarcasm in her voice. “Maybe the fact that yer sister’s in a relationship with Scootaloo, perhaps?”

Rarity let out a huff of annoyance. “What a horrid accusation, Applejack! What would give you the idea that I would do a thing like that?”

Her eyebrows slightly furrowed. “Ya kept doin’ everythin’ in yer power ta get in that poor filly’s way! Ya sent her outta the room fer the most unimportant things imaginable! Ya tried ta drag her outta the room, along with Apple Bloom, might ah add, and throughout it all, ya kept giving looks in Thunderlane’s direction!”

Rarity sat in silence. Applejack was able to see right through her act. However, what hurt the most was the reminder of how low she was stooping to keep her sister’s relationship with Scootaloo a secret. Every fiber of her being kept telling her to explain the situation to Applejack; let her know why she was doing this and how she never wanted to do this in the first place. Unfortunately, a small voice kept telling her not to tell her yet; there was a time and place for everything, it would say, and this wasn’t that time or the place.

Straightening her posture, Rarity said, “I assure you that I am not trying to hide anything from anypony, especially Thunderlane.”

“Is that right?” Applejack asked. “Then why in tarnation were ya doing all that?”

“It’s...well...kind of hard to explain...,” she said with a nervous tone.

“Try me,” Applejack quickly responded.

Slowly, Rarity let out a sigh and hung her head in defeat. The motion caused Applejack’s hard demeanor to slightly soften into a look of concern.

“I know I’ve been acting very foolish,” she finally said. “It’s just that...I’m afraid...that’s all.”

“Afraid? Afraid of what?”

Her ears lied flat on her head. “I’m afraid of losing him. I just want to show him how much of a generous pony I can be and, well, I guess I just lost my head for a while. I know it looked like I was trying to come between the two of them, but it wasn’t my intention! I was just trying to make a good impression on Thunderlane, nothing more.”

“Seriously?”

“Honest!”

She lowered her head onto the table as she made a small sniffle. “I don’t want to lose this one, Applejack. You know I’ve had some pretty rotten luck with stallions in the past, right?”

The remnants of Applejack’s stern and accusing look had withered away into one of sympathy. “Yeah, ah...ah know.”

“I think he might be the one for me, the one who cares about me more than I care about him. I love him, Applejack, more than anypony in Equestria, and I don’t want him to turn out like all the others I’ve tried to be with! I suppose you can say that love makes you do stupid things, and this happened to be one of them. I can only imagine what I must have looked like to him, acting in such a ridiculous manner!”

AJ turned her gaze to the table as she let out a sigh. Something in the back of her mind still thought Rarity was up to something, but a lot of those accusations dissipated when she saw the sincere, saddened, and apologetic look on her friend’s face.

“It’s alright, Rare’s,” she said comfortingly after several seconds passed. “Firstly, ah don’t think Thunderlane noticed yer behavior too much, so ya don’t have ta worry about his feelings fer ya changin’ by much. Secondly, ah understand where yer comin’ from, but that’s still no excuse to do what ya did, especially ta Sweetie Belle an’ Scootaloo. Ah’ll let it slide just this once, but ya have to promise me that you’ll never pull that kinda stunt again.”

“I...I promise,” Rarity said, a small flicker of a smile coming across her face as a wave of relief washed over her. “Thank you for understanding, Applejack. You’re the best friend a pony could have.”

“No problem, sugar cube,” she said as she took the remaining sip of her tea. However, a small thought came across her mind, prompting her to say, “Ah don’t mean ta sound like ah’m stickin’ mah nose in yer business or nothin’, but does Thunderlane know about Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?”

Rarity’s heart skipped a beat as she felt her spine begin to tense up. Although she was able to prevent it from showing, she felt like she was ready get up and scream at the top of her lungs. However, she took one small breath before answering, “Of course he knows, darling. He says he has nothing against them or anything of the sort, so all’s well on that front.”

“Oh, okay.”

Please forgive me, she thought. I don’t want to keep this up, but I need to, at least for a little while longer. Still, I’m glad she’s willing to understand, but there has to be a way to set it in stone and make her believe that what I said was true.

It didn’t take long for an idea to pop into her head, making her ears perk up at full attention. Taking the last sip of her tea, Rarity said aloud, “I suppose there’s only one way to make this right. If you’ll excuse me for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

With that, she got up and left the room, bee-lining towards the stairs. Applejack watched her friend leave the room, a suspicious look coming across her face. Curiosity getting the best of her, she got up and trotted towards the base of the stairs in hopes to hear what was going on. However, much to her surprise, the excited cheer of Sweetie Belle was all the confirmation she needed to know what her friend was up to.

Applejack didn’t have a chance to blink before she saw the filly quickly galloping down the stairs, stepping out of her way as she caught a glimpse of Sweetie Belle’s excited face.

Trotting over to the door, Sweetie Belle turned to Rarity, who was trotting down the stairs, and called out, “Thank you so much, Rarity! You’re the greatest sister ever!”

“You’re quite welcome, Sweet’ums,” she replied with a smile.

Then, Sweetie Belle opened the door and let out an audible gasp. Whether it was a stroke of convenience or just perfect timing, she didn’t care, but seeing Scootaloo standing there, her hoof reaching out as if she was just about to push the door open, made Sweetie Belle smile from ear-to-ear.

“Talk about great timing! Guess what, Scoots?” she squeaked in excitement. “Rarity said that I’m well enough to go out with you today! Isn’t that great?”

Scootaloo didn’t say anything; she had come with the intention of questioning Rarity and getting to the bottom of her strange behavior from earlier. The last thing she expected was Sweetie Belle telling her that Rarity had changed her mind and released her earlier than originally planned.

Before she had a chance to reply, Rarity trotted up to her and said, “Scootaloo, I know how you feel and I’m really sorry for treating you the way I did.”

“Umm...” Scootaloo said, her eyes shifting back and forth, desperately hoping to find an answer.

“To show you how sorry I am,” she continued. “I’ve decided to let you and Sweetie Belle go out with one another, like I had promised you could. I do hope you’ll forgive me for my atrocious behavior.”

She shifted her gaze from Rarity’s sympathetic look to Sweetie Belle’s gleaming smile and back. By this point, any traces of anger had vanished, leaving her with only a soft sigh and a smile in response.

“It’s okay,” she finally said. “I forgive you.”

“Oh, you don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that,” said Rarity, as she trotted up to her and offered a small hug. Again, Scootaloo was taken aback from the gesture, but returned it nonetheless by putting her hooves around her.

After releasing their embrace, Rarity said, “Now, why don’t you two run along and have some fun. Just be back before supper, Sweetie Belle.”

“Okay, I will,” said Sweetie as she waved a hoof. “Bye, Rarity, and thanks again!”

It took a few moments, but Scootaloo also raised a hoof and said, “Yeah, thanks.”

She offered the two of them a smile and a wave as they trotted off together. As they slowly began to disappear over the horizon, she let out a soft sigh.

Well, that takes care of that, she thought. Not only will Applejack see how much I meant what I said, but Scootaloo will have no resentment towards me. Now all that’s left is...

“Well, now,” said Applejack, snapping Rarity out of her thoughts. “Ah guess ya really meant what ya said back there.”

“Of course, darling,” said Rarity. “Like I said, I have nothing against the two of them being together and would never try to interfere.”

Then, Rarity gave Applejack a small hug, who returned the gesture without hesitation. “I can’t thank you enough for being so understanding, Applejack.”

“Oh, shucks,” she said with a smile. “Think nothin’ of it, sugar cube. That’s what friends are for.”

With that, the two of them bid each other farewell as Applejack left the Boutique. When she was several paces down the road, Rarity closed the door behind her as a saddened expression came across her face.

What am I going to do? There’s got to be a way to get out of this mess, she thought to herself. I suppose there’s only one place to start, but...but...

She let the thought linger as she began making her way towards her work room, hoping that working on an outfit or two would take her mind off all of this for a while. As she trotted up the stairs, she softly closed her eyes as a small teardrop leaked from the corners. Using a hoof to wipe them away, she let out another small sigh as she entered her work room, the thoughts of telling Thunderlane the truth about her sister never leaving her mind.

“Isn’t this great?” Sweetie Belle asked as she and Scootaloo made their way into town. “Now we can finally spend some time together, just the two of us, just like I promised.”

“Yeah...great...” said Scootaloo in an unsure tone.

Hearing the tone in her voice, she asked, “What’s wrong, Scoots? I thought you wanted to spend time with me.”

“I do,” she said. “It’s just that...well...”

She let out a sigh before continuing. “Have you noticed that Rarity has been acting very strange lately?”

Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out right away. Yeah, she did notice her sister’s strange behavior, but she also remembered when it started and that was something she was trying to avoid thinking about.

In an attempt to change the subject, she trotted closer to Scootaloo and began nudging her neck like a kitten would its owner.

“Maybe,” she said softly. “But let’s not think about that now. Let’s just think about how we’re going to spend the rest of the afternoon, okay?”

The gesture made Scootaloo smile and blush as she leaned her head in and kissed Sweetie on the forehead. “I guess you’re right. So, what do you wanna do today?”

“I dunno,” she said as she tapped a hoof on her chin. “What can we do?”

Scootaloo thought for a moment, her gaze focusing towards the sky. After a few moments, she said in excitement, “I know! How about we go to a movie! I have enough bits saved up from my allowance and it’s not too late to go! Maybe, if there’s enough time and bits, we can grab a bite to eat! What do you say?”

Sweetie Belle blushed as she said, “That sounds like a great idea! Let’s get going!”

Then, the two of them began trotting towards Scootaloo’s house, both of their cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Not even ten seconds had passed before Sweetie Belle leaned in, planted a kiss on Scootaloo’s cheek, and whispered, “I love you, Scoots.”

“I love you, too, Sweetie,” she replied, turning and giving her a small peck on her lips. Then, the two of them trotted off in silence, both of them eager to finally spend a day together without any interruptions.

He trotted back and forth in his bedroom, desperately trying to find an answer to his current dilemma. It was only the afternoon, meaning the day was still young, so he could go out and finish his mission. However, as much as he wanted to, Rumble couldn’t bring it to himself to do it.

“How should I go about doing this?” he asked himself in a hushed tone. “Should I do it now or should I wait? I mean I could go over there and ask her now, but she’s still recovering from her injury. Perhaps it would be best to wait until tomorrow.”

He stopped his pacing. “But that won’t help me now! The more I push it off, the more I’ll talk myself into not doing it at all. If I’m going to get anywhere, I should just ask her and get it over with. Besides, it’s not like I have anything else better to do. Still, that doesn’t help me figure out how to do it.”

A knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Rumble, are you okay?” Thunderlane asked. “I keep hearing you trotting back and forth in there. Is everything alright?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” he fibbed as he trotted over to it and opened his door for him. “I’m just thinking, that’s all.”

“Oh, okay. You might want to ease off the pacing before you start making a groove in the floor.”

The two of them shared a laugh as he trotted away, leaving Rumble alone for a little while. Closing the door again, he trotted to his bed and sat down on it, scratching his forehead with a hoof.

“Maybe there’s another way to do this instead of asking Sweetie Belle,” he said to himself. “I could always ask somepony else about it, but it’ll have to be a pony who’s really close to her or who really knows her, like...”

He didn’t even have to finish his sentence before the idea came to him, making a smile form across his face. Quickly, he got out of bed and left his room to see Thunderlane sitting at the kitchen table with a brown book in front of him.

“Hey, Thunder,” he said. “Is it alright if I go out for a little while?”

Looking up from his book, Thunderlane asked, “Why? Is there something wrong?”

“No, no, everything’s fine. I just wanted to talk to somepony about what we talked about earlier.”

Thunderlane let out a sigh. “I know you’re eager, Rumble, but I think you should let Sweetie Belle rest. She’s been through a lot today, you know?”

“I know, I know,” he said reassuringly. “I wasn’t going to talk to her yet. I was going to talk to the other Crusaders. Maybe they can give me an idea!”

“Well, I guess there’s nothing wrong with that,” Thunderlane said with a smile. “Just be careful, alright?”

“I will,” he said as he opened the door. As he began closing it behind him, he quickly said, “Thanks and bye!”

Hearing his brother’s hoof-steps trotting down the hall towards the stairs, Thunderlane smiled and shook his head, focusing his attention back to his book. A few moments of reading went by before an idea came to his mind.

Since Rumble is out for a while, now would be a good time to ask Rarity what I wanted to ask her earlier, he thought as he placed a bookmark in his book. Then, he got up and left the room, a smile on his face and his heart beginning to race in his chest.

Well, here’s hoping she says ‘yes’...

Okay, this shouldn’t be too hard to do, Rumble thought as he left the inn. All I have to do is talk to Scootaloo or Apple Bloom, maybe both if I’m lucky enough. It should be easier to talk to them since I only seem to lose myself whenever I look into Sweetie Belle’s eyes. I guess I should try Scootaloo first, since she lives in town.

He gave himself a determined nod as he came across Sugar Cube Corner. It didn’t take long before his confident trot began to slow, his head shifting back and forth at his surroundings. Soon, he stopped moving all together and sat on his haunches, a look of confusion on his face. It was only when he stopped trotting did realization strike him, making him face-hoof.

Well, this is embarrassing, he told himself, letting a sigh escape through his nostrils. I don’t know where Scootaloo lives! She never told me and we’ve never met at her house yet! Well, I guess that means I should go talk to Apple Bloom. Hmmm, if only I could remember where to go from here. I really need to pay more attention when all of us head out to...

“Hey, Rumble,” a familiar voice called out from behind him, making him jump to full attention. Turning around, he saw that Applejack was trotting towards him. “Sorry ‘bout that, ah didn’t mean ta scare ya. You alright, sugar cube?”

What a coincidence, he thought as he said, “Hi. Yeah, I’m alright, but I seem to be a little lost, that’s all.”

Giving him a reassuring smile, Applejack said, “Well, that’s alright, hun. Ah know it must be hard fer ya, bein’ new ta town and all. Where’re ya headin’?”

Rumble let out a small chortle as he slowly said, “S-Sweet Apple Acres. I wanted to talk to Apple Bloom for a moment, if she’s home that is.”

The moment her sister’s name was mentioned, Applejack tried to hold back a little bit of laughter. “Well, ain’t that sweet of ya. Yeah, she’s home and ah’ll show ya the way. Let me tell ya, she’s gonna be pleased as punch ta hear ya wanna see her.”

“R-Really? Why?”

“You’ll see, sugar cube,” she said, offering a wink afterwards. “C’mon, ah’ll take ya to her.”

As Rumble began to slowly follow her, he couldn’t help but cock his head and raise an eyebrow as he thought to himself, I wonder why Apple Bloom would be so happy to see me.

He tapped a hoof against his chin as the two of them began heading towards the dirt path that lead to Sweet Apple Acres. Never mind about that now. I need to keep track of where I’m going so I can get here myself.

Quickly, he scanned his surroundings to make sure he knew where he was going. As the two of them trotted along the dirt path, the thought of Apple Bloom came back to his mind, making his gaze shift to the ground.

Maybe she’s still happy that I saved her bonnet earlier or complimented her new mane-style. Those are the only things I can think of that would make her happy to see me, he thought. After a while, he shook his head to regain his focus. You can think about that later, Rumble. Just focus on getting the information about Sweetie Belle for Thunderlane.

As the two of them neared the farm, he quickly scanned his surroundings again to make another mental note of where they were. It was just then that a thought came to Rumble’s mind, making his ears perk up.

Uh-oh, I just thought of something, he thought. If I start questioning her about Sweetie Belle, she might run and tell her that I was asking about her. There has to be a way to get information about Sweetie Belle out of her without saying or bringing up her name!

He tapped a hoof against his chin. I got it! I’ll strike up a conversation about all three of them! That way, it doesn’t sound like I’m singling any of them out and it will keep her guessing who I’m really talking about! It’s such a great idea!

Rumble gave one last confident nod as they turned the bend and headed up the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. As the buildings came closer and closer, her brushed his mane back with a hoof and took one last breath of air before smiling.

This can only end with success!

Chapter 17: Euphoria

"Wait right here, Rumble," instructed Applejack when the two of them were outside the main living quarters of the barn. "Ah'll go get her."

Rumble simply nodded his head and sat on his haunches as she opened the door and went inside. With a smile on her face, she trotted up the stairs and bee-lined for Apple Bloom's bedroom. When she was in front of her room, she knocked on the closed door.

"Apple Bloom," Applejack called out.

"Yeah, sis," she responded.

"Ya have a visitor waitin' fer ya."

It wasn't long before she opened the door. "Really? Who?"

Applejack couldn't help but smile as she said, "Rumble."

Apple Bloom's eyes grew wide as she darted back into the room and sat in front of the mirror over her dresser, Applejack following close behind. Immediately, the filly grabbed her brush with one hoof and began running through the top of her mane, her other hoof fumbling with the braided part.

"Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh," she repeated over and over again as she began darting back and forth in the room, looking for something. "Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?"

“Relax, Apple Bloom," Applejack said in a reassuring tone. "Ya have nothin' ta worry 'bout. Just be yerself and everythin'll be fine."

The filly barely responded as she found what she was looking for: the two boxes she brought home several days ago from the Carousel Boutique. Quickly, she grabbed the smallest box and opened it up, the small spray-bottle resting in her hooves. Without hesitation, she began spraying it all over herself, causing Applejack to cough and cover her nose.

"Ah think that's plenty," she advised, waving a hoof in the air to get the smell away from her.

"How do ah look?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Ya look fine, sugar cube. Ya better get out there before he leaves."

She nodded as she galloped out of the room and headed for the front door. However, when she was in front of it, she stopped in her tracks, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering around on hyper drive.

"What's wrong now?" Applejack asked as she approached her.

"Maybe ah shouldn't do this," she answered, her voice going into a whisper. "Maybe you should tell him ah'm not home or somethin'. Ah don't think ah'm ready yet."

"Don't worry about a thing, AB. Just take a deep breath and talk ta him. Everythin'll be alright, you'll see. Now, get out there before it's too late."

Giving her a shaky nod and a sheepish grin, Apple Bloom turned to the door and took a deep breath before slowly opening it. Outside, she saw Rumble sitting in front of the door while looking around at all the apple trees strewn about. When the door slowly opened with a creak sound, he directed his attention towards it, a smile on his face when he saw her coming out. With the same smile on her face, she slowly trotted out the door, closing it behind her when she was outside.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," Rumble said. "Sorry to bother you like this."

"Oh no, it's alright," she said nervously, rubbing the back of her right leg with the opposing hoof. "So, what's up?"

Rumble was about to explain when a certain thought came back to his mind. Knowing it wouldn't go away until he confronted it, he said, "Well, first of all, Applejack said you'd be happy to see me. May I ask why?"

Her heart began pounding in her chest as she began thinking of different ways she could get back at her sister for opening her mouth. As calmly as she could, she simply said, "N-No reason."

A moment of awkward silence followed, both of them looking around as they tried to find the right words to say. Looking back and forth, Rumble asked, "Is there somewhere we can talk...you know...alone?"

Apple Bloom smiled and nodded as she began walking towards him. However, she had only taken three steps before she felt like somepony was pulling her back by her tail, making her stumble to the ground.

"WAH!" she screamed as her face hit the ground.

"Oh my goodness, are you alright?" Rumble asked as he quickly trotted up to her. He extended a hoof to help her up, which she only stared at for a moment before taking it. When she was upright, the two of them looked into each other's eyes, making the filly turn her head to try and hide her already blushing cheeks.

"What happened?" Rumble asked, the two of them looking behind her to see what caused her to fall. It was to both of their surprise to see that the end of Apple Bloom's tail was stuck in the door.

Great job, Apple Bloom scolded herself. Ya can't even walk outta yer own house without embarrassin' yerself!

"Here, let me help you," he said as he opened to door to release her tail. When she was free, he could see that she was really embarrassed by what happened. He offered a polite smile and said, "It's okay, Abby. It happens to the best of us."

The name caused her ears to perk up. "'Abby'?"

Now it was Rumble's turn to start blushing. “Sorry, I just thought it was a nice nickname for you, so I wouldn't have to keep saying your full name all the time. If you don't like it, I won't say it anymore."

Are ya kiddin'? Ah LOVE it! Apple Bloom thought as she mentally began skipping for joy. However, she calmly said, "It’s fine. Ah kinda like it. C'mon, let's go."

Then, Apple Bloom began leading Rumble to the apple fields where they can talk in private. As she trotted passed him, a familiar scent caught his nose, making him raise an eyebrow.

What is that smell? Rumble asked himself as he began following her. It sort of smells like...roses...almost like the perfume Rarity was wearing yesterday. Why is Apple Bloom wearing Rarity's perfume?

It wasn't long before the two of them stopped among the vast amounts of apple trees. When they were confident no one would interrupt the two of them, Apple Bloom turned to Rumble and asked, "So, whaddaya wanna talk 'bout?"

Rumble cleared his throat and said, "Well, I'm trying to do something and I could really use your opinion on it."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Before I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't tell anypony about this, not even Scootaloo or...or Sweetie Belle."

"Ah promise, 'cross mah heart, hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.'"

At first, Rumble tilted his head, confused at the creed Apple Bloom just recited. However, he didn't dwell on the thought for long before he shook his head, took a deep breath, and blurted out, "There’s this filly that I know and I really like her, but the thing is, she doesn't know that I like her, but want her to know that I like her, but I'm too embarrassed to let her know that I like her. So, I found out a way to tell her that I like her, but in a way that doesn't say that...well...I like her."

Apple Bloom blinked in confusion as she asked, "Wait, are ya sayin' you like somepony, as in like, like?"

He lowered his head in embarrassment. "Well...yeah."

Her heart felt like it came to a stand-still before dropping into her stomach. A saddened expression came across her face, which she tried desperately to fight so Rumble wouldn't see it. There was a filly he already liked? What were the chances it was her? In that moment, she felt like crying, or running away while crying, screaming at the top of her lungs. However, she resisted the urge; she needed to find out who it was.

"Oh...really? That's great! Ah'm really happy fer ya," she said through gritted teeth, trying to put on the most natural smile she could. "Anypony ah know?"

Rumble let out a small chuckle and said, "I think you, of all ponies, might know her."

She tilted her head to one side at the statement. 'Me of all ponies'? What does that mean?

"Anyway," he continued. "I wanted to get her something, a present to let her know how I feel. The thing is, I don’t know what to get her. I was hoping you could help me come up with an idea of the perfect present for her."

Apple Bloom tapped a hoof on her chin as if she was thinking about what he said. However, she had other thoughts going through her mind at the moment.

Ah wanna help him, but ah need ta find out who it is he likes. There has ta be a way ta get him ta spill the beans, she thought. A split second passed before an idea came to mind, making a devious grin come across her face.

"Alright, Rumble, ah’ll help ya," she said. "But on one condition."

Oh boy, here it comes, Rumble thought as he said, "What?"

"Will ya tell me who it is ya like? Ah promise ah won't tell nopony!"

Figures, he thought as he rolled his eyes. Luckily, he had foreseen this happening and already had an offer she couldn't refuse ready. "If you help me find the perfect gift, I'll give you a hint of who it is. You have my word."

Apple Bloom thought about his offer; it may not be what she wanted to know, but it was better than nothing. After a few moments, she smiled at him and said, "Deal."

The two of them shook each other's hoof, solidifying their deal. Then, Apple Bloom asked, "So, what can ya tell me 'bout her?"

"Well...she's a very nice filly, I guess. She’s kind, and sweet, and very pretty looking," he tried to explain. As much as he wanted to tell her more about Sweetie Belle, he didn't know too much about her. "Sorry, but I don't know what else to say about her. I guess I've been too nervous to talk to her or get to know her better."

"It's okay, ah understand," she said. "But ah'm not sure how much help ah can be without knowin' more 'bout her. Everypony is different, so they might like different things, ya know?"

"I know. Still, I was hoping you could...maybe...give me some ideas in...in a different way."

She raised an eyebrow in response.

He took the hint and continued. "Well, maybe you can help me pick out a gift that she might like...you know...as a filly."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Well, I was thinking that, maybe you could tell me some things you like, or Scootaloo, or...or Sweetie Belle. That way, I can get an idea that way."

"How is that gonna help ya?" Apple Bloom asked unsurely.

Rumble lowered his head in shame. "Well, the truth is, I don’t really know too much about what fillies might like as a gift. I haven't had too many friends that were fillies, so I don't really know what they would like."

"Ah don't know if that's gonna work," she said as she rubbed the back of her neck. However, what she wanted to find out caused her to quickly say, "But, ah guess it's worth a shot."

He offered her a polite smile and said, "Thanks. So, what are some things that a filly would like?"

"Well, as far as gifts, most fillies like things like jewelry, or dresses, or somethin' like that. Like ah said before, everypony is different, so it depends on the pony."

Hmmm, Rumble thought. Jewelry seems like a good idea, but I need more information, just to be sure.

"Okay," he said as he dug a hoof in the dirt. "Well, what are some things Scootaloo likes?"

"She's likes anythin' ta do with extreme sports, ya know, anythin' that goes really fast. Either that or anythin' ta do with Rainbow Dash. She’s, like, her biggest fan! She even started her own 'Rainbow Dash Fan Club'."

The two of them shared a laugh at the idea.

That’s no good! Sweetie Belle isn't like that at all!

"Interesting...what about Sweetie Belle? What would she like?"

"Ha! She's an easy one, since she’s just like her sister. She really likes pretty and fancy things, like dresses and jewelry!"

"Jewelry?" he asked, his ears perking up. "What kind?"

“She likes everythin', like rings, bracelets, or even necklaces! Ya should've seen her when we were tryin' ta get our Cutie Marks in makin' jewelry! Sure, she wasn't good at makin' them, but she still loved the idea of getting a Cutie Mark that was a piece of jewelry."

Well, it seems like jewelry is a solid winner. Still, I can't end the conversation there! She might catch on that it's Sweetie Belle. Hmmm, there has to be a way to get her mind off that, but how?

Rumble looked around for a bit before asking, "What about you? What are some things you'd like as a gift?"

Like before, her cheeks began turning bright red, which she tried to hide by turning her head away from Rumble.

Ah thought you'd never ask, she thought as she said, "Well, as much as ah like gifts and all, ah wouldn't really need one."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Then, she took him by surprise by turning to him and trotting towards him, a look in her eyes that Rumble could have sworn he'd seen before. However, he didn't dwell on it for long as the filly came close to his face, causing him to back away in confusion.

"If somepony liked me, ah wouldn't need a gift from them to tell me. Ah would just ask them to be honest and tell me, ya know?"

"Um...I guess you're right...I guess..."

The two of them looked at each other for several minutes, neither of them moving or saying anything. Rumble looked back and forth, trying to comprehend what was going on while Apple Bloom continued to stare lovingly into his eyes, hoping he would take the hint. At some point, she began leaning closer to him, making him lean away with every inch she moved. Not only did he back away in confusion, but he tried to stifle a cough.

I like that perfume and all, he thought to himself, his breathing becoming shallow. But I think she used a little too much. It smells more than the apple trees!

Then, the inevitable happened. Since she was leaning further than her body would allow, her hind legs lifting in the air, she tumbled forward and fell flat on the ground.

"Geez, Abby," Rumble said as he helped her up again. "What’s with you and falling today?"

"Ah don't know. Ah guess ah'm just not myself today," she said as she brushed some leaves off her coat. The moment ruined, she blushed and asked, "Did ah help ya in any way?"

"Tons! Thank you so much for your help, Abby."

"No problem, happy ta-"

She was interrupted mid-sentence as Rumble brought her into an embrace [making sure he held his breath so he wouldn't smell the powerful perfume]. It was in that moment that everything around her had vanished; it was like they were the only two left in all of Equestria. Time stood still as she returned the gesture, her heart pounding harder and harder with every passing second. She hadn't been hugged by many ponies outside of her family, and now that she had, it was one of the best feelings in the world.

Oh my star-apples, Apple Bloom thought, hearts dancing around in her eyes. If this is a dream, don't wake me up! Ah want this moment ta last forever!

"Thanks again," he said as he released his embrace. "Oh, I guess I owe you a hint, huh?"

When he looked at Apple Bloom, he blinked in surprise as he saw that she was frozen solid, her eyes wide and an odd smile across her face. He titled his head in confusion as he waved a hoof in front of her face.

"Abby? Abby!" he called out to her. "Are you alright? Hello? Is anypony in there?"

"Okay, I'd love some," she said, her body not moving an inch.

Worried, he rested his ear against her chest. When he heard the sound of her heart still beating, albeit fast, he began to slowly back away.

"I'm...I'm gonna go get Applejack to help you. Just...Just wait right there, okay?"

"Sure, get me one, too."

He raised an eyebrow at her answers, shaking his head as he turned and headed back towards the barn.

I hope she's alright and snaps out of it soon, he thought. However, he smiled and let out a sigh of relief. I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides, it got me out of having to tell her anything about my crush on Sweetie Belle.

As he approached the living quarters of barn, he refocused his attention back on to what he needed to. Okay, so jewelry seems to be the winner. All I have to do is go to the local jewelry store, find something that's not too expensive, and pick out something she might like. That shouldn't be too hard.

He knocked on the door and waited for Applejack to open it, a content smile on his face. Looks like everything is going my way today! Here's hoping it stays that way!

"Here you go, Miss Rarity," the mail mare said as she gave her a small pile of letters.

"Thank you, dear," Rarity said as she smiled and took the mail with her magic. "But, you don't have to call me, 'Miss Rarity', you know. Just Rarity is fine."

"Okay, sorry Miss Rarity...I mean Rarity...hehe, sorry."

They both shared a laugh as they bid each other farewell, the wall-eyed Pegasus flying off to finish her rounds. Closing the door behind her, Rarity began looking through the letters with her red-framed glasses on her eyes. She trotted into the kitchen and placed all of the letters on the table except for one, which she opened via her magic and began reading to herself. The further she read the letter, the wider her eyes grew.

"Oh my stars," she mused to herself. "This is unbelievable! Savannah Café and her partner, Trench-Stud, are coming to Ponyville to perform for, 'The Festival of the Night', and want me to design their outfits! Thank you, Sapphire Shores, for the recommendation! This is simply marvelous!"

Along with the letter were several pictures of what they wanted their outfits to look like, along with their measurements and a list of the types of jewels they wanted on certain parts of the clothing. Quickly, Rarity trotted up to her work room and began going through many fabrics and gemstones she had to see if she had enough to start the ensembles.

"Fortunately, I have some of this gold fabric left over for the dress and I do believe I can make the suit with little to no difficulty. I'm pretty sure I can find some rubies and emeralds for the dress around here somewhere," she said to herself. "If not, I'll have to ask Spike for his-"

She was interrupted mid-sentence when she heard the sound of the bell over the front door go off. Placing the pictures down, she trotted to the door to greet whoever entered her shop.

"Welcome to the 'Carousel Boutique'," she greeted.

"Hi, Rarity," came a familiar voice. Rarity felt her heart stop as she looked at Thunderlane standing there with a nervous smile on his face.

"Oh, hello Thunderlane," she said with a sheepish grin of her own. "How can I help you?"

"Well, I came over to talk to you about something. Is this a bad time?"

"Of course not, darling. How about we talk in the kitchen? Care for a cup of tea?"

"Sure, that sounds nice."

The two of them trotted into the kitchen as Rarity, once again, prepared two cups of tea. As she got everything ready, she couldn't help but bite her lower lip, her heart beginning to speed up with every passing second.

What should I do? I want to tell him now, but I don't think it’s the best time. I can't keep lying to him like this, but I don't know how to break it to him, she thought. Then, she lowered her head as she came to a decision, one that she knew she had to make, no matter what the outcome was. I have to tell him the truth, even if that means losing him. I just hope he can forgive me for all of this someday.

Taking a small breath to calm her nerves, Rarity brought over the two cups of tea and sat down next to him, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she envisioned his reaction and seeing the inevitable sight of him storming out of the shop, never wanting to see her ever again.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, both of them unsure how to start with what they wanted to say to each other. As he took a swig of his tea, Thunderlane let out a sigh and decided to start off with a little bit of small talk.

"So, how's Sweetie Belle feeling?" he asked.

"She's okay," Rarity said. "In fact, she was feeling much better than before, so I allowed her to go out for a little while with her...friends."

"Oh, well, that's good to hear," Thunderlane said. "Glad to hear she's doing well."

More awkward silence followed.

"So," she said. "What did you want to talk about?"

He looked at the table for a moment before answering. "I wanted to talk about...well...us."

She responded by looking at him, taking a sip of her tea and allowing him to continue.

He swallowed the tea in his cup before continuing. "You see, I was doing a little bit of thinking, and I was just wondering if...maybe...possibly...no pressure or anything...we can...you know...well, you wouldn't know, but...um..."

Eventually, he stopped talking as he tried to find the right words. When he saw Rarity beginning to giggle, he turned away to hide his embarrassment.

Well, that's not working out, he thought. I guess it's time to go with 'Plan B'...

He's so cute when he's like this, Rarity thought. However, it was short lived when she reminded herself of what she needed to do. You have to tell him before he makes a big mistake.

She lowered her head and let out a sigh. Then, she turned to him and said, "Thunderlane, I can't..."

She was interrupted by Thunderlane doing something that she didn't expect at all. Just as she turned to talk to him, he leaned in and planted his lips onto hers, completely catching her off guard.

Only a few seconds had passed before Rarity pulled her head away from him, giving him a look that was a mix of shock and disbelief. The moment Thunderlane saw the look, he lowered his head in shame, his ears drooping as well.

"Thunderlane," she said. "That was completely uncalled for! It's very rude to sneak up on a lady like that and kiss her without her consent!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I...I don't know what came over me."

They stared at each other for a solid minute before Rarity closed her eyes and leaned in herself, giving him back what she had received. Now it was Thunderlane's turn to back away with a similar look on his face.

"Rarity," he said. "What are...? Why did...? I mean, I thought you said..."

She shushed him by putting a hoof over his lips before kissing him again. This time, neither of them pulled away. Instead, Rarity put a hoof on his cheek while he put a hoof around her neck, keeping each other locked in the moment. Both of them had their eyes closed as they shared the tender kiss together; as much as they wanted the kiss to go further, they kept it at just the connection of their lips for now.

What felt like a lifetime had passed before the two of them pulled away from each other, even though it was only a few minutes. They both looked into the other's eyes, neither of them saying anything. The only thing they could do was smile, both of their cheeks beginning to turn red.

"Rarity," Thunderlane said in a whisper.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Will you...will you be my special somepony?"

She let out a small gasp at his question, putting a hoof over her mouth. Her heart began to race as the thoughts of them being together flashed through her mind. A smile came across her lips as she said exactly what the two of them wanted to hear.

"Oh Thunderlane, I'd love to."

Then, Rarity leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek before resting her head against his neck. A feeling of warmth began surging through her body as she felt his hoof wrap around her, holding her tightly against his body.

"Thank you," Thunderlane said, his voice still in a whisper.

"No," Rarity said, matching his tone. "Thank you."

"I love you, Rarity, ever since I first laid eyes upon you."

"Oh Thundy, I love you, too."

They stayed in that same position for a long time, both of them locked in the tender moment together. Neither of them wanted it to end, but they knew it had to sooner or later. Reluctantly, they both released their embrace and looked into each other’s eyes again. Thunderlane smiled at her, causing Rarity to smile and let out a small giggle.

"So, I was wondering," he said. "If you're not doing anything, would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight, just the two of us?"

"I'd love to," she said, her smile fading. "But, I have this wardrobe order that came in today, and I need to get started on it. They need it by the time the Festival comes next week."

"Oh, I see. Well, how about tomorrow night, then? That way, you can get some of your work done and we can find somepony to watch over the foals."

She let the thought sink in; she had already turned him down for a dinner-date once already. Now that they were together, it would seem very rude to do it again. Besides, he was right: her order would be started and she would have enough time to find a foal-sitter to watch Sweetie Belle.

After a moment, she said, "Sounds like a wonderful idea."

His eyes grew wide as a toothy smile came across his face. "Really?"

"Of course, darling. Pick me up at 8 o'clock?"

"It’s a date!"

With that, the two of them shared one last hug and kiss before Thunderlane got up and left the Boutique. When he was gone, Rarity made her way up to her work room to start her work, a smile on her face and a euphoric feeling coursing through her body. She began skipping up the stairs and into the room in a way that rivaled Pinkie Pie's, not feeling anything beneath her hooves as she moved. Then, she made her way over to her supplies and began gathering everything she would need to get started on the order.

Rarity began humming a sweet tune to herself with a smile on her face and rapture in her heart as she got to work, the thoughts of telling Thunderlane the truth about her sister and the lies she had been telling him becoming nothing but a faded memory.

Chapter 18: Crossroad

Celestia's sun began to slowly set in the evening sky, ending another day for the denizens of Ponyville. As the skies began turning a fiery orange that blended perfectly with the various shades of yellow and red, the once cool weather only became colder as ponies continued going about their business or began to bring their long day to an end. Among them, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were trotting towards the former's house, both of them with smiles on their faces.

"Today was one of the best days ever," announced Sweetie Belle as she jumped in the air excitedly, her breath visible as she spoke.

"You can say that again," Scootaloo agreed as she lightly shivered.

"Okay. Today was one of the best days ever!"

The two of them shared a laugh as Scootaloo's house slowly came into view. When they were in front of it, they turned to face to each other, both of them smiling at one another.

"I had a lot of fun today," said Scootaloo. "It feels great to finally spend some time with you alone."

"Mmm-hmm," she agreed with a nod. "I'm glad I was finally able to keep my promise to you."

Scootaloo felt her cheeks starting to warm up as she nodded her head in agreement. "Well, since we're not doing anything tomorrow, do you wanna do something like hang out?"

A sheepish grin came across Sweetie Belle's face. "Actually, I have to do something tomorrow and I don't know how long it's going to take, so I'll have to get back to you on that. If there's enough time, then we will, okay?"

"No problem," Scootaloo said with a smile. Then, Sweetie Belle leaned in and planted her lips on Scootaloo's, both of them sharing their tender butterfly kiss before embracing one another.

Nuzzling her neck, Sweetie Belle said in a soft tone, "I love you, Scoots."

"I love you, too, Sweetie," Scootaloo responded, feeling comfort in her warm body leaning up against hers.

Then, the two of them bid each other farewell as they went their separate ways. As Sweetie Belle trotted towards the Boutique, she let out a sigh as her thoughts began to focus on what she had to do tomorrow.

Here's hoping my plan works, she reassured herself. Time to put 'Operation: Get-Rumble-Out-of-My-Head-and-Hook-Him-Up-with-Apple-Bloom' in motion!

As she arrived at the Boutique and trotted through the doors, she couldn't help but roll her eyes and let out a laugh. I really need to come up with a better name for that.

"Rarity," she called out as she headed for the stairs. When she was upstairs, she trotted towards her work room and said, "I'm home!"

"Oh, hello, Sweet'ums," she responded with a smile on her face. "Sorry, I was just working on this outfit for a client that just came in today."

Sitting on her haunches in the room, Sweetie Belle said, "It's okay. So, how was your day?"

"Oh, it was nothing short of magnificent!" she answered, a romantic sigh escaping through her nostrils. Looking at her sister busily working on the dress in her hooves by running it through her sewing machine, Sweetie Belle noticed that there was something a little different about her; her eyes looked like they had stars dancing in them. Her cheeks were a small shade of pink and, when she took the dress from her machine to an ironing board, it looked like she was dancing across the room.

Seeing all these notions, Sweetie Belle giggled and asked, "You look like you're in a good mood."

"The absolute best, my dear sister," Rarity said. "I haven't felt like this since...since...I can't even remember when!"

She let out another loving sigh as she glided over to fetch more string for her sewing machine. It was when she saw her sister in the mirror that she said, "Oh, do forgive me for being rude. How was your day, dear?"

"It was great," Sweetie Belle skipped happily. "Scootaloo and I had the best day ever!"

"That's wonderful to hear. I'm..."

She stopped in mid-sentence as her sister's words hit her, making the smile she wore instantly vanish. The thoughts hadn't entered her mind all day, but now that they were brought up, they were knocking into her head like falling apples. Her once cheerful state dissipated as panic began taking its place, erupting anxiety in her chest. With all her thoughts continuously shifting from one to another, she didn't even notice Sweetie Belle trot past her and inspect her current work-in-progress.

"Wow! That outfit looks really pretty!" she complimented. "Who's it for?"

Rarity shook her head in an attempt to get her mind on track as she said, "Savannah Café. She's...coming to Ponyville for...for the Festival."

Sweetie let out a gasp. "Really, and she asked you to make her outfit? That's so great!"

"Y-yeah, great," Rarity said, making circles in the rug with a hoof. "Sweetie, why don't you start getting ready for supper? I'll be along momentarily."

"Okay."

As Sweetie Belle trotted out of the room, Rarity hung her head as she bit her lower lip, the events from earlier flashing before her eyes while the words that were just spoken echoed in her ears.

Oh no! Now what am I going to do? I've dug myself deeper than ever, she thought as she sat on her haunches. Now that we've proclaimed our love for each other, how am I going to tell him the truth? How do I break it to him that...that...

She didn't attempt to finish her thought as she put her hooves on her eyes in a desperate attempt to stop herself from crying. Much to her dismay, the tears still streamed down her face as her breathing became shallow. Quickly, she put a hoof over her mouth; if she couldn't stop her crying, the best she could do was try to muffle it so that Sweetie didn't hear it.

Calm yourself, Rarity, she thought as she wiped her eyes. No point in worrying about that now. Tomorrow is another day. I'll think of a way out of this then. For now, I shouldn't worry. Just act casual for the rest of the evening and everything will be alright.

Sniffling and wiping the remaining tears off her face, she put on the most natural smile she could muster and began trotting down the stairs, ready to conclude the day with their usual evening routine.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle were trotting down a dirt path along side of each other. She had been trotting with a smile on her face for most of the journey, but it only struck the filly now that she had no idea where they were or where they were heading.

By the looks of their surroundings, she could see that they were inside some kind of forest, except it wasn't the familiar Everfree Forest. Whitetail Woods, maybe? She didn't dwell on the location for very long; the thought of the two of them aimlessly wandering in any murky forest sent uncomfortable chills down her spine.

Her smile quickly becoming a look of worry as she inspected her surroundings, she turned to her sister and asked, "Rarity, where are we? Where are we going?"

"Don't worry, my dear," Rarity said reassuringly, though she didn't turn to look at her. "Everything will be fine...trust me."

The last two words seemed to echo in her ears as the two of them exited the forest and entered a grassy clearing. It was only now that she saw the skies, except it wasn't like anything she expected. At first glance, one would say that it was a thin layer of clouds with the sun trying to peak out from behind them. However, the whole entire sky was lit up, as if the clouds were all made of lights. There wasn't a sun, nor were there any form of a sky. Instead, it was just a layer of bright lights that shone across the sky.

"We're almost there," Rarity chimed, taking Sweetie Belle by surprise. Focusing her attention back on the road, she had to stop trotting for a moment as she gazed upon what lied around her.

Her heart skipped a beat as the field of grass with a few mountains in the distance changed without her even realizing it. Now, it appeared that the majority of the field was gone except for the small pathway that they were currently traveling upon. The ground on either side was gone; it was like they were on a bridge over a canyon, except the ground underneath them was replaced with a bright light similar to the skies. Galloping to catch up Rarity, Sweetie Belle looked down towards the white light beneath them, only to quickly shield her eyes with a hoof from the immense brightness.

"Rarity..." she began in a shaky voice. Before she could say or ask anything, she was taken off guard by Rarity stopping her trotting.

"We're here," she said as she looked at her with a smile. "It's time."

Sweetie Belle tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Time for what?"

She didn't respond with words, but instead by pointing a hoof in front of the two of them, motioning for Sweetie Belle to look at where she was directing. When she looked ahead at the path before them, her eyes went wide and her heart began to beat a little faster than before.

In front of them were two paths, one that broke off to the left and the other that branched to the right. They were similar to the path they were on, narrow and linear with the bright light on either side of them as well as across the horizon. However, what made these two paths different was what was waiting for them along the horizons...or rather, who.

Standing in the middle of the left path was Scootaloo, while Rumble was standing on the right. When the two foals saw her standing at the fork in the road, they both stood up with hopeful expressions, complete with smiles and unfurled wings. Sweetie Belle's eyes shifted from one to the other and back again, her pounding heart starting to hurt her ribcage.

"Hi, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo shouted to her as she rapidly waved a hoof, her smile widening.

"Hello," Rumble said softly, lowering his head in embarrassment.

"Rarity," Sweetie's voice cracked as her breathing began to intensify. "What's going on? Why are...?"

"Come along, Sweetie Belle," Rarity interrupted, all of her words starting to echo. "We must be going."

Not waiting for a response, Rarity began trotting down the right path, where Rumble was waiting for them. However, Sweetie Belle looked down the left path to see that the smile and hopeful look on Scootaloo's face was gone, a look that was a mix of shock and disbelief appearing in its place.

Seeing this, Sweetie said, "Rarity, I...I think we should go this way."

She stopped her trot and looked at her with a smirk. "This isn't up for discussion. Now come along, there's no time to dally."

"But...but I don't want to go that way. I want to go this way."

Rarity’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked down the left path and back, a stern look falling upon her face. "That's not an option. We're going this way, so come on."

Letting out a defiant huff, Sweetie Belle began trotting down the opposite path, heading towards Scootaloo. She had only taken a few steps before she felt her tail being pulled, making her slightly stumble to the ground. Regaining her bearings, she looked behind her to see that Rarity had her tail in her mouth and was pulling her back.

"Where do you think you're going?" she inquired through the hair in her mouth. "You're going this way."

"No!" she protested. "I don't want to!"

"What did you say?"

"I said no! I'm not going and you can't make me!"

She began pulling as hard as she could in a desperate attempt to free herself from her sister's grasp. She could feel immense pain starting to course through her flank, no doubt from the various strands of hair starting to pull out. Tears started streaming down her face, not just from the pain, but from the fact that her sister was deliberately trying to force her to go down a path she didn't want to go down.

"You can't do this to me!" she cried, trying to make her voice clear. "You can't tell me what to do!"

"YES I CAN!" Rarity shouted as she released her sister's tail from her mouth. Then, she used her magic to levitate Sweetie Belle as she began walking down the path towards Rumble.

"LET ME GO!" Sweetie Belle shouted, squirming in midair.

"Absolutely not," Rarity protested calmly, though it was clear she was annoyed. "You're going this way. You WILL listen to me, whether you like it or not."

As she walked, Sweetie continued to flail her hooves around, managing to sway back and forth in the air. Suddenly, one of her hooves accidently knocked into Rarity’s horn, making her clutch it with a hoof while squealing in pain. The worst of it was when she lost her magical grip around her, causing the filly to hit the ground. Since the pathway was so narrow with little to no room for movement, she immediately rolled off the side, falling down towards the empty light underneath them.

"HELP ME!" she managed to scream at the top of her lungs. "SOMEPONY HELP ME!"

"Sweetie Belle!" she heard a voice yell out to her as she closed her eyes and let out a high-pitched scream. Hearing her name being called, she lightly opened one eye and managed to catch a glimpse of both Pegasi jumping off the paths and heading down towards her.

"Sweetie Belle!" the voice called out again. Opening her eyes, she reached out a hoof so that one of them could take it. As they approached her, the lights behind her began to brighten more and more, making it hard to see who it was that was directly in front of her.

Then, as the light engulfed her and distorted her vision completely, she felt somepony grab her hoof and begin to pull her back up.

"Sweetie Belle!" she called out for a third time, using a hoof to lightly shake the filly awake. The moment her eyes shot open, Rarity let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank Celestia you're awake. I was so worried."

Her breathing heavy and sweat along her forehead, Sweetie Belle looked at Rarity before directing her attention outside. It was morning now and the sun was shining, despite the vast amount of clouds that were strewn about.

"Are you alright?" Rarity asked in a soothing voice, redirecting her attention back to her.

"I..." she began, unsure of whether or not she should tell her what she just experienced. Deciding it was for the best if she didn't, she let out a sigh and said, "I'm fine."

Rarity put a hoof on her forehead, lightly wiping away several strands of her disheveled mane out of her face that were held in place from the sweat. "That's so good to hear. I came in to wake you when I saw you tossing and turning. I've never seen you move in your sleep like that before, so I tried to wake you. Were you having a nightmare?"

Her breathing finally relaxing, she replied, "Mm-hm. That's all it was...just a bad dream."

"Well, I certainly know what that feels like."

"What do you mean?"

Rarity let out a sigh through her nostrils. "I had a nightmare as well. It was...simply dreadful."

Sweetie Belle lowered her head in sorrow. "I'm sorry to hear that. What was it about?"

She scanned the ground for a moment, visions of the forest and grassy clearing flashing through her mind. After a moment, she scoffed and said, "It's nothing to worry about. Let's just have some breakfast together and put all these bad thoughts behind us, shall we?"

She smiled and responded softly, "Okay."

Rarity then proceeded to trot out of the room. When she was in the doorway, she stopped for a moment, turned to Sweetie Belle and asked, "May I ask you something?"

"Sure, sis," she responded.

"You...you do know that I love you, right?"

"Of course I do. Just like you know that I love you."

Rarity smiled at her before leaving the room, closing the door in her passing. When she heard the sound of her hoof-steps descending the stairs, Sweetie Belle let out a deep sigh as she sprawled out on her bed with a worried look on her face.

"Was that all it was?" she asked herself. "Was it just a bad dream or was it something else?"

She tapped a hoof on her chin as the memories of the dream floated around in her head. Recollecting what happened, she didn't know what terrified her more: the roads with Scootaloo and Rumble on either of them or the way Rarity had been acting. Was she really trying to force her to do something she didn't want to, like stay away from Scootaloo?

"Nah," she said with a wave of a hoof. "Rarity isn't like that. Sure, she's been acting strange lately, but she would never try to make me do something I wouldn't want to do. I guess that means only one thing."

She stood on her head in a triumphant manner. "I have to do everything I can to get Rumble and Apple Bloom together! That way, I won't have to choose between them like in my dream, Apple Bloom will have a special somepony all her own, and everypony will be happy!"

Jumping off the bed, she left her room and began making her way to the bathroom with a smile on her face and a single thought crossing her mind:

What could possibly go wrong?

Rarity trotted down the stairs and entered the kitchen, a look on her face that a mix of sadness and guilt, bordering on fear. Letting out a deep sigh, she rested her head on the refrigerator for a moment as she began recollecting the worst part of her nightmare: the way she had been acting.

What was the purpose of that dream? Was that a look into the future? Is that what I'm to become? Surely there must be a reason behind it all, she thought as her breathing became shallow for a moment.

She bit her lower lip as her eyes darted back and forth. Does this mean that, no matter what I do, Sweetie is going to resist? Are my efforts to end in vain? Am I becoming...a monster?

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Sweetie trotted into the room. Quickly, she put a smile on her face and took a bowl out of the cabinet and placed it on the table, trying to put all the thoughts about the dream behind her for now. Flipping her mane out of her face, Rarity trotted over the table and silently watched as Sweetie Belle took out a box of cereal and the milk to make herself breakfast.

Sitting down, she asked in a nonchalant way, "So, Sweet'ums, any plans for today?"

"Yeah," she said as she poured the cereal in her bowl. "I'm going to...help Apple Bloom with...um...stuff."

"That's nice," she replied, desperately trying to sound chipper. "I'll be doing a little bit of shopping today, seeing how I didn't get a chance to finish yesterday."

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. Do you want me to come with you? Maybe I can help!"

"That's sweet of you, but I insist you help Apple Bloom with her...'stuff'. I'll manage on my own, thanks. Just be back before it gets too late."

"I will. Aren't you gonna eat something?"

"N-Not right now, thank you. I'm...not hungry at the moment."

They fell silent after that, Sweetie Belle eating her breakfast while Rarity just sat there, her mind trying to piece everything together at once. It wasn't long before Sweetie finished her cereal and dismissed herself, heading directly for the door while bidding farewell to Rarity.

When she was confident she was alone, Rarity rested her head on the table, her eyes looking downwards.

Maybe I'm thinking too much into this, she thought. Perhaps I'm looking at this the wrong way. I mean, just because it's a premonition of some kind, doesn't mean it has to be a bad thing.

Her ears slightly perked up at this newfound thought. Maybe it means that I shouldn't force Sweetie Belle to do something she doesn't want to. Perhaps it means that I should go about this issue at another angle. Hmm, but how? How can I convince her that she'd be better off with...?

Rarity didn't have to finish that thought before she lifted her head off the table, her gaze becoming more and more devious. That's it! Why didn't I think of this sooner? Instead of trying to persuade Sweetie Belle, I should be encouraging Rumble to confess his feelings to Sweetie Belle! It shouldn't be too difficult, seeing that he already has a crush on her. Once he confesses his feelings for her, maybe she'll see that her feelings might be mutual and, in turn, she'll realize that she's happier being with him!

A toothy grin came across her face as she let out a small chuckle, rubbing her hooves together as her perfect plan formed in her head. However, her small moment of victory was short-lived when another thought came across her mind, resulting in her ears flattening against her head.

Poor Scootaloo will be heartbroken if this works, she thought. Huffing, she straightened her posture as a determined look came across her face. But it's for Sweetie Belle's best interest. I'm sure Scootaloo will want that for her and put it all behind her in due time. Besides, like Applejack said, their love for each other might be just a passing phase. As much as it'll pain me to hurt her like this, it’s the only way I can guide Sweetie Belle down the right path of that dreaded crossroad in my dream.

Nodding her head in confidence, she got up and headed for the door. Once she was outside, she began trotting towards the inn, completely forgetting about the two major things she had planned for that very same day.

Chapter 19: Fueling the Flames

Okay, Sweetie Belle, you've got this, she thought to herself. Just remember what you have to do and everything will go 'without a hitch', as Rarity would say.

Sweetie Belle gave herself a confident nod as she continued trotting through Ponyville towards Sweet Apple Acres, ready to put her 'perfect plan' into motion. The weather wasn't as frigid as it was the day prior, but it was still rather chilly on this partly cloudy day. As she made her way onto the dirt path leading to the orchard, she stopped in surprise when she saw who she was going to see in front of her, already making her way to town with her head hanging.

"Hi, Apple Bloom!" she called out to her, waving a hoof in the air.

"Hmm?" she responded as she lifted her head. "Oh, hi Sweetie."

Noticing her monotone voice, she tilted her head and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No, ah'm fine, honest."

"Come on, Apple Bloom. I can see something is upsetting you. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Letting out a sigh, she began retelling everything that happened yesterday, starting with Rumble coming over and asking for her help with somepony he liked, and ending with his plan of getting said pony a gift. As she spoke, Sweetie Belle couldn't help but smile a little; she would be able to use what she was just told to her advantage.

"The last thing ah remember was wakin' up in mah room," Apple Bloom finished as she hung her head again. "He was nowhere ta be seen after that."

"Let me guess, you're on your way to see him, right?" Sweetie Belle inquired.

Apple Bloom nodded as she sat on her haunches. "Ah may as well give up," she softly spoke. "What're the chances of the pony he likes being me? It's probably somepony who can stand on her own four hooves without makin' a fool outta herself. Besides, he doesn't even notice me."

"Don't be like that, Apple Bloom," Sweetie reassured. Then, she looked around to make sure nopony was within earshot, leaned in and whispered, "You know, I think you are the pony he likes."

"Yeah, right," she said sarcastically. "How could ya possibly know that?"

Sweetie Belle let out a giggle. "Are you kidding? It's so obvious! I can totally see it in his eyes...his...his big...bold...handsome...lavender eyes..."

Apple Bloom looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she trailed off at the end of her sentence, lost in her thoughts for a moment. Immediately, Sweetie Belle realized what she was doing and snapped herself out by slapping her cheek with a hoof.

Stop that! Sweetie thought to herself as she shook her head. She likes him, not you, so stay focused on getting them together!

"Besides, he did say, 'you of all ponies' would know her, right?" she quickly asked with a sheepish grin. "Who else do you know that he would know that would have a crush on him?"

Apple Bloom looked to the sky as she thought about it. Before she could open her mouth to answer, Sweetie Belle quickly blurted out, "Nopony, that's who! You're the only one, so it's gotta be you!"

"I guess yer right," she replied unsurely. "But, how do ya know he doesn't have any other friends besides you, me, and Scootaloo? How do ya know he doesn't like somepony else in our class, like Twist or Dinky?"

Sweetie was caught off guard for a split second before she came up with a fib. "Well, he definitely talks about you when you're not around. Like when Rarity was foal-sitting him a few days ago, he wouldn't stop talking about you."

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "What'd he say? What'd he say?"

"Oh...you know...this and that...all good things," she trailed off in a mumble before piping back up again. "The point is that I think you're the one he has a crush on! If you ask me, I think you're very lucky to have a crush on somepony like him. He's smart and kind...and sweet...and handsome...and...and dreamy..."

You're doing it again! Stop it, she thought as she slapped herself out of her trance again. Quickly, she said "Besides, didn't you say that he gave you a nickname or something?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Abby."

"See!?" she exclaimed. "It must be true love if he's given you a nickname already!"

"Yeah, ah don't think it works that way..."

"Sure it does!" Sweetie Belle interrupted. "...and I know just what to do to get you two together!"

"Really? What?"

Making sure the coast was clear again, she leaned in and began whispering her plan in Apple Bloom's ear. As she neared the end, Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow.

"Um, Sweetie," she said when she was finished. "No offense, but ah don't think that's gonna work. It seems so...simple!"

"Of course it will work!" Sweetie said excitedly. "When have I ever been wrong?"

"Well, there was that time when..."

"My point exactly! Now come on, let's get started!"

"Wait, what?" Apple Bloom shrieked. "Ya mean ya wanna do this today!?"

Sweetie Belled looked at her in disbelief. "What's wrong? Don't you want to?"

"Well..." she began, rubbing a hoof on the back of the opposing leg. Lowering her head, she said, "To be honest, ah...ah don't think ah'm ready to do it today."

"What? Why not?"

"Firstly, ah was in the middle of somethin', remember?" The question resulted in Sweetie lowering her head in shame. "Secondly, ah'd like to think it over for a while before ah agree ta do it, if that's alright with you."

"Oh," she responded dejectedly. "Okay, then."

Seeing her friend upset made a wave of guilt wash over Apple Bloom, making her look at the ground for a moment in deep thought. Lifting her head, she said, "Tell ya what, ah'll think it over and get back ta ya later. How does that sound?"

Her spirits lifting, Sweetie said, "That sounds great! I'll see you later, then!"

Apple Bloom watched as she began trotting away with a hopeful smile on her face, making her tilt her head. Before she was out of earshot, she called out, "Hey, Sweetie Belle, mind if ah ask ya somethin'?"

Sweetie Belle stopped and looked at her.

"Are ya sure ya know what yer doin'?"

"Sure, I'm sure," she responded confidently. "Don't worry about a thing; I have everything under control."

"It's just that ya seem mighty eager to get us together. Is there any reason why?"

Sweetie forced out a laugh. "Of course not! I just want the two of you to be happy, that's all."

"Alrighty, then. Ah'll see ya later, then."

Waving a hoof, Sweetie Belle began trotting away, a bit faster this time so she wouldn't be questioned anymore. When she was certain she was out of earshot, she let out an audible sigh and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

As she trotted into town, she couldn't help but think to herself, I hope I know what I'm doing.

Thunderlane whistled a happy tune to himself as he cooked breakfast for him and Rumble, who was busy putting plates and silverware on the table. After a few moments, he placed a stack of waffles on the table; although they were slightly burnt, past experience told them that they were still edible. As they sat down and prepared to eat, they were taken by surprise when the sound of somepony knocking on the door filled the air.

"Who could that be?" Thunderlane asked as he got up and headed towards the door. When he opened it, he had to do a double take when he saw Rarity standing there with a soft smile on her face.

"Hello, Thundy," she softly said.

"H-Hi," he responded as she stepped out of the room to accompany her. "We seem to be seeing each other a lot lately, huh?"

The two of them shared a quick chuckle.

"I apologize for disturbing you at such an early hour," Rarity said. "But, I wanted to speak to you about something, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind," Thunderlane replied. "What's up?"

"Do you recall our discussion about Rumble having a crush on Sweetie Belle?"

He nodded in response.

"Well, I was wondering if, perchance, I can be of any assistance in his efforts of telling her how he felt," she explained nervously. "They've been getting along so well with each other as of late and I'm sure Rumble could use some assistance...provided he needs it, of course."

Well, this is sudden. I wonder why she's taking an interest in this now, Thunderlane thought before saying, "Well, I'm not really sure. I mean, we have been talking about it and he does want to tell her, but I don't know if he needs any help. So far, the only thing he asked for help with is the gift."

"I see. May I have a word with him on the matter?" she asked.

"Sure, but don't be too surprised if he denies it at first," he chuckled. "It took a while for me to pry it out of him."

The two of them shared a small laugh before they entered the room together. Trotting over to the table, Rarity could have sworn she saw Rumble flinch in his seat, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints as his ears fell flat against his head. The look on his face didn't change as she sat down in Thunderlane's seat, resulting in the stallion standing in between them.

Rarity brushed her mane with a hoof and said, "Hello, Rumble."

Swallowing a lump in his throat that happened to have food with it, he replied softly, "H-Hi, Miss Rarity."

"You can call me just 'Rarity', dear," she said with a smile. "I wanted to talk to you about your crush on Sweetie Belle, if that's alright with you."

"WHAT!?" he shouted. Quickly covering his mouth, and mentally cursing himself for yet another outburst, he stammered, "I-I mean, w-what crush? I d-didn't say crush! Who s-said anything about a crush? I don't h-have a crush!"

As she tried to stifle a laugh, Rumble felt his whole world beginning to crumble all around him. It was bad enough I had a crush on Sweetie Belle, he thought as his heart raced. Now Rarity knows and wants to talk about it! What is she going to say? Is she okay with it? What if she's not? Why is this happening to me, and now of all times?

"It's alright, sweetie," she said as she regained her composure. "I know about you and my sister. I must say that the idea of the two of you being together is simply adorable. I have no problems with it, so you don't need to worry."

Seeing his demeanor starting to calm as his cheeks began turning red, Rarity added, "You know, I think she feels the same way about you."

The response caught both Rumble and Thunderlane by surprise, resulting in them asking in unison, "She does?"

"Of course," she fibbed with a smile. "Ever since you moved to Ponyville, Sweetie's taken quite the interest in you. The way she speaks fondly about you, I can see you two have been getting along so well with each other. She's just a little shy about telling you and needs a little bit of help."

Silence followed as Rarity allowed her words to soak in. As Thunderlane patted the blushing colt on the back, as if to say that he was right, Rarity quickly flashed a mischievous smile before putting on her act again.

"Anyway, I wanted to know if there was any way I can help you."

"Help me? What do you mean?"

"Well, Thunderlane tells me that you're making preparations to tell Sweetie Belle how you feel about her, right?" After he nodded, she asked, "If you don't mind me asking, how do you plan on doing so?"

Rumble blushed. "Well, I wanted to get her something...like...a gift...if that's alright with you."

"Oh, of course it's alright. What did you plan on getting her?"

"A piece of jewelry, since I heard she likes them. That's all I've got, though."

"See? I already know how I can assist you in your efforts!" she exclaimed. "Not only do I know the perfect gift you can give, but I know the perfect place where you two can proclaim your love for each other!"

He listened intently as she told him everything he needed to know. Upon hearing the gift and the location, he felt his confidence beginning to strengthen. However, whether or not it would work still lingered in his head, bringing forth a cloud of doubt.

"Oh, wouldn't it be so romantically adorable?" Rarity asked, more to herself than either of them. "It'll be like something out of a love story!"

Rubbing a hoof on top of his other, Rumble asked, "Do you really think this'll work?"

"Of course it will," Rarity boldly said with a wave of a hoof. "No one knows my sister better than me. Trust me, everything will be okay."

"Okay...if you say so. When do you think I should...you know...do this?"

She tapped her chin a few times in thought. "Seeing that the festival is right around the corner, you should definitely do it soon. That way, the two of you will be able to go together."

Lowering both his head and his tone, he asked, "Do you really think she'll go with me?"

Rarity got up and trotted next to Rumble, placing a hoof on his shoulder reassuringly. When he looked up to her, she gave him a smile and replied softly, "I know she will."

Offering her a smile in return, he wrapped his hooves around her in an embrace and said, "Thank you."

"You're very welcome, dear," she responded, returning the gesture. After the two of them released, Rarity cleared her throat and asked, "So, when would you like to come by the Boutique and pick up your gift for Sweetie Belle?"

"Can I go after breakfast?" he asked Thunderlane, hope beaming in his eyes.

Seeing the anticipation in his face, he let out a small laugh and said, "Of course you can."

With the arrangements in place, Rarity bid the two brothers farewell as she began heading for the door. However, she was immediately stopped by Thunderlane before she could close the door.

"Hey, Rarity," he said as he stopped the door from being closed all the way.

"Yes?" she inquired.

"I...I just wanted to say 'thank you' for helping Rumble like this. It means a lot, not just to Rumble, but to me as well."

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean, darling?"

"I know it sounds silly," he chuckled. "But it makes me happy to see Rumble this happy. It's not every day somepony tells him he has a chance at finding a special somepony of his very own."

Her heart began speeding up as his unintentional guilt-trip began sinking in. "Oh, think nothing of it, sweetie. I just...feel it's the right thing to do...for the two of them."

A few moments of silence followed as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Well then," Thunderlane finally said, "I guess I'll see you tonight, then."

"Tonight?" she asked in an unsure tone. Immediately, her thoughts remembered their date that evening and quickly followed it with, "Oh, of course we'll see each other tonight. I just thought that you were accompanying Rumble to the Boutique later, that's all."

"I would, but I have some things to do to prepare for tonight. I hope you don't mind."

Nudging against his neck, she whispered in a sweet voice, "Not at all, dear. I'll see you tonight, Thundy."

Then, the two of them shared a passionate kiss before departing. As Rarity trotted out of the inn, she let out a sigh as she tried wrapping her mind around what she was doing.

Don't think too much into it, she tried to convince herself. You're doing this to help Sweetie, not hurt her. Once she sees how happy she'll be, everything will be okay.

Straightening her posture, she decided to head for the market to finish the shopping she didn't get to do yesterday while she waited for Rumble to accompany her to the Boutique. However, she stopped when she saw Sweetie Belle trotting through town. It was then that she remembered the small errand she had to do to prepare for her evening's plans.

Hmm, I wonder who would be available to foal-sit Sweetie Belle on such short notice, Rarity thought. Seeing a familiar face within the crowd of ponies before her, she smiled to herself. Perfect! I'm sure she won't mind.

Some time later, Rumble trotted out of the inn and began making his way to the Carousel Boutique with a small saddlebag on his back. His heart began fluttering as he wrapped his thoughts around the possible gift idea Rarity had in mind. The bits rattling around in his saddlebag, he hoped that the amount he brought with him would be enough to pay for it.

Don't worry about it, he attempted to mentally convince himself. Like Rarity said, nopony knows Sweetie Belle as well as her. I'm sure whatever it is will be-

He stopped in mid-sentence as he tensed up in fear, making him jump behind some barrels that were near him. Holding his breath, he remained completely motionless as he listened to the sound of Apple Bloom's hoof-steps go past him. Looking out of his peripherals, Rumble watched as she trotted down the road, no doubt making her way to the inn to see him.

I hope she's not too upset about yesterday, Rumble thought. Still, I need to get to the Boutique fast! There has to be a way to get there without her seeing me.

Just then, he heard two ponies engaged in a conversation as they trotted in the opposite direction. Although he didn't know who the pink-mane, yellow Pegasus was, he immediately recognized Rarity, who had many filled bags of groceries in her magical grip.

"Thank you so much for watching Sweetie Belle tonight, Fluttershy," she said with a look of relief on her face. "I'll be sure to make it up to you somehow."

"You're very welcome, Rarity," said Fluttershy. "You don't have to do anything. I'm always happy to help a friend in need."

As the two of them wrapped up their conversation with an agreement of a new dress for the festival, they both bid each other farewell as Fluttershy flew off and Rarity trotted away. Quickly, he dashed over to her and stood in a position that was out of Apple Bloom's line of sight.

"Oh," she yelped in surprise. "Hello, Rumble. What are-?"

"Hi, Rarity," he interrupted. "I was just on my way to see you. Need any help with those?"

Without waiting for an answer, he took one of her bags and tucked it into the small bag he was carrying. Thankfully, with the amount of stuff in it, mixed with his short stature, he was able to cover himself without much difficulty.

"Why, thank you, Rumble," Rarity said as she began trotting towards her home. "You're such a gentle-colt."

The two of them trotted in silence after that in a manner that Rarity could best describe as 'odd'; all the while, Rumble kept trotting in a sideways position with the groceries facing her and his body on the opposite side. He stumbled on himself a few times, but managed to get everything to the Carousel Boutique in one piece.

Opening the door for him, Rumble placed the bag on the ground and waited for Rarity to come in before quickly slamming it shut, letting out a loud sigh of relief. Before she could say anything, he trotted to the window and looked towards the road, as if he was making sure they weren't followed.

"Rumble, are you alright?" she asked as she picked up the bag he put down via her magic.

"Of course," he said, trotting away from the window. "Now, what was it you wanted me to give to Sweetie Belle?"

"Just a moment, I'll be right back."

She trotted out of the room with her bags in tow as Rumble sat on the closest thing he could; a red couch located near a display stage with mirrors surrounding it. Placing his saddle bag beside him, he pulled out the small bag of bits he had; advanced allowance Thunderlane had loaned him. As he began counting how much he had, he stopped when he heard Rarity's hoof-steps approaching. Looking up, he saw that she was carrying a small, yet long, velvet box in her magic.

"Now, I know it won't look like much, but I assure you that Sweetie Belle is going to love it," she said as she held the box in front of Rumble, prompting him to take it. "I was planning on giving this to her on her birthday, but I think this is a more auspicious occasion."

Slowly, he opened the box and marveled at what was inside, his eyes growing wide as his mouth hung open. "Whoa," he managed to say, tilting the box to look at it in every angle. "Are...those real diamonds?"

"Mm-hmm," she confirmed with a nod.

"What about the emblem?" he asked, pointing at it. "How do you know she'll like it?"

"Well, she doesn't know it, but I happened to hear her sing the last time she had a sleepover with Sco-...I mean, her friends...and she sounded absolutely lovely. I have a feeling that might be where her talent lies, but she's just too shy to perform in front of others to realize it."

"Oh," he said, clearly oblivious to Rarity's slip-up. Putting the small box in his saddlebag, he asked, "How much is it?"

She told him how much it was and he gave her the proper amount of bits for it. Then, he said, "By the way, you know that place you mentioned earlier? Do you think you can show me where it is? I...don't really know my way around town yet."

Using her magic, she levitated a small map of Ponyville and the surrounding area that she used when she needed to go to different sites to dig up gemstones. Opening it, she pointed to a certain spot that was in the outskirts of town. By the looks of it, it appeared to be some kind of field near a place called 'Whitetail Woods'.

"This field is quite the sight to behold," she explained to him. "You'll know it once you see it. Just follow this path until you see the blue flowers along the road. Be sure to follow them once you see them, for they'll lead you right to it. Trust me, there's no better place to pronounce one's love than here. Plus, Sweetie Belle hasn't been there, so it'll definitely add to the wow-factor."

"Thank you, Rarity," said Rumble as he wrapped up the map and put it in his saddlebag. "It really means a lot that you'd help me like this."

"Think nothing of it, darling," she said. "Just keep in mind that timing is the key; one should always wait for the opportune moment, not aimlessly jump in."

"Okay," he said as he headed for the door. "Thanks again!"

"Good luck, Rumble," she called out as he left the building, the door closing in his passing. A moment had passed before she lowered her head in shame and let out a sigh. "We're both going to need it."

With that, she made her way to the kitchen to unpack the groceries, praying as hard as she could that she would be able to control and distinguish the inevitable flames of disaster she was so precariously feeding.

The morning slowly crept into afternoon, making the weather feel a little bit warmer than before. In the center of town, beneath the shade of a pony statue that read, "Our Founder", Apple Bloom sat on her haunches while looking at her reflection in the fountain water surrounding it, a defeated look on her face.

"Where could he be?" she asked herself aloud. "Ah went to the inn and he wasn't there. Thunderlane said he would be at the Carousel Boutique, but he's not there either. He's gotta be somewhere; he couldn't have just disappeared in-"

She was interrupted by the sound of somepony dropping a heavy box with a loud thud. Turning her head to look, Apple Bloom watched as a masked unicorn stallion picked up what he dropped and continued trotting away. The moment he was out of her line of sight, she had to do a double take as she watched Rumble trotting his way through town, holding a piece of paper in front of him with a hoof.

"There you are!" Apple Bloom called out to him, making him flinch and turn to face her.

"Oh, hi Abby," he said nervously. "What's up?"

"Don't 'hi' me, mister," she said sternly. "Ah've been lookin' everywhere for ya. Where the hay have ya been?"

He swallowed nervously. "Well, I was just...looking for somewhere...on this map, that's all."

"Uh-huh, sure ya were. Sounds ta me like you've been tryin' ta avoid me."

"No! I wasn't, honest!"

A moment of silence fell upon the two foals as they stared at each other.

"Well," Apple Bloom prompted. "Ah'm waitin'."

"Waiting?" he feigned a smile. "Waiting for what?"

"Don't try and play innocent with me, Rumble. You know what I'm here for, so spill the beans!"

"Yeah...a-about that," Rumble said as he lowered his head. "The thing is, Abby, I...I can't tell you who the pony that I like is...not even give you a hint."

"What!?" she exclaimed disbelievingly. "Why not? You promised you would!"

"I know, I know. It's just that...I can't...I just can't."

Apple Bloom let out a huff as she turned her back on Rumble. Looking to the sky with furrowed eyebrows, she sniffled as tears began pooling in her eyes. Sure, she was angry that he was breaking his promise, but she was more upset at the idea of him liking another pony and not telling her who it was.

"Abby," he said comfortingly. "Please don't be like this. I don't want to break my promise to you, especially since I...you know...like you...but I have to."

The words seemed to echo in her ears, making her heart start to flutter and her anger vanished completely (though her tears didn't). "Did...did ya just say ya...like me?"

Rumble shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Well...yeah, I do. You're...nice to be around and stuff, you know? I really like hanging out with you and don't want to ruin our friendship because of all this."

Then, he took her hooves into his and said, "I'm really, really sorry about this. Please forgive me."

As she looked down at their hooves, a heart-warming feeling began washing over her, making her smile lovingly at him. He smiled back at her, gripping her hooves a little tighter in his. It was in that moment that all the pieces began fitting together, making Apple Bloom's heart pound harder.

"It's alright, Rumble," she said. "I understand completely."

Bringing her into an embrace, he said, "Thanks, Abby."

Hearts danced in her eyes again as she returned the gesture and whispered, "No problem."

When the two of them released each other, Rumble said, "Well, I need to get going. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Apple Bloom waved goodbye as he trotted off, opening the paper again and reading it while trotting. The moment his back was turned, she smiled so hard that she emitted an odd squee noise. Not waiting a moment more, she galloped through town, keeping an eye out for Sweetie Belle.

Ah don't believe it, she thought. Ah just don't believe it! Sweetie Belle was right; it has ta be me he has a crush. He just said he likes me, and the way he looks at me when we touch, it's gotta be me. Besides, why else would he not want to talk to me about it?

The moment her eyes spotted Sweetie Belle, looking at several bouquets of flowers in Roseluck's stand, she skidded to a halt in front of her.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," said Sweetie with a smile.

"Hi," she quickly responded. "Okay, so I've thought about it and I've made up my mind. What's the first thing we have to do for this plan of yours?"

Upon hearing those words, all Sweetie could do was smile in response.

Chapter 20: The Moment of Truth

The next morning, Sweetie Belle trotted towards the school as quickly as she could, her heart racing with anticipation. As her destination came into view, she took several deep breaths as she trotted up to Apple Bloom, who was waiting for her in front of the school. By the way she was biting her lower lip and shifting her weight, Sweetie could tell Apple Bloom was just as anxious as she was to put their plan into motion.

"Hey, Apple Bloom," she called out, getting her attention. "Is he here, yet?"

"Hey, Sweetie," responded Apple Bloom, her voice shaky. "No, not yet."

"Good, let's get started."

Nodding in agreement, the two fillies trotted into the building as other foals were either entering with them or already sitting in their seats. Weaving past the rows of ponies, they made their way to Rumble's desk. After making sure nopony was looking or paying attention to them, Sweetie Belle turned to Apple Bloom and nodded her head once. Taking a deep breath, Apple Bloom placed her saddlebag down, took out a small piece of paper that she had neatly folded, and placed it on his chair.

"Ah hope this works," Apple Bloom said as she and Sweetie Belle trotted towards the door to wait for Scootaloo.

You and me both, Sweetie thought as she said aloud, "It'll work, trust me."

Patting Apple Bloom's shoulder for support, the two of them trotted out of the building just in time to see Scootaloo riding in on her scooter. Once there, she got off and placed it securely on the side of the school with her helmet on the handlebars. Trotting up to her, Sweetie Belle gave Scootaloo a hug and kiss before all three of them trotted into the building.

"So, Scoots, are you doing anything later?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"No, not that I know of," Scootaloo answered. "Why? You wanna do something?"

"Sure, only if you want to."

"Alright. I'll meet you at your place, then."

The two of them shared one last kiss before making their way to their seats. Although they paid it no mind, they both could see Diamond Tiara sticking her tongue out, pointing a hoof in her mouth, and making an audible gagging sound. Although most of them either weren't looking or didn't care, it did get a chuckle out of some ponies, like Silver Spoon and Toby.

The mood then shifted for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom as they watched Rumble trot through the double doors, also with an anxious look on his face. They could only look at each other for a moment before looking back at him as he made his way to his desk. Apple Bloom felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him pick up the paper, tilting his head in confusion.

What's this? Rumble thought as he turned the paper over. One of his eyebrows rose as he read the writing on the back: Open After School.

When he began scanning the room, both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked away, going incognito by either looking at the front of the room or pretending to get something out of their bag.

"Alright, my little ponies," Ms. Cheerilee announced to the students as she got up from her desk. "It's time to begin."

Quickly, Rumble tucked the paper into his saddlebag. He didn't dwell on the paper for long; he'd have a look at it once he accomplished what he had to after school. Nodding once, he closed his bag and sat down, trying his best not to think about any of it until later.

Tensions rose when the last bell of the day rung and all the fillies and colts exited the building. The first to leave were Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, with Scootaloo not too far behind.

As the latter went to get her scooter, Sweetie Belle said, "Remember, wait at the clubhouse until he comes. It shouldn't be too long."

"Alright," Apple Bloom nervously said. "Thanks, Sweetie."

"You're welcome and good luck!"

Waving a hoof, Apple Bloom galloped away as Sweetie Belle trotted over to Scootaloo.

"Hey, where's she going?" Scootaloo asked as she watched her friend disappear over the horizon.

"Oh, she had to go home," Sweetie Belle said with a content smile. "She's...expecting company."

At first, she raised an eyebrow at her, but shook her head and quickly dismissed it. "Okay, if you say so. Well, I'm gonna drop my stuff off at home. I'll be right over."

"Okay," Sweetie Belle affirmed. "I'll be waiting."

Then, the two of them shared a kiss before going their separate ways. Humming their Cutie Mark Crusader theme song, Sweetie trotted towards the Carousel Boutique with a content smile.

Everything is working great, she thought. Soon, Rumble and Apple Bloom will be together and I won't have to worry about choosing between him and-

"Sweetie Belle," a soft voice called out to her. Stopping in her tracks, she turned around to see that Rumble was standing there, his cheeks a small shade of pink and the anxious look still on his face.

"Rumble, what are you-?" she began, before quickly stopping herself. Immediately, she drew her eyes away from his, looking at something on the ground as she said, "I mean, what's up?"

"N-Nothing, I just..." he said, his breathing heavy. "I was wondering...if you were...I mean, if you...can you..."

Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, he quickly blurted out, "I have something I really need to talk to you about."

Silence fell upon them for several moments. Sweetie shifted her eyes back and forth, waiting for him to say something that he never did. All the while, the two of them avoided making eye contact with each other by looking at either the ground or the sky.

"O-Okay," Sweetie prompted nervously. "What's up?"

Rumble's cheeks puffed up for moment before the words could escape his mouth. "C-Can we talk s-somewhere...you know...private?"

"Okay...we can go to my house, if you want."

"Actually, can we go somewhere...you know...more private?"

Sweetie gave him a suspicious look. "Why? What's going on?"

"It...It's private, you know? I'll tell you, but...but we need to be...alone."

Sweetie Belle had to shake her head quickly several times as déjà vu rushed over her; it felt like she had had that conversation before with Scootaloo many months ago. However, she managed to push the feeling aside as the thoughts of Apple Bloom waiting for him at the clubhouse ran through her mind.

I need to get him over there, she thought as she suggested, "How about the clubhouse? That's nice and private."

"Actually, I have somewhere in mind," he said. "I mean, if that's alright with you."

"I...I don't know. I mean, I'm supposed to meeting Scootaloo today, and..."

His heart sped up as he interrupted, "T-This won't take too long! It's just for a little while, I promise. What do you say?"

"Um...okay...I guess. Let me just drop my bag off and we'll go."

Nodding in compliance, the two of them parted ways to drop of their belongings. As she trotted, Sweetie Belle took several deep breaths to regain her composure.

It's fine, it'll all be fine, she reassured herself as she trotted through the doors of the Boutique, placed her bag down, and left. Just find out what he wants, direct him to the clubhouse, and get back here.

Lost in her thoughts, she had reached the inn in no time to see that Rumble was standing outside waiting for her. Taking a deep breath, she trotted up to him and said, "Okay, I'm ready."

"Great. Let's get going" he said nervously as he began trotting away, leading her to this place he had in mind. As they trotted, panic began erupting within Sweetie as her thoughts shifted from Apple Bloom to Scootaloo and back.

"So, Rumble," she said innocently. "Any plans for today?"

Not turning to look at her, he rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof. "N-No, I don't."

Oh no! Please tell me you read the note, she thought. "Are you sure? I mean, you're not going anywhere...or seeing anypony...or going anywhere to see anypony...something...anything?"

"No. Why? Am I supposed to?"

"Of course not, I was just curious."

The two of them fell silent as Sweetie face-hoofed herself. Great, just great! Now Apple Bloom is going to be waiting for him and he's not even going to show up! Ugh! How can this possibly get any worse?

Scootaloo trotted out of her house with a small flicker of a smile on her face. She had an idea of what the two of them could do for the rest of the afternoon, seeing that they hadn't spent that much time with each other for a while. As she began trotting in the direction of Sweetie Belle's house, she immediately stopped when she saw a familiar pony trotting past her.

"Is that...Sweetie Belle?" she asked aloud, an eyebrow rising. Remaining completely motionless, she watched as she trotted right past her house, not even noticing her standing there. Immediately, she opened her mouth to call out to her, but so many thoughts ran through her mind that it prevented her words from coming out.

Where does she think she's going? Scootaloo thought as she slowly began following her. Keeping her distance, she saw that she was going towards Rumble's place. Why is Sweetie Belle going there? What is she up to now?

She didn't have to ponder for long, for she immediately saw Rumble standing outside, seemingly waiting for her. Her tiny wings unfurled and her eyebrows furrowed as she watched them talking to one another for a moment before they began trotting away together.

I don't believe her! She just said she wanted to do something with me, and now she's gonna stand me up to go with him? What gives, Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo mentally asked as he cheeks turned red with anger. Well, not this time! I'm putting an end to this right now!

However, she took only a few steps when she realized something about the two of them: Rumble was leading Sweetie Belle out of town.

Where is he taking her? Scootaloo thought as she slowed to a halt. It was only then that all the events from the past few days began rushing through her head, making her tap her chin in deep thought. Rumble has been spending a lot of time with Sweetie Belle, whether it was from Rarity or not. I don't know why, but something tells me he's up to something. I'd better follow them and get to the bottom of all this.

Nodding her head in confirmation, she hid behind the closest thing she could get behind and watched them from a distance. As they continued to exit town, she began to follow them as swiftly and silently as she possibly could.

The two of them continued trotting in silence as they left Ponyville, traveling along the dirt path that led to their destination. Sweetie Belle trailed behind Rumble, who kept his focus on the road for the majority of the journey. Twenty minutes had gone by, more or less, before the two of them were in front of Whitetail Woods. Although it wasn't as foreboding as the Everfree Forest, it still sent an uncomfortable chill up Sweetie Belle's spine.

"R-Rumble," she said uneasily. "W-Where are we going?"

"Not too far," he answered, sounding almost as worried as she was as he began trotting into the woods, Sweetie not too far behind.

"A-Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am."

They fell silent again as they slowly trotted through the vast amount of trees while remaining on the dirt path before them. As Rumble scanned the ground in search of the flowers Rarity had mention, Sweetie Belle began to feel frightened, the visions of her nightmare flashing through her mind.

Shaking her head, she tried to think about other things to keep the nightmare out of her thoughts. It was only when she looked at Rumble in front of her that Sweetie instantly noticed something different about one of his wings: while one of them rested at his side with ease, the other seemed to be gripping tightly, as if it were holding onto something.

"Rumble," she said again.

"There they are," he announced, pointing ahead of them towards a series of purple flowers along the dirt path that branched off in another direction. "We're almost there!"

"Almost where, Rumble? Where are you taking me?"

Looking ahead, he could see the clearing Rarity was talking about. Taking several deep breaths, he turned to Sweetie Belle and said, "Sweetie, I know this is going to sound...odd...but you have to trust me on this."

Swallowing hard, he continued. "I need you to close your eyes."

Tilting her head and raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Why? What's going on?"

"P-Please...just trust me. It's...a surprise."

Biting her lower lip, Sweetie let out a huff through her nostrils as she closed her eyes. "Alright, now what?"

Turning around, he said, "Just grab onto my tail and follow me."

Reaching out, she managed to find his tail and hold onto it. Then, they began trotting again, Rumble making sure to stay in a straight line and direct Sweetie where to go and to watch out for anything she needed to avoid, like stumps or rocks. They traveled like this for about seven minutes before they finally stopped.

Whoa, Rumble thought as he overlooked where they were. This is...perfect!

"Can I open my eyes now?" Sweetie asked impatiently.

Taking her hooves, he walked her five paces more before sighing one last time and saying, "Alright, Sweetie, now."

The moment she opened her eyes, Sweetie Belle gasped in awe at what was before them. The two of them were atop a hill, overlooking a grassy field where many beautifully colored flowers were strewn about. Various shades of blue, red, yellow, among many others went as far back as the eye could see. With the way the sun was hitting each flower perfectly, it looked like a sea of colors that danced whenever the breeze came by. Looking at the magnificent scenery, Rumble could see why Rarity had chosen this spot for them; there were no words to describe the sheer beauty without it being an understatement.

As much as he wanted to marvel at its splendor, he began refocusing his thoughts on the now, on the moment he had been preparing for [and dreading] all this time. His heart pounding in his chest, Rumble tried to find the right words to say as his wing clutched the small velvet box. He took several deep breaths as he tried to find his voice, desperately trying to get his thoughts in order. Fortunately, Sweetie was the first to speak.

"Rumble," she said in a breathy whisper. "This...this is so...beautiful."

"I know," he responded. "It is, isn't it?"

Like him, Sweetie Belle wanted to stare at the beauty of the flowery field for a long time, but the thoughts of why they were here withdrew her attention from it and onto Rumble. Her heart pounding in her chest, she tried her best to look at him without looking directly into his eyes.

"W-Why did you bring me here?" she asked him, her tone a bit louder now. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well...the thing is...," he said as he tried to make his eyes look up to hers. However, he fought them, trying to wait for the opportune moment like Rarity had suggested. "There's something...I wanted...to talk to you about...but...I just don't know how...to say it..."

Sweetie Belle managed to see that he was looking extremely nervous; the poor colt couldn't even look her direction, let alone at her. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn he was about to cry.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head.

"No, no," he quickly replied. "It's just that...well..."

His heart began pounding in his chest even harder now, his breathing starting to become affected by it. As much as his body tried to make him leave and call the whole thing off, he fought it as much as he could, his neck starting to tense up.

As much as Sweetie Belle tried not to, she began to feel her eyes beginning to try and look at his eyes, forcing her into the moment she tried so desperately to avoid. She even tried turning her head away from him to help avoid it, but that didn't seem to help either.

Don't do it, she kept thinking to herself as she squeezed her eyes shut. You don't feel that way about him, so just ignore it. Besides, Apple Bloom is still waiting for him at the clubhouse, so try and hurry this along.

Just say it, Rumble's thoughts screamed at him. Just tell her! What's the worst that could happen? If she says no, then it's no, but you have to say it!

"Sweetie Belle...I...I," he said boldly, the words on the tip of his tongue but refusing to leave his mouth. "I...I wanted to...to..."

As she looked at him, he turned away and let out a groan, mumbling, "Why is it so hard to talk to you?"

The gesture sparked a hint of worry. "Rumble, are you sure everything's alright?"

"I don't know," Rumble replied with his back still turned to her. "I don't know anymore. I don't know what I'm doing. I really don't."

"Rumble...you're starting to scare me. Please, just tell me what's wrong."

Relax, just calm down, his thoughts desperately tried to reassure him. Just do it and get it over with!

Straightening his posture, he slowly turned to Sweetie Belle, making sure his eyes were facing hers. Fortunately, Sweetie Belle was looking right at him, forcing their eyes to meet with one another.

Like all the times before, everything around them vanished; they couldn't hear or see anything except each other. Time stood still as the anxiety both of them were feeling started to slowly dissipate into nothing. Both of their ears rested against their heads as Rumble began trotting up to her until he was about six inches in front of her. As Rumble smiled at her, making Sweetie follow suit, they could have sworn they heard rustling of the grass behind them, but they didn't care; all that mattered was the here and now.

Slowly, he unfurled his wing and revealed the small box concealed underneath, making Sweetie Belle look down at it. Her eyes widened as Rumble put it in his hoof and held it out in front of her, prompting her to take it.

"Sweetie Belle," he said, his voice soft and confident but still shaky. "I...I bought this...for you..."

"For…me?" she asked, not taking her eyes off of it.

"I...I thought you would...like it," he said as he used his other hoof to open the box and revealed what was inside.

The moment she laid her eyes upon it, Sweetie Belle let out a gasp as she put one of her hooves over her mouth. Inside was a silver necklace that sparkled in the sunlight before her eyes, making rainbows form in the corners of her vision. On the end was a small silver music note, small diamond studs going all around it. Sweetie Belle’s heart pounded as she looked at the necklace at all angles, completely speechless at the gift.

Seeing that she was at a loss for words, Rumble asked, "Do...do you like it?"

Smiling, she said, "Oh, Rumble, it's beautiful."

Although he remained calm and collected, he was pumping his hoof in the air in his mind as a victory jingle began playing in his head. He smiled at her and said, "I'm glad you like it. Would you...let me put it on you?"

She nodded her head as she turned around, moving her mane out of the way. Cautiously, he wrapped the necklace around her neck, fastening the hook and letting it dangle freely. When she turned around, the two of them marveled at the necklace, thankful that it was just the right size for her.

Sweetie Belle ran a hoof on the jeweled music-note, feeling the diamond studs rubbing against her hoof. The first thought that came to mind was to thank him for buying it for her. However, there was another question she needed to ask, one that slowly made the smile vanish from her face.

Lowering her hoof, she managed to say only one word, "Why?"

He felt his cheeks burn up in an instant at her question. Trying to remain calm, he said, "I...was told that...you liked jewelry... and…that you were really good at singing. So, I thought this was...you know...fitting for you."

She looked up at him and said, "No...I mean...why did you get this for me?"

Rumble's eyes became pinpoints as the moment of truth finally came. He had practiced phrasing this many times in his head, but now that the time came to say it, he couldn't remember a single word he had rehearsed.

"Well...you see...the truth is...I..." he desperately tried to say. "I...I..."

It was then that Sweetie Belle looked up to him, her eyes meeting his again. Like before, the two foals were locked in the moment, neither of them saying a word. As Rumble's breathing slowly became less labored, Sweetie Belle's was starting to become shallower than before. At some point, he must have smiled at her because she slowly smiled back, both of them not moving a muscle.

Like before, he trotted up to her until he was a few inches away. Then, with as much confidence as he could muster, Rumble said, "Sweetie Belle...I...I love you."

Before she could say anything, he took one last step, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips against hers. At first, Sweetie Belle's eyes were wide with shock, unable to make heads or tails of what was happening. Then, her heart began to calm even more as she slowly closed her eyes, giving into their first kiss.

They stayed in that position for several seconds, possibly even minutes, their kiss not going any further than the connection of their lips. Feeling her warm breath against him, a euphoric feeling washed over Rumble as a tingling sensation coursed throughout his body to the tips of his hooves. He could hear fireworks going off in the distance as everything began to feel weight-free. Even after the two of them stopped kissing each other, he could feel hearts dancing in his eyes, a soothing feeling running up and down his spine. In all his life, he had never experienced a moment of pure bliss and happiness. For the first time ever, he felt rapture in his heart causing a smile to remain plastered on his face as a contented sigh escaped his nostrils.

The same could not be said about Sweetie Belle.

The moment they pulled away from each other, a humongous chunk of her insides felt...different. She looked Rumble directly in the eyes, but something was missing. Normally, she would have found herself senselessly staring at him, the moment refusing to let her go. Now, she was able to look at him with ease. There wasn't a feeling of stationary time, nor were there feelings of 'just the two of them'. The moment was gone; it wasn't like it was taken away from her, but more like it was never there to begin with.

Tilting her head, she looked at the ground and thought, Something's not right. What's happening?

Looking back at him, Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes at Rumble, trying to get the moment back. Despite the strange look on his face, she tried everything she could think of; she focused directly at his eyes, squinted as hard as she could, furrowed her eyebrows, tilted her head in every direction, anything to make the feeling return. No matter how hard she tried, it didn't come back.

Why isn't it working? Sweetie thought, her squinted eyes starting to strain. Frustration kicking in, she began tapping the side of her head with a hoof, as if it would trigger some kind of unseen switch in her brain. Eventually she stopped when she started to feel a headache coming on.

Sweetie Belle let out a groan as she began rubbing her head, her hooves on either side of her horn. Then, an epiphany came over her; maybe she needed to kiss him again to make it work. Not dwelling on it for a moment longer, she leaned in and placed her lips on his again, her eyes squeezing shut.

In that moment, Rumble felt an explosion of bliss run thought him. The second kiss may have taken him by surprise, but the euphoric feeling more than made up for it as he closed his eyes softly again.

Sweet Celestia, he thought. This is amazing!

Releasing her kiss, Sweetie Belle took a step back as she stared at Rumble, who sat on his haunches with huge, toothy grin on his face. She tapped her lips with a hoof, wondering what was happening to her...or not happening to her, as it were.

Sitting on her haunches, Sweetie Belle averted her eyes to the ground as she slowly began piecing everything together. She remembered feeling this way about Scootaloo all those months ago and how they were the same with Rumble. She thought about her first kiss with her and how she was still locked in the moment afterwards, even after she had rejected her the first time. However, she had just had her first kiss with Rumble, and now, the feeling was completely gone.

Could this mean that I don't love him? Sweetie Belle asked herself, a small flicker of a smile on her face. Could it be that me and Scootaloo..?

Her thoughts were cut short when the sound of a snapping twig echoed in her ear, making her turn towards the forest behind her. The second she did, she felt her heart beginning to pound in her chest again, a shocked expression coming across her face.

Standing along the path that she and Rumble had come in on was Scootaloo, her mouth hanging open and tears starting to pool in her eyes. The disbelieving look on her face told Sweetie Belle all she needed to know, like how long she had been there and what she had seen. Scootaloo began to slowly back away, shaking her head back and forth as the tears in her eyes slowly streamed down her cheeks.

Sweetie Belle took one step before stopping, the sound of the necklace jingling making her look at it and back to Scootaloo. She put a hoof on it as her breathing began to intensify, her heart beginning to sink deeper and deeper.

"Scootaloo," she said in a whisper as she shook her head slowly, tears beginning to form in her own eyes. "Scoots...no..."

"How could you?" Scootaloo interrupted, her tone starting to shift into anger.

"Wait, it's...it's not what..."

"HOW COULD YOU!?"

Not waiting for a response, Scootaloo turned and began galloping away, her eyes squeezed shut as her tears continued to pour. As quickly as she could, Sweetie Belle began giving chase while yelling out, "Scootaloo, wait! Come back! Please, let me explain! Scootaloo!"

As she galloped away, Rumble still stood in the same spot, the same look on his face. After a moment or two, he laid down onto his stomach before rolling onto his back, looking at the skies above. The look on his face shifted from the toothy grin to one of content as he let out a compassionate sigh.

"Best...Day...Ever," he said, pronouncing each word separately. "I guess Rarity was right; she must really love me for her to kiss me like that...twice! I don't know why I was so scared of this."

He turned his head to his left to see a small green snail slowly inching its way across the grass next to him. A soft smile on his face, he patted the top of its shell with a hoof, resulting in the gastropod retreating.

"Life is good, wouldn't you say?" Rumble asked it. The only answer he got was the snail sticking its head out of its shell and looking at him for a few seconds before it continued its slow journey again.

As he watched the snail slowly inching away from him, he redirected his attention to the skies once again. He closed his eyes softly and put his hooves behind his head to make a makeshift pillow for himself, feeling very good that this day had gone exactly how he had hoped it would.

Chapter 22: Choices

The sudden change didn't go unnoticed.

The next day, a sheet of grey clouds loomed over Ponyville, both literally and figuratively. It started with the ponies in their class who noticed it first. Most of them saw that the Cutie Mark Crusaders didn't come to school together in their usual cheerful manner. Instead, they came at completely different times in completely different states. Even Ms. Cheerilee noticed all four of them as they came in, offering a confused and worried look as she observed each one.

Apple Bloom had become more reserved and upset, avoiding eye contact and not saying anything to anypony, while Rumble was a lot more confident, happy, and with more pep in his trot than before. However, these two didn't compare to the even stranger behavior of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

The normally 'glued-to-the-hip' fillies were now avoiding each other like the plague. Sweetie Belle trotted into the school by herself in a slow, almost robotic motion, her eyes looking like they were about to cry [though they never did]. Meanwhile, Scootaloo bee-lined to her seat by herself, her head held high and a very serious expression on her face. There weren't any hugs or kisses to be had between the two, nor were there any conversations; there weren't even passing glances. Instead, there was just Sweetie Belle who looked like she was lost in another world and Scootaloo who had a chip on her shoulder for no good reason.

It became even more obvious when hours passed and it was time for recess. Everypony noticed that all the Crusaders kept their distance from each other, as well as everypony else. The even stranger part was when they saw Rumble sit next to Sweetie Belle, the two of them sharing lunch together, though they barely spoke to one another. Whereas Rumble looked happier than ever, Sweetie Belle looked completely zoned; it was almost like she was going along with something she clearly didn't want to do.

Aside from them, Scootaloo sat behind the schoolhouse, her arms folded and an angered expression still on her face. Meanwhile, Apple Bloom sat by the front door, peeking a look at Sweetie Belle and Rumble every so often before looking at the ground with her ears and hair bow hanging low against her head.

Looking on at the four of them, the other foals didn't spend as much time eating their food and playing around as they did gossiping about what was happening; even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had hushed conversations about them.

"What's up with Scoota-Belle?" some would ask.

"Do you think something happened?" asked others.

"Why is Sweetie hanging out with Rumble?"

"I thought she was with Scootaloo?"

"What's wrong with Apple Bloom?"

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, but something is wrong," was what the usual answer was.

Eventually, the day went on and the last bell rung for the day. What sent a red-flag to everypony was when they saw Scootaloo actively wait for Sweetie Belle to get up and leave before collecting her things to do the same. If that wasn't strange enough, the foals immediately saw that Rumble would accompany Sweetie Belle as she walked home. That's when the whispers stopped asking what was happening and began speculating why Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle broke up. Because nopony had the nerve or the guts to ask them about it, it was anypony's guess what really happened.

It remained like this for the remainder of the week, not showing any signs of progress and only a small change for the worst. Although Sweetie Belle and Rumble were together, the look on her face didn't change whatsoever. Scootaloo stopped looking angry and became depressed like Apple Bloom was [who remained the same throughout the week]. It got to the point where ponies around town began to notice how they were acting, many of them just as confused as the foals were.

At various times throughout the week, Ms. Cheerilee called the three fillies individually after school and asked them if there was anything bothering them. However, they all gave the same "I don't want to talk about it" answer. She had discussed it with their relatives so they could help them, but the fillies had given them the same answers as well.

By the time Saturday morning came around, most ponies had put the fillies aside for the final preparations of the "Festival of the Night" later that evening. Although the town was in a huge buzz to prepare for both the Princess' arrival, a select few couldn't help but focus on the foals whose personalities weren't the same as they used to be...

"Sweetie Belle," Rarity called out in sing-song as she knocked on her door that morning. "Come along, dear. It's time to wake up. We have much to do before this evening's festivities."

A moment or two later, Sweetie Belle opened the door and slowly trotted out, not making eye contact with Rarity as she headed for the stairs. A worried look came across her face as she began to follow her, the two of them entering the kitchen as Sweetie Belle began making herself some cereal.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Rarity asked, "So, are you as excited for the Festival tonight as I am?"

Sweetie Belle didn't give an answer as she sat down and began eating her food.

"I-I'm sure we'll have a great time," she tried again, smiling this time. "Like we did at the 'Sisterhooves Social' a few months ago, remember?"

When she didn't respond the second time, Rarity let out a sigh and sat down next to her.

"Come on, Sweetie," she said reassuringly, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm very concerned about you. I know you're going through a really hard time, but you've been like this for the past several days. Don't you think it's time to put this behind you and move on?"

Sweetie still didn't answer.

"I-It'll get better, I promise," she said, rubbing her back comfortingly.

As silence continued to fill the room, Rarity let a small sigh escape through her nostrils as she patted Sweetie Belle's back. Then, she got up and planted a small kiss on her forehead before heading out of the room. It was only when she was about to turn the corner to head for the stairs did she finally say something.

"I'm sorry," she said, no louder than a whisper.

"Pardon?" Rarity asked as she stopped and turned to face her.

"I'm sorry, Rarity. It's just...I mean, I'm really...I'm trying..."

Seeing Sweetie struggling to get the words out, Rarity trotted over to her and sat down again. "It's okay," she said softly. "What's on your mind?"

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to get her thoughts together, Sweetie replied, "I'm trying my best to move on and put her behind me, but it's really hard to. It's just...I can't. I've tried spending time with Rumble, but it doesn't...feel right. How long do you think it'll take before the phase you were talking about kicks in for me, like it did for Scootaloo?"

Biting her lower lip as her heart rate increased, Rarity said, "W-Well, e-everypony is different, Sweet'ums. I-I assure you t-that everything will be alright. You just need to give it time, is all."

Sweetie Belle sighed as she fiddled with her spoon. "I hope so."

Rarity felt her heart beginning to sink as she gave her sister a hug. "Try not to think about it now. Let's focus on getting everything ready for this evening, shall we?"

She only responded with a nod as she resumed eating her food, the look of sadness not leaving her face. Rarity nodded once before getting up and leaving the room. However, instead of making her way to the stairs, she leaned against the nearby wall with her hooves covering her mouth in an attempt to hold back her sobbing.

This is terrible, she thought as she closed her eyes softly. What have I done? Sweetie is more miserable now than ever and it's all my fault. I took the one thing that made her happy and ruined it, all because I...I'm...

Stopping mid-thought, she peeked into the room and watched Sweetie Belle as she wiped her eyes before continuing to eat. Pulling back, Rarity let out a silent sigh as she straightened her posture.

I have to make this right, she concluded as a determined look came across her face. She doesn't deserve to be miserable because of me! I have to tell her the truth and put an end to-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the bell above the front door ring, drawing her attention to the two ponies that entered the building. Rarity didn't have time to give them her standard greeting before her eyes grew wide at the familiar faces that trotted up to her.

"Oh my goodness," she said aloud. "Savannah Café and Trench-Stud!"

"Hi, Rarity, is it?" Savannah asked in her native accent. "It's an honor to finally meet you. Sapphire Shores wasn't kidding when she said this place was gorgeous!"

"I'll say," Trench said in a different accent. "It's very nice, Miss."

"Oh, do forgive me for being rude," Rarity chuckled nervously. "It's just that...y-you're early."

"Sorry 'bout that," Savannah smiled. "It was Trench's idea."

"Just making sure everything is ready for tonight," he said with a shrug.

Savannah leaned in and whispered, "Don't mind him; he'd like to think he's a perfectionist."

"I heard that."

The two of them shared a laugh as they playfully nudged each other. Rarity also chimed in, except her laugh was clearly forced, as was her smile.

"So, you have our outfits ready? We'd like to try them on before the big show," Trench said.

"Outfits...right," Rarity said with a nervous smile. "I'll go get them. Make yourselves comfortable, I'll be right back."

As she headed for the stairs, a defeated look came across her face. However, she took a deep breath and put on a smile.

I'm sure Sweetie Belle will be alright for now, she thought. There's far too much to do for tonight to have a full discussion about what happened. I'll tell her everything tomorrow and not a moment later. No harm in that, right?

"Here you go, sir" the mail mare said. "Have a good day!"

"Thank you," Thunderlane responded as he took the letters she gave him.

Closing the door, he began sifting through everything to see that one of the letters sent was from his parents. Immediately, he sat down, opened it and began reading it:

Dear Thunderlane, it read. I hope you and Rumble are getting along together in Ponyville. Your father and I miss you both so much. You don't know how grateful we are that you agreed to take Rumble out of town while we had everything sorted out. I'm so sorry it was so abrupt, but I do have some great news: now that everything is cleared up, you both can come home if you want to. I hope to hear from you and Rumble really soon (we won't be able to attend the festival this year, so we won't see you there). We love you both so much. Love, Mom and Dad.

Thunderlane smiled as he read the letter a few times to himself, a warm feeling coursing through his body. They were finally able to go home in Cloudsdale without the worry of things getting out of hoof for them. Immediately, he took the closest writing utensil he could find and prepared to respond. However, he was stopped when he saw Rumble trotting out of his bedroom in a manner he hadn't seen before.

Holding his head high in confidence, Rumble spread his wings and began hovering across the room with a smile on his face. Every time he landed on the ground, he would move in place as if he was standing on something really hot, his wings fluttering rapidly.

"Hey, buddy," he said. "You seem antsy this morning."

"I am!" Rumble exclaimed with a wide smile as he began flying around the room again. "Not only is it the Festival tonight, but I'm going with Sweetie Belle. I'm just really nervous...and excited! I've never felt this way before!"

Thunderlane let out a quick laugh before he said, "Well, I guess we better make sure everything is ready, then. We have to pick up our suits from the tailor, so why don't you wash up and get ready for breakfast so we can get going."

Rumble nodded as he landed in front of him and galloped into the restroom. Thunderlane sighed as his shoulders slumped, a sudden feeling of guilt washed over him. He looked at the letter from their parents again, running a hoof over the words, 'you both can come home if you want to', before thinking about how Rumble was acting.

I want to, he thought as he let out a sigh. But...Rumble seems so much happier now, much happier than he's ever been. He has everything he could ever want here. I...I can't take that away from him. I can't crush his hopes and dreams by bringing him back to...nothing.

Closing his eyes to get his thoughts together, he took his pen and began writing back, the choice he made hurting him more than the words he was writing.

I'm sure Mom and Dad will understand, he thought. It's not like we won't see them ever again. Besides, I bet I can find a nice cheap apartment or something here, somewhere close by so we can be with the ponies we love.

As he finished writing his response, Thunderlane nodded as one last thought ran across his mind: I hope I don't regret this.

"C'mon, Apples! We've gotta lot of things ta do before tonight! Let's get a move on," Applejack encouraged as she and Big Macintosh were loading up several carts of baked apple goods into several wagons for Ponyville.

As the two of them, with the help of a few extra farm-ponies, made sure everything was loaded, Granny Smith was busy making several of her famous apple pies while others prepared them for transport. With the amount of food needed for the event, the whole Apple family made sure they packed extras of everything. However, out of all the ponies helping, only one of them moved at a snail's pace, a look on her face that indicated she'd rather be doing anything else but help.

As Applejack placed freshly baked apple-muffins in her cart, she watched as Apple Bloom pulled a small wagon of more food with her head hanging low. After bringing the wagon, she slowly trotted towards the house to get some more, not lifting her head for anything.

Letting out a sigh, she turned to the nearest pony and asked, "Can ya make sure everythin's loaded, Red Gala. Ah'll be right back."

"Sure thing," Red Gala said as Applejack trotted after Apple Bloom, the two of them entering the house at the same time.

"Apple Bloom," Applejack called out when they were alone.

"Yeah?" she asked, lifting only her eyes to look at her.

Lowering her voice, she said, "Ah know ya don't wanna talk 'bout what happened between you and Rumble, but it's been a whole week. Yer really startin' ta worry me, and everypony else. Why don't ya tell me what happened? Maybe it'll help ya feel better."

Reminded again about what happened, Apple Bloom turned away and softly said, "There ain't nothin' ta talk 'bout."

"O'course there is, sugar cube. Just tell me what happened so ah can help ya."

"It's nothin'. He just...doesn't like me, that's all."

"Ah know, but ya never told me how you know that."

Apple Bloom tried her best not to let her tears fall as images of him and Sweetie Belle lovingly gazing into each other's eyes before kissing crossed her mind, the necklace she wore glimmering brighter than ever.

"What does it matter?" she asked as she wiped her eyes clear, her tone turning to annoyance. "He just doesn't, alright?"

Applejack watched as she began trotting away, clearly seeing that she was trying to hide her tears. In an effort to ease her pain, she said, "W-Why don't ya take a break. If yer gonna go to the festival, you'll need yer..."

Turning to face her, Apple Bloom interrupted her by yelling, "Ah ain't goin' to the Festival, so leave me alone!"

With that, Apple Bloom galloped away, not giving her sister a moment to respond as she bolted up the stairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. With her eyes shut as tight as possible, she went over to her bed and laid on top of it, the tears she desperately tried to conceal streaming down her face.

Opening her eyes slightly, she reached under her pillow and pulled out her blue bonnet, the same one Rumble had retrieved when it flew off her head. Holding it close to her chest, she stopped resisting as she buried her face into her pillow to muffle the sound of her crying.

After a while, her crying had died down to light sobbing, allowing her to lift her head from the pillow. It was only when she was calm did she hear her bedroom door opening. She didn't need to look to know that Applejack had walked in. Quickly, she stuffed the bonnet under her pillow and wiped her eyes clear of any remaining tears.

Sitting on the bed next to her, Applejack said, "Apple Bloom..."

"Ah'm sorry, sis," she interrupted, sniffling. "Ah just...can't go...ah just can't."

"Sure ya can, sugar. Ah know yer really hurt by what happened, but maybe goin' out tonight will help ya. Who knows, ya might meet somepony new."

Apple Bloom's silence was enough of a response for Applejack to give her a small hug and a kiss on her cheek.

"Ah can't make ya go," she said as she got up. "But ah really think ya should. Stayin' here will only make ya feel worse. It's yer choice."

With that, Applejack got up and trotted out of the room, closing the door in her passing. Left alone, Apple Bloom began looking around the room, mentally weighing her options. Taking out the bonnet again, looking at it for a few moments, a small flicker of a smile formed on her lips as she made her decision.

Rainbow Dash rested atop a cloud above Ponyville, a content smile on her face. While everypony was busily preparing for the evening's event, she lounged on her resting spot without a care in the world; she worked better under pressure, so she had no problems waiting until the last minute to prepare.

Letting out a contented sigh, Rainbow rolled on her side and opened her eyes for a moment as a cool breeze came by. However, her eyes shot open when she caught a glimpse of Scootaloo trotting in her direction. She rolled her eyes and let out a groan of annoyance, bracing herself for the inevitable calling from her "number-one fan". However, she was surprised when she heard the sound of hoof-steps coming and going below her, not stopping or even slowing down.

What the hay? Rainbow thought as she looked over the edge of the cloud. When she saw Scootaloo trotting right past her towards the center of town, ignoring everypony else for that matter, she scratched her head in confusion. What am I, invisible? Didn't she even notice me up here?

She didn't linger on those thoughts for very long when she saw Scootaloo stopping by a nearby fountain, her head hanging low with her ears following suit. Scratching her head, she asked aloud, "What's wrong with her?"

Immediately, she jumped off her cloud and flew down next to her, sitting by her side. Hitting her arm in a playful manner, she said, "Hey, squirt! What's happening?"

Rubbing the spot that was just hit, Scootaloo responded flatly, "Hey, Rainbow Dash."

"Whoa, what's with the attitude?" she asked. "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing."

"Doesn't sound like nothing. C'mon, Scoots, tell me what's up."

Scootaloo let out a sigh and said, "You know about me and Sweetie Belle, right?"

"Of course I know," Rainbow chuckled. "You've been together for, what, a few months now, right? How have you two been?"

"We...broke up."

"What!?" she choked out. "What do you mean, 'broke up'? What happened?"

Scootaloo began telling Rainbow Dash everything that happened, from Rumble's arrival to Ponyville and becoming a Crusader to the incident at the field and in the clubhouse. For the first time in a while, as Rainbow listened intently to everything she said, she found herself at a complete loss of words. However, it wasn't really from the events that had happened, but from a vital part of the story that was left out. The longer the story went on without it, the more suspicious Rainbow became.

"She betrayed me for Rumble," Scootaloo finished, her tone still monotone. "So, I broke up with her."

Raising an eyebrow, Rainbow Dash said, "I'm really sorry that happened to you and all, but it doesn't make any sense."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up to her.

"Well, it's not like Sweetie Belle to do something like that, especially to you."

"Yeah, well, she did. I don't even care, anyway. She can be happy with him all she wants now."

"I dunno, Scoots," Rainbow said. "Something doesn't sound right about all this. Why did she even kiss Rumble in the first place?"

Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. "How would I know? I don't know what she was thinking. All I know is that she did it and that..."

"Didn't you ask her?"

Scootaloo fell silent for a moment as the question sank in, her eyes scanning the ground for a moment.

Seeing her reaction, Rainbow crossed her arms and asked, "You did let her explain why she did this, right?"

"Well...n-no, I didn't."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," she said as she flew in front of her, her eyebrows furrowed. "You mean to tell me you broke up with Sweetie Belle without letting her explain what happened and why she did it in the first place?"

Scootaloo biting her lip and giving her a guilt-ridden look was all the answer she needed.

"You've gotta be kidding me! Why not?"

"I-I don't know," she answered softly. "I...I was just so mad at her that I didn't let her explain, I guess."

Rainbow Dash face-hoofed herself as she let out a groan. "I know you were angry and stuff, but you hurt Sweetie Belle even more by not giving her a chance to speak! Maybe she had a good reason to, or maybe it was all a misunderstanding!"

"But..." Scootaloo began, before she was silenced by Rainbow Dash interrupting her.

"I'm not saying Sweetie Belle was right by doing that to you. But you should have known better than to lash out at her like that without..."

"But what if it wasn't?" she interrupted. "What if there wasn't a good reason or it wasn't a misunderstanding? What if she...just doesn't love me anymore?"

Rainbow sat down again and put her hoof over her shoulders. "Whether it is or it isn't, you'll never know unless you talk to her. If she doesn't, then let her tell you why and move on. The least you can do is still be friends, right?"

Rubbing the back of her leg with the opposing hoof, she looked up to Dash and asked, "I guess I can try, but what if she doesn't want to talk to me? After everything that happened, I don't think she'll want to talk to me ever again."

"Maybe not, but you have to try!"

"But..."

"No 'buts', Scootaloo! You have to be the bigger filly and apologize for what you've done! Do you really think losing your friendship with her is worth it, all because you didn't let her tell you what happened?"

Scootaloo fell silent. In an instant, images of the two of them meeting each other for the first time underneath the table of Diamond Tiara's "Cute-Ceañera" flashed across her mind; it reminded her that Sweetie Belle was the first friend she ever made, even before they met Apple Bloom. Although she had ended their relationship, what she didn't think about was losing her as a friend.

"I guess you're right," she said after a few minutes. "But, how should I do it? She's probably too busy getting ready for tonight to want to talk to me now."

Tapping her chin with a hoof, Rainbow looked up to the sky as she thought. Then, she said, "Well, why don't you tell her at the Festival, then? Heck, I'll even help you!"

"R-Really?" Scootaloo asked. "How?"

"Leave that to me," she said with a wink. "You just focus on talking to Sweetie Belle. Catch ya, later!"

As she watched her fly off into the sky, Scootaloo looked at the ground as she scratched the back of her neck. Letting out a sigh, looked at her reflection in the fountain as her thoughts gathered on what Rainbow had said.

Rainbow Dash is right, she thought as she rested her head on the fountain. It's all my fault for yelling at her and not letting her tell me what happened. I hope she can forgive me for what I did. Even if she doesn't love me anymore, I'd really hate to lose her as a friend.

Chapter 23: The Festival of the Night

The night that everypony had been waiting for had finally arrived. As the evening hours came, all of Ponyville began converging in front of town hall dressed in formal attire for the opening ceremony. While many were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Princess's, there were still dozens of ponies putting the final touches on small things, like the banquet, the main show stage and other special attractions brought over just for the event.

As calm and collected as they could be, Thunderlane and Rumble trotted to the Carousel Boutique to pick up their dates. They were both wearing suits; Thunderlane's was gray with a red tie where Rumble's was black and without a tie. Although they tried their best to maintain their confidence, they were both extremely nervous.

"So, are you ready for tonight?" Thunderlane asked with a confident smile.

"You bet," answered Rumble with a nod.

When the two of them were in front of the Boutique, Thunderlane took a deep breath before he knocked on the door. A moment or two had passed before he opened the door, the bell chiming as the two of them entered. Thunderlane looked around for a bit, hoping to spot Rarity close by. When he didn't see her, he opened his mouth in preparation to call out to her. However, the words didn't get a chance to leave his mouth before he saw both Rarity and Sweetie Belle trotting down the stairs together.

"Hello, you two," Rarity greeted as she smiled and batted her eyelashes at him. She wore a white flowing dress with a lacey collar and a purple sash along the waistline. The top curl of her mane stayed the same while the back part was pulled into a well-crafted bun. To top it all off, she wore matching white hoof-wear, heelless so they wouldn't hurt her hooves with straps going up her arm so they wouldn't slip off unexpectedly.

"Whoa," was all he could say as he took her beauty in. Quickly, he regained his focus and said, "I mean, hey Rare's. Wow, you look amazing!"

Rarity giggled. "Thank you, darling. You look rather dapper yourself."

The two of them shared a small kiss as Rumble trotted up to Sweetie Belle, who wore a purple dress with silver frills on the bottom that seemed to shimmer with whatever light would hit it. However, the one thing that caught his attention and made his heart melt was the necklace he had given her still on her neck.

"Hi, Sweetie Belle," he said as he trotted up to her, hugging her and planting a small kiss on her cheek.

Putting on the best smile she could, she responded in a soft tone, "Hi."

Releasing from their tender moment, Rarity looked at Sweetie Belle from the corners of her eyes and smiled sheepishly. As confidently as she could, she said, "Shall we get going?"

Thunderlane nodded as he and Rarity trotted out of the Boutique together. Sweetie Belle and Rumble followed close behind until they were along side of them. Looking at her sister from the corners of her eyes again, Rarity could see that she was hanging her head and looking at the ground with what looked like a saddened expression.

Lowering her head, she whispered to her, "Please, Sweetie Belle. Do try to enjoy the evening and not let what happened interfere with you having a good time."

Raising her head, Sweetie Belle nodded and smiled at Rarity. The moment she turned her head away from her, her pseudo smile vanished and she lowered her head again. She looked over to Rumble, who had the biggest smile on his face than she thought was possible.

Well, at least he's happy about all this, Sweetie Belle thought as she sighed and hung her head again. As tears started welling up in her eyes, she began taking deep breaths, thankful that she was able to stop them from running down her cheeks. I guess I can try to be happy, too.

Although her head was turned away, Rarity could feel how Sweetie was acting, resulting in her gaze lowering to the ground in guilt. Deep breaths, Rarity, she thought. Everything will be alright. She'll be alright for now. Just get through tonight.

It wasn't long before the four of them neared the center of Ponyville. They didn't need to fully get there to feast their eyes on the magnificent sight before them. Aside from all the colorful decorations, banners, and streamers that were strewn about, there were other such activities for everypony to do. Ranging from rides of various varieties to games of different types, there were plenty of things to do; it was hard to believe that all of these things were able to fit in the streets. The more they ventured into town, the more they were engulfed by the glorious light display from all the rides and attractions, different shades of red, blue, yellow, green, and other such colors glowing in all different directions.

Off to the side, there were several tables underneath open tents that carried food of different varieties, like cakes, cupcakes, pastries, and dozens more. Behind them were the familiar faces of the Apple family, going through each table to make sure there was enough of everything for everyone. When Applejack looked over and saw all of them trotting past, she waved a hoof and smiled, prompting them to do the same.

After spending several moments gazing at the magnificence of the light-filled streets, they made their way to the main show stage where everypony was gathering around. Without even thinking about it, Sweetie Belle began scanning through the crowd, looking for Scootaloo. Although she saw many familiar ponies around her, there were no signs of her anywhere. She stopped when she felt Rarity put a hoof on her back reassuringly. When she looked up to her, Rarity offered her a smile, making her smile in return.

"Ooh!! This is so exciting!" they head Pinkie Pie shout among the sea of ponies. "I'm so excited to start the party that I can't even find the right word to describe it! But I'm also nervous because the Princess's are going to be here and I hope everything works out! I'm excited and nervous! Nerv-ited? Exci-vous? I know! I know! I'm nervous-cited!! Hey, I just made a new word to describe it!! Yay, me!"

Some time had passed before the Mayor of Ponyville trotted onto the show stage, everypony stomping their hoofs and cheering as she stood behind a small pedestal with a microphone on it.

Tapping the microphone to see if it was on, she cleared her throat and said, "Welcome, fillies and gentle-colts! It brings me great honor and joy to announce the Second Annual 'Festival of the Night' here in Ponyville!"

Everypony cheers for a moment before silencing again, allowing the Mayor to continue. "Now, without further ado, it's my pleasure to welcome Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."

Again, the crowd goes into a thunderous applause as both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna slowly fly onto the stage, a precession playing for them as they waved at their subjects. While Princess Celestia had a glowing smile on her face, Princess Luna had a slightly nervous grin; she was still a bit shaky with crowds, especially after the incident during "Nightmare Night" not too long ago.

"Welcome, everypony, to this glorious celebration," Princess Celestia said, using her regal Canterlot voice to speak loud enough for all of them to hear. "Let me start by thanking each and every one of you for all of your support, for without it, none of this would have been made possible."

The ponies cheered and applauded again, making Princess Luna blush uncontrollably.

As the crowd calmed themselves, Princess Celestia continued. "As you all know, the 'Summer Sun Celebration' is when everypony watches the sunrise to celebrate the longest day of the year. In honor of my sister's return and reformation, we have decreed that there shall be a celebration that commemorates the Princess of the Night and her important role in Equestria. Tonight, we shall watch Princess Luna raise the moon and celebrate the longest night of the year, in an event we have called..."

"...'The Festival of the Night'," Princess Luna finished, keeping her head held high with pride. It was only when the audience started cheering again did she feel anxious again, her heart fluttering and her cheeks flushing again.

Then, Princess Celestia raised a hoof up, signaling for everypony to fall silent. Then, she slowly flew into the air as she raised her hooves up, her horn radiating a majestic shade of gold. Everypony watched as the sun began to set behind her, slowly and steadily. When it got to a certain point in the sky, Princess Luna did the same thing, extending her hooves as her horn shone a vibrant cobalt blue. Eyes widened in amazement, the ponies watched as the moon began to rise alongside the sun, the two of them moving in perfect harmony with each other. If that wasn't enough of a sight to behold, the sky turning from a fiery orange and yellow to a rich blue and purple with the silvery twinkling of the stars made everypony "ooh" and "aww" in amazement.

After several moments, the sun was completely gone and the full moon shone overhead. As everypony gazed at the marvel of the night sky, Princess Luna announced, "Let the Festival begin!"

Then, the sounds of trumpets played as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna trotted off the stage and through the crowd, everypony stepping to the side to let them pass while bowing before them. When they were out of the way of everypony, the Mayor got back to the pedestal again.

"Everypony, enjoy yourselves on this, the longest night of the year!" she announced. "There are plenty of games and attractions for all of you, as well as a banquet of sweets over by the Princess's. And, let's not forget about the special concert to be performed right here by our special musical guests! I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that this will be the best 'Festival of the Night' ever!"

With that, everypony applauded one last time before they began going off in different directions. As they scattered, Rarity turned to Thunderlane and said, "I have an idea. Why don't we give the foals some privacy for while? Let them enjoy themselves for a while."

"I don't know," Thunderlane said. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Of course, darling," she answered with a smile. "I'm pretty sure they'll be alright. I don't think they'd want us following them everywhere while they're trying to spend time with each other. Besides..."

She then leaned closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "...it'll give us some time to be alone for a while."

He didn't need much convincing after that. As the two of them trotted to the foals, Thunderlane said, "Why don't you two go and have some fun."

"Really?" Rumble asked excitedly. "You mean it?"

"Absolutely."

"After all," Rarity chimed in. "We wouldn't want to interfere with your date."

As Rumble began blushing, Sweetie Belle felt her heart as it skipped a beat at the word, "date"; she just didn't feel comfortable with calling it a date when she didn't feel like it was. However, she pushed those feelings aside and smiled as best as she could.

"Thank you so much!" Rumble said.

"Yeah...thanks," Sweetie added, albeit softly.

"Think nothing of it," Thunderlane responded. "Just be careful and meet us here when the concert starts, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Have fun, you two," Rarity said with a wink.

"We will," Rumble answered. Then, he turned to Sweetie Belle and said, "Come on, let's get going!"

Sweetie Belle could only nod as he led her away from Thunderlane and Rarity towards the rides not too far off. Turning to look at them, Sweetie watched as Rarity smiled and ran a hoof over it from one end to the other, indicating that she wanted her to smile. She nodded again as she smiled, though it was pretty obvious that it was fake.

Turning away, Sweetie Belle stopped smiling again and let out a sigh, her eyes looking at the ground. A wave of sadness washed over her as she asked herself, I wonder where Scootaloo is. I bet she didn't come because she doesn't want to see me. Wherever she is, I bet she's having a great time without me.

The moment the opening ceremony was finished and the crowd began dispersing, Scootaloo quickly made her way behind the show stage. Immediately, she made sure that Sweetie Belle wasn't anywhere in sight and that nopony else had seen her. She didn't need to wait long before she saw Rainbow Dash fly over to her, also making sure they were alone.

"Okay, Scoots, everything is all set for you two," Rainbow said with a grin. "Are you ready to do this?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess," Scootaloo answered.

"You guess?"

Straightening her posture, she replied with confidence, "I'm ready."

"Now, that's more like it!" Rainbow said proudly. "I'll bring her to the place. Don't move until I get back."

"Got it," she acknowledged with a salute. Just as Rainbow nodded and got ready to blast off, she quickly said, "Hey, Rainbow."

Turning to face her, she asked, "Yeah?"

"Thanks," she nervously said. "For helping me, that is."

"Think nothing of it, squirt," she said with a wink before flying off into the air to find Sweetie Belle.

At least an hour had passed when Rumble and Sweetie Belle trotted down the main road towards the banquet table.

"This is the best night ever," Rumble said as she skipped for joy.

"Yeah...," Sweetie Belle feigned excitement. "Best night ever."

"You wanna get something to eat? I don't know about you, but I'm as hungry as a horse!"

"N-No, thank you. You go ahead, Rumble. I'm just gonna...use the 'little filly's' room."

Rumble nodded as he trotted towards the banquet tables, the smile not leaving his face. Turning her back on him, Sweetie Belle let out a sigh as she began trotting somewhere where she can be alone for a while.

I wish this really was 'the best night ever', she thought as she hung her head. I'm trying my best to have a good time, but it just...I just...

She let her thought go unfinished as she found a bench nearby, tears starting to well up in her eyes as she sat down.

Oh, who am I kidding? Sweetie Belle thought as she wiped her eyes. I know exactly why I'm like this. I just...I wish Scootaloo was here to enjoy the festival with me, but what are the chances of her ever talking to me again?

"There you are!" a familiar voice called out. Sweetie Belle raised her head to see Rainbow Dash fly down and sit next to her, a smile on her face. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Hi, Rainbow," she said, quickly wiping her eyes again. "Why were you looking for me?"

She began chuckling nervously. "No reason, I just wanted to talk to you, that's all. I haven't seen you in a while. What's going on? You having a good time?"

Sweetie Belle sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

A moment of silence followed after that, making both of them shift their eyes back and forth; it was like both of them were waiting for the other to say something that they never did.

For lack of anything else better to say, Rainbow said, "So...what else is new?"

"Nothing much," was the only answer Sweetie could give her. As more silence followed, she looked down at the ground as Rainbow crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

Alright, enough with the 'nicey-nice', Rainbow thought as she said, "Well, I have something I wanna show ya!"

Sweetie Belle looked up to her. "What?"

"Well, it's sort of a surprise, so you'll have to follow me if you want to see it! Trust me, you won't regret it."

Her curiosity getting the best of her, she got up and said, "Alright, then."

Nodding her head and smiling, Rainbow Dash got up and flew into the air; low enough for Sweetie to follow, but high enough to see where she was going. The two of them weaved through the vast crowds of ponies for several minutes until they reached the outskirts of town. Looking ahead, Sweetie could see that she was leading her to a small bridge that arched above a small creek. When they were in front of the bridge, Rainbow landed on it and prompted the filly to stop.

"We're here," she announced with a grin.

"Great," Sweetie said unsurely. "W-Where is it?"

"Wait here, I'll go get it."

Before Sweetie Belle could even blink, Rainbow was airborne and gone in a flash. She wore a confused look for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and turning towards the ledge of the bridge. At first she looked down at the water below her as small ripples began warping her reflection. After a moment or two, she lifted her head and gazed out at the moonlit sky, a smile forming as she began looking at the vast amount of twinkling stars that surrounded the moon.

It's so pretty, she thought as she rested her head on the ledge, closing her eyes and taking in a breath of the crisp night air.

"Okay, we're here!" she heard Rainbow call out. Turning her head, she had to do a double-take as she felt her heart come to a stand-still.

Rainbow was hovering in the air with a smug look on her face while below her, Scootaloo stood there, wearing a simple pink dress with white trim lining the bottom. Seeing the sight of her smiling friend brought a huge smile to her face as she let out a gasp of surprise. However, the thoughts of what happened, mixed with everything that they had said to each other, made her gleeful face disappear and turn to one of guilt. Immediately, she turned her head away from her and closed her eyes, trying desperately to prevent herself from either crying or running away [whichever came first].

Neither of them knowing what to say, the three of them remained silent for many moments. Seeing the look on her face made Scootaloo drop her smile and look at Rainbow Dash with concern while shrugging her shoulders. Lowering herself, she lightly pushed her closer to Sweetie Belle, prompting her to say something. All it got was the filly biting her lower lip while her eyes fished around for something on the ground.

"Well, I'd love to say and chat, but...I think I hear somepony calling my name..." Rainbow said as she quickly put a hoof over her mouth and began calling her own name in a fake, high-pitched voice. Reverting back to her normal voice, she quickly added, "Catch you two later!"

Quickly, Rainbow Dash flew into the sky, leaving the two fillies alone.

"Ah'm so glad ya came 'round, Apple Bloom," Applejack said with a smile as she gave a passing pony a plate for the banquet. "It makes me happy ta see ya willin' ta try and put everythin' that happened behind ya."

"It sure is, sis" Apple Bloom responded with a smile. "Ah don't know what ah was so worked up 'bout. Everythin's gonna be a-okay!"

As Applejack smiled and trotted over to another table, Apple Bloom smiled sinisterly while rubbing her hooves together. Okay, Apple Bloom, she thought. Ya know what ta do. Once ya see him, ya have ta tell him the truth, the whole truth, and nothin' but the truth! Once he knows the truth, he'll understand everythin'.

Nonchalantly, she began organizing the silverware on one of the tables to make herself look busy. All the while, she kept her eyes out for any signs of Rumble. Trotting to the other end of the table, she was fortunate enough to spot him amongst the crowd, casually trotting up to the punch table for a drink.

Bingo, she thought with an evil grin. Then, she cleared her face of anything suspicious and trotted up to Applejack. In the most innocent manner she could muster, she asked, "Applejack, can ah go enjoy the party?"

"Shoot, 'course ya can, sugar cube. Ah'll say ya earned some time ta enjoy yerself," she said. "Have fun!"

"Thanks, sis!" she called out as she began trotting towards the crowds of ponies. When she was certain she was out of eyesight, she quickly began making her way to the punch table. Luckily, she caught a glimpse of him beginning to leave, heading towards one of the tables with a plate in his mouth.

As she began to follow him, she smiled and said, "Here goes nothin'."

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo said in a low voice as she trotted closer to her.

Her head still turned and her eyes softly closed, Sweetie Belle whispered, "Hi."

Falling silent for a moment, Scootaloo sighed as she scratched the back of her neck. Her eyes darted back and forth from the ground to Sweetie Belle and back again. She took several deep breaths as she mustered up enough courage to say what she had to.

"Sweetie, I...wanted to talk to you...about what happened..." she began, straightening her posture. The only response she got was her closing her eyes tighter, as if she were bracing for the worst to happen. Sighing, Scootaloo continued with, "I'm...I'm sorry."

In a flash, Sweetie Belle opened her eyes and turned to look at Scootaloo. "W-What?"

"I'm sorry for...yelling at you and...saying all those mean things...and for hurting you...without letting you tell me what happened."

The initial shock wearing off, Sweetie lowered her head as her ears drooped. "No, Scoots," she said. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't... "

"You have nothing to be sorry about," she interrupted. "I'm the one who should have listened to you instead of blaming you for something I didn't know anything about."

Scootaloo hung her head as she felt her heart beginning to sink. "If...If you love Rumble more than me...I completely understand. Just...please tell me why you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Sweetie Belle put a hoof over her mouth to silence her. "I don't love Rumble more than you! I don't love him at all! I tried to tell you before; it was all a big misunderstanding!"

Moving Sweetie's hoof off of her mouth, Scootaloo asked, "Well, if you don't love him, why did you kiss him?"

Sighing one last breath, Sweetie Belle began telling her the whole story from the beginning. She told her about how she felt when they first met Rumble, how Apple Bloom unintentionally reminded her that they were the same feelings she had when she fell in love with her, and how she tried to hook him up with Apple Bloom, since she had the crush on him. As she spoke, Scootaloo sat on her haunches with her mouth slightly ajar; all of this was happening right under her muzzle and she was oblivious to all of it. Furthermore, it only set in stone that she had said what she did to Sweetie Belle without really knowing what was going on.

"When he gave me the necklace, I just acted without thinking about it," Sweetie said shamefully. "The feeling went away after he kissed me. I thought something was wrong, so I kissed him again to see if it would come back. When it didn't, that's when I knew that I didn't love him...but it was too late, because...well, you know what happened after that."

If ever there was a time for silence to follow, this was it. Sweetie Belle lowered herself in guilt on the ground as Scootaloo blankly stared into the abyss, trying her best to take in everything.

Seeing that she was still lost in her thoughts, Sweetie Belle continued. "Ever since you broke up with me, I tried to move on, I tried to be with him to see if I was really happy being with a colt instead of a filly, but I just couldn't. You're the only pony that I love, Scoots, even if you don't feel the same way about me."

Scootaloo opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it in order to get her thoughts together. Looking at the ground, she began recollecting how she had felt the past several days while connecting it with everything Sweetie Belle had just told her. Then, she looked up to see she was still on the ground, tears starting to stream out of the corners of her eyes and drip onto the cobblestone beneath them.

Wiping her own eyes clear and sniffling, Scootaloo finally said, "Of course I love you, Sweetie Belle. I just...thought it was you who didn't love me anymore. I thought you were happier with Rumble and wanted to be with him, so I lashed out without even thinking about it. It was like my mouth kept moving, but my mind went blank."

"R-Really?" asked Sweetie as she stood up straight and wiped her eyes.

Scootaloo nodded. "I...I guess I thought that...you and me...everything...was just a..."

"A phase?" Sweetie Belle asked, finishing her sentence.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Sweetie smiled, making Scootaloo follow suit. Then, the two of them started laughing a little bit, both of them covering their mouths in an attempt to calm themselves down. They didn't know what they were laughing at or why, but they didn't question it; sharing a laugh with each other made them feel better than they had in a while.

"Scootaloo?" Sweetie asked when their laughing had finally subsided.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I'm really sorry that I broke the promise I made. If it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened. Nothing would have come between us like it did. Can you ever forgive me?"

Without hesitation, Scootaloo brought her into an embrace, holding her tightly with both of her hooves. Sweetie didn't give it a second thought as she returned the gesture, resting her head against her neck and shoulder as a wave of comfort washed over her.

"I forgive you, but you have nothing to apologize for," Scootaloo said softly. "All of this was my fault. I'm the one who broke our promise. Can you forgive me?"

She looked into her eyes and said, "Of course I forgive you."

"So..." Scootaloo said hesitantly. "If you want to...do you...you know...do you want to..."

Sweetie Belle couldn't help but giggle as her friend tried to find the right words. Thinking she knew what she was going to say, she asked, "Are you asking for a second chance?"

Scootaloo nodded as her cheeks flushed. "If you want to, that is."

Bringing her into an embrace again, she said, "Of course I will. You've given me so many chances before. It's only fair that I do the same."

Hugging her even tighter than before, tears of joy streamed down Scootaloo's face as she whispered, "Thank you."

The two of them released one another as they looked into each other's eyes. Their eyes glistened like diamonds, mostly from their tears and the vibrant light of the moon. Having said those words of forgiveness, their hearts began to flutter with a feeling of belonging. For the first time in the past several days, both of them felt a feeling of joy that they had missed for so long.

"I love you, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said softly.

Smiling, Scootaloo said in a matching tone, "I love you too, Sweetie Belle."

Then, both of them closed their eyes softly, leaned in, and gave each other a kiss beneath the starry-night sky. It lasted longer than either of them anticipated, but they didn't mind. The longer they stayed, the more it showed just how much they cared for each other, and how much they loved each other.

Reluctantly, they backed away from each other and opened their eyes, both of them smiling as tears of joy remained in their eyes.

"Come on, Sweetie," Scootaloo said. "Let's get back to the party. We still have a lot of Festival to enjoy, and we can enjoy it together!"

"Okay!" Sweetie said excitedly; she was finally ready to enjoy herself the way she wanted to.

The two of them trotted side-by-side off of the bridge and into town, their tails entwined with one another. What they didn't know was that that high above them, hiding on the closest cloud, a certain Pegasus was watching them. As she watched them trot into Ponyville together, she smiled and had to wipe her own joyful tears away; thankfully nopony was there to see her do it.

"Way to go, kid," Rainbow Dash said with a smile. "I knew it'd work out."

Chapter 24 - '...Into the Fire'

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trotted back into Ponyville, both of them with smiles on their faces. As they made their way past some of the game booths, Sweetie Belle leaned in and nudged Scootaloo's neck again, receiving a kiss from her on the forehead in response. It was only when the two of them neared the banquet tables did a thought come to Scootaloo's mind, making her bite her lower lip as she looked at Sweetie Belle again.

"What are you gonna do about Rumble?" she asked.

Sweetie Belle looked up to her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You two have been getting real close for the past few days," she explained as they stopped trotting. "Don't you think you should tell him about us getting back together?"

Sweetie Belle blinked a few times as she let her words sink in. Truthfully, she hadn't even thought about what she was going to tell Rumble. The first thought she had was of telling him the truth, but images of him being so happy for most of the night brought forth a cloud of uncertainty.

"I...I don't know if I should," she said after a few moments, guilt clearly evident in her tone.

Scootaloo flinched at her answer as she asked, "Why not?"

"It's just that...he seems so happy tonight. I'd feel really bad if I ruined it by telling him the bad news."

Scootaloo thought about it for a moment, tapping her chin with a hoof. "I...guess you're right," she finally said. "So, what are you gonna do then?"

A moment went by as Sweetie Belle thought hard about it. It didn't take too long for an idea to come to mind, but a wave of guilt quickly washed over her; Scootaloo might not be too keen on the idea, nor would she be willing to go through with it.

"I have an idea," she said in a soft tone. "If it's alright with you, Scoots, do you think Rumble and I can spend tonight together? It'll be just for tonight! I promise I'll tell him all about us tomorrow. We can even do it together, if you'd like! I just can't ruin tonight for him. You understand, right?"

Scootaloo looked at the ground, her eyes darting back and forth as she thought about the idea. When she came to a decision, an idea all her own came to mind, one that made her smile coyly at her.

"Alright, we'll wait," she said in a playful voice. "But on one condition."

"Okay," Sweetie Belle nervously said. "What do you have in mind?"

"Since the concert is starting soon, you owe me a dance."

They stared at each other for a few moments, Sweetie Belle with a confused look and Scootaloo with a playful grin. After a moment, Scootaloo began laughing, encouraging Sweetie Belle to follow suit.

Her laughter subsiding, Sweetie said, "Deal."

They shared another kiss and bid each other farewell until later. As Scootaloo began heading towards the concert stage, Sweetie Belle began galloping to the banquet tables, hoping that Rumble was still there.

Rumble sat at one of the many tables underneath a red and white striped tent, stuffing a pastry in his mouth and marveling at the apple-filling inside. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he took a drink and got ready to eat his last cupcake when he heard a familiar voice call out to him, making him stop in his tracks.

"Hey, Rumble," she had said, making him turn to see that Apple Bloom trotted up to him. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it when he saw the beautiful dress she was wearing.

It was a simple red dress with a green neckband and pink saddle with hearts all around it, but what made it stand out was that all of it was sparkling with an array of different shades of silver; even her hair bow [which was exchanged from red to green] was glittering before his eyes. To top it all off, her mane was back in the braided style from a couple of weeks ago.

"Hey Abby," he finally said, pushing his plate to the side. "Gosh, you look beautiful."

"Thanks. You look great, too," she said with a blush, mentally thanking Rarity for making sure it was, as she said, 'ravishing with her complexion'. Reluctantly, she put those thoughts aside and regained her focus on why she was here.

Before she could speak, Rumble said, "You know, I haven't seen you around all week. How's it been?"

"Fine," she responded, gritting her teeth as the memories of what happened rushed back to her. "Ah'm just peachy."

Silence soon followed as Apple Bloom thought about how she was going to tell him. Watching him munch on his cupcake, she cleared her throat as she decided to start with a simple conversation first.

"So, you an' Sweetie Belle have been spendin' a lotta time together lately," she said innocently.

"Yup, we sure have," he said as he finished up his last bit of food.

"You two look like yer really close."

"I guess you can say that."

Okay, just say it, she thought as she took one last breath and said, "Rumble...there's somethin' ah hafta..."

She was immediately interrupted when they heard Thunderlane call out from above them, "Rumble, there you are! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Hey, Thunder," he said as his brother landed beside him. "What's up?"

"It's almost time for the concert! We'd better hurry if we wanna get a good spot."

Getting up and gathering his trash, Rumble said, "Okay. I was just waiting for..."

"Here I am!" Sweetie Belle called out as if on cue. Trotting up to them, she said, "Sorry it took so long!"

"There you are, and just in time!" Rumble exclaimed. "We were just about to head for the concert!"

"Great, let's..."

Sweetie Belle was interrupted by Rumble trotting up to her and bringing her into an embrace, nudging against her neck as he smiled warmly. She returned the gesture by wrapping one hoof around him, but quickly felt an uncomfortable shift when she saw Apple Bloom standing within close proximity of them.

Her left eye twitching, Apple Bloom slowly turned and began trotting away, mumbling under her breath as her eyebrows furrowed. Seeing this, Sweetie Belle's ears drooped as guilt reared its ugly head in again.

Releasing his embrace, Rumble turned and watched Apple Bloom trotting away. "Abby," he called out to her. "Where are you going? I thought you..."

"Nowhere," she quickly said, not stopping her trot. "Ah just have...somethin' ta do. Ah'll see ya'll there."

Before anyone could say anything else, she began galloping away.

"Okay, then!" Rumble called out to her, even though he was certain she didn't hear him. Shrugging, he turned to Sweetie Belle and said, "Well, let's get going!"

Sweetie Belle nodded as all three of them headed towards the stage. Deciding that it was best to talk to Apple Bloom about it tomorrow, she smiled and began galloping towards their destination, the thoughts of sharing a dance with Scootaloo entering her mind. Rumble didn't wait for an invitation as he began galloping after her, neither of them noticing Rarity not too far away.

"Found them," Thunderlane said nervously as the foals galloped away. "Are you ready to go?"

"Absolutely," she answered. Catching a passing glance, Rarity noticed the beaming smile on Sweetie Belle's face. As she and Thunderlane began trotting after them, she let out a sigh of relief as she smiled.

Well, it looks like Sweetie Belle finally put Scootaloo behind her and decided to enjoy herself, she thought. I'm so glad to finally see her happy, especially with Rumble. I'm so relieved to see that everything is going to work out after all.

Anticipation rose as a huge crowd gathered in front of the concert stage. It was the same stage as the opening ceremony, but several new light fixtures on the sides and overhead was added. In the back of the stage, Vinyl Scratch and Neon Lights were prepping the final touches before the show started.

The two of them nodded to each other as they began programming the lights to dim and blue smoke to start engulfing the stage, prompting the audience to fall silent in awe. Among them, Sweetie Belle and Rumble stood side-by-side, both of them with wide eyes and huge smiles as they prepared to see their first concert together.

As the smoke thickened until it was hard to see the stage at all, a loud voice that sounded like it was talking through a microphone yelled out, "Hello, Ponyville!"

Everypony was taken aback when a loud explosion echoed as the two unicorn singers, Savannah Café and Trench-Stud stood in the middle of the stage. Where she wore a seductive gold outfit that hugged her body in all the right places, he simply wore a suit that made him look extremely regal for a singer. Then, the audience broke out into a thunderous applause as they smiled and waved.

"I'm Savannah Café and this is Trench-Stud!" she announced. "We're ready to celebrate the 'Festival of the Night' with a bang! But first, let's hear it for our guest of honor, Princess Luna!"

As the crowd began stomping their hooves in response, Princess Luna, who was standing off to the side of the stage, bowed her head in response, Princess Celestia patting her on the back and smiling as well.

"Are you ponies ready to rock?" Trench-Stud asked.

Everyone shouted and cheered in response.

"Are you ponies ready to party?" Savannah asked.

When they got the same answer as before, Trench turned to Vinyl and said, "Spin it up, DJ!"

Vinyl Scratch saluted as she began playing the music and Savannah started singing. Almost everypony recognized the song and began cheering as loud as they could. When she got to the chorus line about "spreading a little love", it came to no one's surprise that the whole crowd began singing along with her.

Off to the side of most of the crowd by several tables and chairs, Rarity and Thunderlane watched the concert side-by-side. While Thunderlane eyed the outfits they were wearing with amazement, Rarity was rocking her head in time with the music.

"Those outfits you made for them are great!" Thunderlane shouted, hoping her could be heard over the loud music.

"Thank you, sweetie!" she responded, a smug look coming across her face.

After a while, the song ended and everypony cheered. Seeing this as his opportunity, Thunderlane said, "Hey, Rarity!"

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Do you...wanna dance?"

As Savannah began singing her next song that everyone recognized as her most recent track called "You'll be Mine", Thunderlane extended a hoof and smiled. Rarity didn't need to answer with words; she simply smiled in return and took his hoof into hers. Then, he led her to the dance floor, where they began moving in perfect harmony with one another; despite the upbeat music, they still managed to enjoy the romantic moment.

Meanwhile, Rumble looked over to his left to see that Thunderlane and Rarity were engaged in their dance. His cheeks blushed as he decided to follow suit.

"Sweetie Belle?" he asked as he tapped her on her shoulder.

"Yeah?" she answered with a smile.

"You...wanna...you know...dance with me?"

"Sure!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. For a brief moment, she thought about Scootaloo and that she had promised her a dance, too. However, she looked at Rumble and thought, Well, I guess one dance can't hurt.

Not too far away, Scootaloo watched as Sweetie Belle and Rumble began dancing with each other, a smile forming on her face as she watched how happy she was making him. After several moments, the song segued into a song about "chasing a shadow" or something, where Trench-Stud began taking over the lead vocals. As she bobbed her head to the music, she was surprised when she saw Apple Bloom trot up to her. With the way she was acting, she appeared to be trying her best to see what Sweetie Belle and Rumble were doing.

"Hey, Apple Bloom!" she called out to her, making her jump in surprise.

"Oh, hi Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said, quickly flashing a smile. "What're ya doin' here?"

"Just enjoying the party! How about you?"

She scratched be back of her neck as she answered, "Same."

The two of them fell silent as the song continued, the two of them keeping a close eye on the two as they continued dancing face-to-face and side-to-side, both looking like they were having the time of their lives.

"You know, I've never seen Rumble this happy," said Scootaloo.

"Yeah, ah know!" Apple Bloom responded as she started gritting her teeth. "They're really somethin'. Must be hard ta see her dancin' with him instead-a you, huh?"

Scootaloo let out a laugh. "No, not really, especially since me and Sweetie Belle made up and are back together!"

"WHAT!?" she practically shouted in surprise. "YA'LL MADE UP!?"

"Well, yeah!"

Apple Bloom hung her head as the look of disbelief remained there for several moments, her eyes fishing around for something, anything, to say. After a few seconds of thinking about it, an idea popped in her head, making her smile sinisterly as she looked from Scootaloo to Sweetie Belle and back.

"Hey, Scoots?" she asked nonchalantly.

Scootaloo answered by asking, "Yeah?"

Apple Bloom chuckled. "Why don't cha dance with Sweetie Belle, since yer back together and all?"

"That's a great idea!" she said as she jumped up with joy, her wings fluttering. "She still owes me a dance!"

Apple Bloom watched as Scootaloo began weaving through the sea of dancing ponies towards Rumble and Sweetie Belle with anticipation. It didn't take very long for her to confirm she was out of eyeshot for her to rub her hooves together.

Easy-peasy cider-squeezy, she thought. Now ta wait 'til he's alone so ah can talk ta him.

As the music went on, Thunderlane and Rarity trotted over to the nearest table. Both of them were hot and sweaty from all their dancing.

"Wow, you're a pretty good dancer," said Thunderlane.

"Why thank you, dear," Rarity said as she wiped her head with a napkin. "You're not so bad yourself."

As Thunderlane sat down, Rarity said, "I'll be right back. All that dancing has made me famished."

Quickly, he got up and asked, "Would you like me to get you something?"

"It's quite alright, darling. I'll manage."

Thunderlane smiled and nodded as she trotted off to the concession stand to get a drink. Sitting back down, he looked out at the party and saw that he had a clear view of Sweetie Belle and Rumble. The moment he saw them dancing harmoniously together, he couldn't help but smile. He had never seen his brother so happy before and it warmed his heart to know that Sweetie Belle's feelings were clearly mutual to his.

"Hey, Thunderlane!" a familiar voice called out to him, snapping him out of his thoughts. Turning his head, he watched as Applejack trotted up to him and sat in the seat across from him.

"Hey, Applejack," he said. "How's it been?"

"Great! Just takin' a break fer a while, is all. What're ya doing?"

"I'm just waiting for Rarity to get back."

The two of them smiled as they continued to look on at the rest of the ponies in the audience. It took little to no effort for Applejack to spot Rumble and Sweetie Belle dancing. Instantly, she raised an eyebrow at them before turning to Thunderlane, who was keeping an eye on them as well. Looking back at them, a strange wave of uncertainty washed over her as she tapped her chin with a hoof.

The song ended with a similar echoing boom from before, resulting in most of the ponies stopping their dancing to applaud the singers.

"You want another one?" Savannah asked.

When the crowd responded with a loud cheer, the next song started to play. It was another song most of them were familiar with, one where she and Trench sang about them "running the night", whatever that meant.

As the song started to play, Rumble turned to Sweetie Belle and smiled, resulting in her smiling back. However, they were interrupted when they heard a familiar voice ask, "Mind if I cut in?"

The two of them turned to see Scootaloo standing there with her hoof out to them, waiting for somepony to take it.

Rumble opened his mouth to say something, but was immediately cutoff by Sweetie Belle saying, "Sure!"

A confused look on his face, Rumble watched as she took Scootaloo's hoof and the two of them started dancing with each other. He turned away and decided to get some rest before dancing again. It was only when he saw their dance change did he stop and stare at them, even more confused than he was moments before.

At first, they began dancing much like he and Sweetie Belle had been doing all night. Then, she and Scootaloo began dancing with their hooves in the others'. They twirled and spun, their eyes locked onto each other while smiles remained on their faces.

He tilted his head and continued to watch this for a while, unaware that Apple Bloom was still looking on and becoming more annoyed by the minute.

"Oh, for Celestia's sake! Don't just stand there!" she shouted aloud. Face-hoofing herself, she let out a groan as she said, "Fine, I'll just go to him!"

From where he was sitting, Thunderlane watched as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle danced with each other. Raising an eyebrow at them, he let out a scoff as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wow, they look like they're close with each other, huh?" he asked Applejack, who was also looking at the two fillies. "With the way they're dancing like that, you'd think they were in a relationship or something."

He was taken aback when he heard her laugh in response. "Are ya kiddin'? Ya know they're as close as two peas in a pod!"

Thunderlane gave her a questioning look. "W-What are you talking about?"

Applejack laughed again. "Sorry, sugar cube, ah don't mean ta laugh. It's just funny how ya act like ya don't know, that's all."

"Don't know what?"

His answer made her stop laughing, though the smile remained.

"Ya know...'bout Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo," Applejack said.

"What about them?" he asked.

Her smile had faded this time as she gave him a quizzical look. "You do know about them, right?"

Thunderlane answered by shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head.

"C'mon, Thunderlane," Applejack said. "Rarity said she told ya all 'bout it!"

"All about what?" he asked again. "What exactly are you talking about?"

It was then that all the pieces began fitting together. Turning her gaze away from him, Applejack removed her hat and began rubbing the top of her head. She didn't know whether she was more shocked or outraged, but there was one thing she did know and she was having a hard time coming to grips with it.

Rarity, ah don't believe ya! Ya lied ta me...ya lied ta him...ya lied 'bout everythin', she thought as she began taking several deep breaths. Then, a determined look came across her face as she put her hat back on and nodded. Well, there's only one thing ta do.

Looking Thunderlane in the eyes, she straightened her posture and said, "Thunderlane, sugar, we need ta talk."

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Rarity trotted back towards the concert stage with a smile on her face. As she began to make her way to where Thunderlane was sitting, she quickly shot a glance in Sweetie Belle and Rumble's direction. The moment she saw that her sister was no longer dancing with Rumble, but instead with Scootaloo, her heart began to pound in her chest as her breathing became more and more labored. What made it all worse was when she saw Rumble watching the two of them not too far away.

"Oh no!" she practically shouted as she began weaving around anypony in her way, desperately trying to get to Thunderlane before it was too late.

As Applejack finished telling him about Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, Thunderlane sat back in his seat, his mouth hanging open.

Shaking his head disbelievingly, he said, "No...No, you're wrong! You're lying!"

"Ah'm sorry, Thunderlane," Applejack said firmly. "But what ah'm sayin' is the honest truth!"

"No," he said again. "I don't believe you! Rarity said Sweetie Belle wasn't into fillies, that she loved Rumble, and that..."

"She also said that she told you everything and that you were okay with their relationship!" she interrupted. "Was that true?"

He got up from his seat and began to back away from her. "This...this can't be right," he muttered to himself. "She wouldn't do that...she wouldn't lie to me!"

Looking back at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, still dancing closer than ever, he began to really think about them being in a relationship. All he could say was, "She wouldn't...would she?"

He fell silent as he continued to watch them along with Rumble, though the latter didn't know it. They watched as they twirled around, hooves together and bodies really close to one another. Still struggling to get to them, Rarity began pushing ponies out of her way as her eyes became pinpoints and sweat began forming on her forehead. All the while, Apple Bloom tried getting to Rumble with a determined look on her face, not even giving Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle a passing glance.

For all the ponies that were fixated on the two dancing fillies, everything came to a complete standstill at what happened next.

When the song ended, Scootaloo held Sweetie Belle in her arms as the two of them looked at each other with loving eyes. For them, nothing else matter except each other; it was like everypony had disappeared and had fallen silent, leaving the two of them locked in their tender moment together. Holding each other close, they closed their eyes, leaned in, and kissed.

Rumble and Thunderlane shared the same sentiment by staring with their eyes wide and mouths agape. From where she stood, Rarity froze in her tracks as her beating heart came to a sudden stop, her breathing becoming shallow. For all of them, the sounds of the rest of the crowd seemed to fall silent, despite the fact that they were all cheering for the singers.

His mind spinning in different directions, Rumble practically shouted."Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!"

Their kiss ending earlier than they anticipated, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle turned to look at Rumble, unaware that he was watching them the whole time. Quickly, they released each other as their cheeks began to flush.

"What are you doing!?" he asked. "Why are you kissing each other like that!?"

They gave each other worried glances as the question seemed to hit them harder than they expected. Scootaloo lowered her head in shame as Sweetie Belle took a step towards him.

"I'm sorry, Rumble," she said. "We were gonna tell you..."

"'Tell me'?" Rumble repeated as an eyebrow rose. "Tell me what?"

Embarrassment settled in as Sweetie Belle lowered her head and rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. Taking several deep breaths, she finally managed to say, "Scootaloo and I are...are...are together."

"What do you mean 'together'? I can see you're together! Why would you...?"

Rumble didn't need to finish his question for the answers to become clear. It was only when he thought about the kiss they shared that everything began falling into place; now he knew why they were always spending so much time together without Apple Bloom around.

"Wait...," he said hesitantly. "You mean...you two are...together...as in together, together?"

The only answer Sweetie Belle gave was a slow nod as she bit her lip and lowered her head again.

Rumble slowly began to back away as tears were streaming down his cheeks. How can two fillies be in love with each other? Wasn't it only supposed to be between fillies and colts? Within those questions, the thoughts about him and Sweetie Belle being together began making him even more confused than before.

"But...I thought...you and me...we were..." he said, unable to get any thoughts together to form a proper sentence.

"I-I'm sorry Rumble," Sweetie Belle said as she took another step towards him. "I just..."

He began backing away. "Stay back...stay away..."

"Rumble..."

With everything hitting him at once and none of it making sense, Rumble began galloping away as tears streamed down his cheeks faster than before. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo just stood there, neither of them knowing if they should follow him or not.

Exchanging guilty looks, all Sweetie Belle could do was stand where she was and say, "Oh no."

It felt like Thunderlane's world began to slowly crumble around him as he watched the two fillies kiss each other. He didn't have anything against them or anything, but it was everything else that he began to question, and all of them revolved around one mare.

"It can't be," he whispered. "It can't be."

Everything that Applejack had said was true; Rarity lied about everything, from Sweetie Belle being in a relationship with another filly to claiming that her feelings were mutual to Rumble's. With these new revelations in mind, he began to question whether or not everything she said was true, like how she said she loved him.

He didn't have time to delve into why for the sight of Rumble running towards and past him with tears in his eyes captured his attention.

"Rumble!" he called out as he began to gallop after him. "Rumble, wait!"

"Thunderlane!" a familiar voice called out to him. He turned his head to see Rarity galloping after him with a look of sheer panic on her face. "Thunderlane, please! I can explain!"

Anger coursing through him at mere sight of her, Thunderlane furrowed his eyebrows and shouted as loud as he could, "DON'T BOTHER!"

The response made her stop galloping immediately. All she could do was watch as the two of them disappeared over the horizon, no doubt heading towards the inn. She could have sworn she heard somepony trotting up to her, but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore, except for the heartache she was feeling and that she had caused. She didn't even move as Applejack trotted beside her.

Applejack only stopped for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed, as she simply said, "Ah'll deal with you tomorrow."

With that, she began galloping after Thunderlane and Rumble, leaving Rarity alone. The spotlight was back on her again, feeling like she was exposed to everyone in town for the liar and deceiver that she was. Then, the tears that pooled in her eyes began streaming down her cheeks.

Out of the frying pan..., Rarity thought as she lowered her body onto the ground. Not caring about anything, like how her dress was getting dirty from the way she was positioned, she said the rest of the sentence out loud as she began crying uncontrollably.

"...and into the fire."

Chapter 25: Doing What's Right

Applejack sat patiently at the kitchen table with a worried look on her face. The only sound that was audible in the room was the slow ticking of the nearby clock while the only light that shone was the flickering of a nearby candle. She took off her Stetson and placed it on the table as a sigh escaped through her nostrils.

Ah hope everythin's alright fer both of 'em, she thought as she hung her head.

After what felt like an hour had passed from when she first got there, she nearly jumped out of her fur when she heard the bedroom door open. Applejack calmed her nerves for a second before she got up and put her hat back on as Thunderlane trotted out of the room and slowly closed the door behind him. It didn't take much to notice the sad and defeated look he had on his face as he rested his head against the door while closing his eyes softly.

"How's he doin'?" she asked softly, trying her best to sound reassuring.

Letting out a sigh through his nostrils, Thunderlane answered, "He'll be alright for now."

"Did ya talk ta him about...ya know...what happened?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. I'll talk to him about it in the morning; he's been through enough for one night. Best to let him sleep."

Applejack nodded understandingly as Thunderlane, avoiding eye contact as he passed her, slowly trotted to the kitchen table and sat down in the closest chair available. He hung his head in his hooves as the thoughts of the once magical evening turning into a horrid nightmare began rushing through his thoughts. Applejack gave him a worried look as she trotted beside him and lightly placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"How 'bout you, sugar cube?" she asked, her tone still soft. "Are ya gonna be alright?"

"I...I'll be fine," he fibbed as he lowered his hooves.

"Are ya sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The two of them fell silent.

Not knowing if there was anything left to say, Applejack patted him on the back before slowly making her way to the door. She had only taken a few steps before she was stopped by Thunderlane finally saying something.

"Applejack," she heard his soft voice say. "I...I can't thank you enough for...for tonight."

Applejack turned to look at him and said, "Think nothin' of it, sugar. Ah'm happy ta help ya in yer time of need."

Much to her surprise, Thunderlane got off his seat, trotted up to her and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Her cheeks flushed red as her heart skipped a beat or two from the sudden and unexpected gesture.

"I mean it. Thank you for telling me...for letting me know about...you know...for telling me the truth," he said as a few tears managed to escape his eyes and roll down his cheek. "I'm really sorry for calling you a liar before. You really are the best friend a pony could ask for."

There were no words that Applejack could say in response. All she could do was return the gesture with a soft smile on her face. It wasn't long before the two of them released one another. Applejack watched as Thunderlane wiped his eyes.

"Ah'll...Ah'll see ya tomorrow, Thunderlane," she said. "Try ta get some sleep. Everythin'll be better in the mornin', you'll see."

"Yeah, I'll...I'll try," he replied with a forced smile. "See you around."

Applejack nodded and smiled before leaving him alone to stand in the same place for many minutes to follow. When he finally found the will to move, he trotted to the kitchen table and sat down again. Thunderlane held his head in his hooves like he did before as he closed his eyes softly.

I'm sorry, Rumble, he thought as a wave of guilt washed over his heart, making it pound in his chest. I'm so sorry all of this happened to you. I can only imagine what's going through your mind after all this.

Thunderlane lowered his hooves as he looked up at the ceiling, trying his best to not let his tears run down his face. What am I going to do? How do I talk to him about all of this after what just happened? Is now even the best time? How can I put it in a way to help him understand?

He wiped the tears from his eyes and took a deep breath to try and calm himself down. What can I do to make him see past all of this? How can I help take his mind off this?

Letting out another sigh, he lowered his gaze at the table as he began scanning for something, anything that can help him and his brother. Fortunately, something on the table caught his eye, resulting in him staring at it for a moment or two. Blinking several times at the white envelope on the table, he slowly picked it up and took out the letter that he had written to his parents earlier. Thunderlane must have read it at least a dozen times before the thoughts of why he wanted to stay in Ponyville resurfaced in his thoughts.

At first, he felt his heart beginning to beat in his chest at the very thought of leaving his old life behind to start a new one with the pony he once loved. It was short lived as Thunderlane's eyebrows began furrowing in disgust as the thoughts of Rarity, not only lying to him, but lying to his younger brother began looping in his head like a scratched record. Now that there was nothing left, what was the point in staying? Why not go back home where they belonged?

Rage burning within him, he squeezed his eyes shut and held the paper in his hooves as if he were about to rip it in half. However, a last minute thought that he hadn't considered stopped him in his tracks. He opened his eyes and began breathing heavily as the tears began to stream down his face again. Thunderlane slowly opened the letter and read it to himself one last time as the new-found thought entered his head. Calming his temper with a couple of soothing breaths, he nodded his head and put the letter back in the envelope, trying his best to flatten it to make it look like it once did.

Maybe this will help take his mind off of what happened, he thought as he got up and headed for his bedroom. Tomorrow is another day.

Closing the door behind him, he trotted to the window and looked out towards the rest of town where the festival was still going on. Suddenly, he flinched as the sight and sound of fireworks began going off in the distance. For a brief moment, he smiled as they illuminated the night skies with a sea of colors and designs. However, the sight of something changed his mood in an instant.

Standing in front of the inn several yards away was Rarity, who was looking up towards his window. The second his eyes fell upon her, Thunderlane quickly closed the window and drew down the blinds, turning his back as a bad taste began forming in his mouth at the very sight of her. As much as he tried to mentally talk himself out of it, he turned towards the window again and peaked through the blinds to see if she was still there. Although she stood there for many moments, she eventually turned and began trotting away; her head looked like it was hanging as she slowly disappeared over the horizon.

His breathing intensifying, Thunderlane slowly got into bed and buried his face in his pillow. Turning on his side, he tried his best to close his eyes and get some sleep. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the images of the mare he once loved out of his mind.

Lying on his back, Thunderlane squeezed his eyes shut and whispered, "Rarity...why? Why did you do this? Why?"

Try as he might, the tears he had held in began streaming out of the corners of his eyes. He began to breath heavily again as he squeezed his eyes tighter, as if that would stop them from coming out.

That's enough, Thunderlane, he thought as he opened his eyes. You have to be strong now. For Rumble's sake, you have to overcome this.

As he calmed his crying down and closed his eyes softly, the last thing he thought echoed in his mind as he fell into a dreamless sleep:

I know what must be done.

The morning came much quicker than he had really wanted it to. Thunderlane slowly opened his eyes as Celestia's sun peered through the window above his bed. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned; he didn't feel like he had gotten much sleep and wanted to stay in bed for a while longer. However, he knew he had more important things to handle and that staying bed would only prolong the inevitable.

Reluctantly, Thunderlane got up and made his way into the kitchen. He was taken by surprise when he saw Rumble sitting at the table with a small bowl of cereal in front of him. A flicker of a smile formed on his mouth but was instantly washed away when he saw the distraught look on his brother's face. He stood there for a moment as he watched him take a small spoon of food, put it in his mouth, and slowly begin chewing it; he was moving like his whole body was on autopilot.

Poor guy, Thunderlane thought. I guess now is the best time I can talk to him about all of this. I just hope he'll understand and try to move on.

Thunderlane let out a small sigh as he sat down next to him. Although he had made noise upon his entrance, Rumble didn't turn his head, or even his eyes, to acknowledge his presence. He just sat there, staring into the abyss completely emotionless.

As casually as he could muster, he said, "Good morning, Rumble."

The colt didn't answer as he took another spoonful of cereal and repeated his slow eating regimen.

"Hey, buddy," he said softly. "Are you alright?"

Like before, Rumble didn't answer.

Thunderlane lowered his head. "It's...about last night, isn't it?"

That was the only time he got something of a response: Rumble shifting just his eyes to look at him. He looked into Rumble's sorrowful lavender eyes as the colt quickly looked away and stared ahead of him again. For that brief moment, Thunderlane could feel his brother's heartache, which resulted in his own heart beginning to hurt, both emotionally and physically.

"Rumble, I...I think it's time we talked about this."

He placed his spoon down and said softly, "There's nothing to talk about."

"Sure there is," Thunderlane said. "I mean...I know it's hard for you right now, but...but..."

He let out a sigh and hung his head, trying his best to not let his voice crack from his own pain. Again, Rumble looked at Thunderlane.

"Rumble...I know that...there's nothing I can say or do that will take away your pain right now. Believe me, I really wish there was. But...if there's anything I can say, it's that...I...I'm so sorry all this happened. I feel like all of this could have been avoided if I had...you know...talked to you about this much sooner. I guess, in a strange way, I blame myself for what happened...and I'm sorry."

Rumble finally looking at him fully with widened eyes and a slightly confused look was all the proof Thunderlane needed to know that he was taken aback by his statement.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I...I should have talked to you about those kinds of relationships much sooner," Thunderlane stammered, trying his best to pick the right words to say and make sure they came out properly. "I wanted to, I really did...but...I didn't think it was appropriate, especially with what was happening with Mom and Dad. Maybe if I had, you...you would have known..."

Stopping for a moment to take a deep breath, Thunderlane continued. "You see...it's like this..."

Rumble sat in silence as Thunderlane explained everything about same-gender relationships. He tried his best to keep it as simple as he could so Rumble fully understood what he was saying. After a while, Rumble lowered his gaze to the ground as his eyes began scanning around. Seeing the gesture, Thunderlane took the hint and brought his explanation to a close.

"I...I know that it may not make much sense right now...especially with what happened," he said. "But you have to understand that it has nothing to do with you. None of this is your fault, nor is it Sweetie Belle's. It's just...some ponies...you know...feel differently than others. It's all natural and normal, especially at a young age."

"I..." Rumble said softly. "I just...I mean, I don't...I can't..."

Thunderlane got up and prepared to wrap his arm across his shoulders. However, he was taken aback when Rumble immediately got off his seat and held him in an embrace. Returning the gesture, he could tell that Rumble was starting to softly cry.

"I'm sorry, Rumble," he said again, as if those words would take away his pain. "I'm so, so sorry."

"It...It hurts," Rumble said in between sobs. "Why does it hurt so much?"

Because it was real, Thunderlane thought as he said aloud, "I know it hurts, it always does. Everything will be okay, Rumble. I promise you, everything will be okay."

They sat in silence for many moments before Rumble calmed himself down and released his embrace while wiping his eyes.

"Rumble, do you remember what I said...when we first spoke about you and Sweetie Belle?" he asked.

Rumble looked at the ground again while his eyes shifted back and forth. He remembered Thunderlane saying something about it, but he couldn't remember what it was; his thoughts were too focused on what happened to recall anything prior.

Seeing him struggle, he said, "I told you that, if Sweetie Belle were to...you know...'reject' you...that it would hurt...a lot and..."

"And that, no matter what happened," Rumble finished. "You'll be there to see me through it."

"...and?" Thunderlane prompted.

"...and if Sweetie Belle doesn't like me that way... maybe...we could still be friends."

Nodding, Thunderlane held his brother in another embrace. "I'm really sorry that all of this happened, especially on a night like last night. You know I'd do anything to take it all back. But, it's water under the bridge now. You have to be strong now and try to move on. There are plenty of other sticks in the sea."

Noticing his blunder, Rumble said, "Don't you mean, 'fish', Thunder?"

"Oh...is that how it goes?"

The two of them shared a laugh for a moment. It may have been short-lived, but the feeling of happiness made the two of them feel better than they had all morning.

As they calmed down, Thunderlane said, "I can't promise that this'll be easy or that it'll go away overnight. But I can promise that it'll get better. It always does, trust me."

Smiling again, Rumble said softly, "Thanks, Thunder, for everything."

"You don't have to thank me, little brother. I'll always be here for you, always."

As Rumble gave him an embrace one last time, Thunderlane's attention was immediately drawn to the letter from last night. Biting his lower lip, he looked from the envelope to Rumble and back again. As much as he wanted to ask, a part of him held him back.

It's now or never. Besides, maybe it'll help take his mind off of this for a while, Thunderlane kept reassuring himself. Taking a deep breath to muster as much courage as he could, he said, "I have some good news for you."

Slightly perking up, Rumble asked, "What is it?"

"I got a letter from Mom and Dad yesterday. They said that everything was sorted out and that we can go home."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

The two brothers smiled at each other, neither of them saying a word; it was as if one was waiting for the other to say something.

"So..." Thunderlane finally said. "I was wondering...if you want to...do you want to go back home?"

Rumble gave him a startled look. "You're...asking me?"

"Well, yeah. I was going to make the decision last night, but I didn't think it would've been fair if I made this kind of decision without talking to you about it. So, do you want to go back home or stay here in Ponyville?"

Caught on the spot, Rumble looked at the ground again. As much as he wanted to go back to Cloudsdale, a part of him wanted to stay in Ponyville. He began recollecting his life back in Cloudsdale, how he had little to no friends at all, how he hated going to school and being teased, and how he was pretty miserable throughout most of the day.

Then, he began thinking about his life in Ponyville so far. Yeah, he had friends and he was much happier here, but after what happened, after what he was feeling now, was there really a point in staying? Would he be happier if he went back home than if he stayed here?

Seeing him struggling, Thunderlane said, "You don't have to worry, buddy. I don't mind either way."

Rumble scratched the back of his neck as he looked around the room, hoping he would find the answer somewhere in the room. It did little to help him as he looked back at Thunderlane with an unsure look.

"You don't have to give me an answer now. I'll let you think about it for a while," Thunderlane said as he got up from his chair.

"Okay," Rumble said, following suit. "Thanks."

Thunderlane smiled. "No problem, little brother."

He gave him a small smile as he collected his dishes and placed them in the sink. Afterwards, Rumble trotted into his room and closed the door behind him. He let out a sigh before making his way to the window. He watched as many ponies were in the town square, cleaning up after the big event that took place the previous night.

Letting a sigh escape from his nostrils, Rumble sat on his haunches and looked at the ground. He scanned the floors for something, anything that would help him get all his swirling thoughts in order. Much to his dismay, there was nothing there to help him, nothing to ease the burden of everything that was on his lap now.

What am I going to do? Rumble thought. How can I possibly face Sweetie Belle? What do I say to her? Is there anything I can say to her? What about Mom and Dad? Should we stay or should we go?

All these questions went unanswered as he sat down on his bed. The moment he sat down, he managed to accidently knock down his saddlebag that was resting beside the bed. As all his belongs slid onto the floor, Rumble let out a small huff before getting up to pick up all his books.

As he placed his notebook into the bag, a small piece of paper that was lying underneath it caused him to stop and stare at if for several seconds. As he stared, he read the words written on it a few times to himself: Open After School.

Slowly, he picked up the neatly folded piece of paper and looked at it from all angles. With a raised eyebrow, he slowly opened it to see that a neatly written letter was inside. Cautiously, he began reading the letter carefully to himself.

Dear Rumble, it read. Meet me at the clubhouse right after school. There's something I have to tell you. It's really important. Please come alone. Love, your secret admirer.

Rumble read it to himself a few times, looking at the letter from both sides to see if there was anything else written. Convinced that was all there was, he gave the letter an incredulous look as he began thinking who could have written this letter for him. Reading it one last time, it all became too clear.

There's only three other ponies who know where the clubhouse is, he thought with wide eyes. Since two of them are already...that leaves...oh my gosh! It can't be!

He looked out the window with a look of disbelief as all the pieces began falling into place; from the conversations they had and how she always enjoyed spending time with him, to the way she always seemed to act whenever he was around. It all made perfect sense to him now.

How could I have been so blind? How could I have not seen this before? It was right there in front of me all along, he thought as his face beamed. I...I have to talk to her right away!

Rumble's small burst of enthusiasm slowly dissipated as he began thinking about the time he was with Sweetie Belle and how he had practically ignored her at the Festival of the Night. If this was how she felt about him, he could only imagine how she must've felt while he was with Sweetie Belle that whole time.

I have to make this right, Rumble thought. I have to talk to her.

Nodding to himself, he left his room and left the inn, telling Thunderlane that he'd be right back. As he galloped out of the inn, only one thought echoed in his mind as he gave a look of determination the whole way:

I hope she can forgive me.

Chapter 26: New Revelations

Sweetie Belle's eyes shot open the moment the morning sun peered through her window. Without any hesitation, she sat up and looked around her bedroom with a look of bewilderment. After several moments of this, she eventually laid her head back on her pillow and began rubbing her temples with her hooves, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Everything seemed to happen so fast that certain events were escaping her memory bank. One moment, she was having the time of her life at the festival. The next, she was face-to-face with a horrified Rumble, looking at her and Scootaloo like there was something dangerously wrong with them. After watching him runaway, the rest of the evening didn't even register in Sweetie Belle's mind; she barely remembered coming back to the Boutique, much less what happened at the rest of the festival.

"Rumble," she lightly whispered as she sat up again, the thoughts of the look on his face resurfacing in her mind again. "We have to talk...we have to explain..."

Sweetie got out of bed and quickly headed for the door as guilt began forming, making her feel physical pain in her chest. She didn't know what to say, or even how to say it, but she knew something had to be said. By the look on his face, she could only imagine what was going through the poor colt's mind at the sight of them sharing their kiss like that.

When she reached the bottom of the stairwell, she got ready to gallop as fast as her legs could carry her to the front door when she stopped in fright at what was before her. Quickly, she ducked out of sight behind the nearest plant, even though she was positive she wasn't seen. Peeking out from behind it, she stared in shock at what was before her.

Not too far away from the entrance was Rarity, laying on her stomach and sprawled out on her red couch with her gaze focusing into nothingness. Her eyes had deep circles underneath them and black mascara running from the corners and onto her cheeks; no doubt the results of endless crying and a sleepless night. Her mane was all frizzed and sticking out in different directions. The dress that she had worn was still on, except there were many parts of it that were ripped off and scattered on the floor; it was as if she was trying to take it off, ripping it in frustration, and giving up about halfway through.

After the initial shock wore off, only sorrow remained within Sweetie Belle; what could have happened to Rarity that caused her to look like this? She may not have remembered the rest of the evening, but it was plainly obvious that it couldn't have been anything good if her sister looked like that. Taking a deep breath, Sweetie slowly moved from behind the plant to talk to Rarity and find out what happened. Suddenly, a loud bang and the front door flying opened caused her to duck back behind the plant in fear.

Through the leaves, she could see that Applejack trotted in; based on the enraged look on her face, it was obvious she had bucked the door open with zero hesitation. She watched as she got ready to call out to somepony, but quickly stopped when her eyes fell upon Rarity. For a brief moment, the angered look on Applejack's face vanished and turned into one of sympathy.

For a brief moment, Applejack felt a wave of sorrow wash over her. She could plainly see that Rarity was affected by all of this, despite being the one who caused all of it to happen in the first place. The feeling only worsened when her gaze slowly focused on her, their eyes meeting each other in a painful stare.

It was short-lived as Applejack took a deep breath and straightened her posture as best as she could; she didn't look as angry as she did coming in, but she gave her a stern gaze. The moment she did, Rarity closed her eyes and buried her face in her hooves. By the looks of it, she was bracing herself for what was inevitably coming.

"Rarity, you've gotta lot of explainin' ta do," Applejack said, her voice as hard as rocks. Although there was no response from her, she pressed on. "It's bad enough ya lied ta me 'bout all this, but ya lied ta that poor colt and his brother. Ya made both of 'em feel like fools instead of just tellin' 'em the truth."

As Applejack spoke, Rarity continued to hide her face in her hooves; she was too ashamed of herself to look her in the eyes. All the while, Sweetie Belle sat where she was with a look of confusion on her face. What lies was she talking about?

"Ah was with Thunderlane last night, after he ran off after Rumble," Applejack continued, her own eyes starting to well up a bit at the thoughts of how he had been. "Do ya have any idea how much pain ya put him through? He trusted you and ya let him down! Ya broke that poor stallion's heart, not ta mention Rumble's too!"

What does she mean by that? Sweetie Belle thought. It's not Rarity's fault that Rumble was hurt, it's mine! I can't let her take the blame for what I did!

Quickly, she got up with the intent of correcting Applejack's mistake. It was only when she asked Rarity the next question did she freeze where she stood again, the look of horror from before back on her face.

"Why did ya lie 'bout Sweetie Belle by sayin' she wasn't into fillies?"

The words hit Sweetie Belle harder than she ever expected they would, making her slowly back behind the plant again and sit on her haunches. Before she could make heads or tails of the question, she heard Applejack continue.

"Ya told me that ya told Thunderlane 'bout her and Scootaloo and ya didn't," she said. "Ya made an innocent colt think he had a chance at findin' true love when it was impossible. Ya tried yer darnedest ta interfere with Sweetie Belle's relationship by forcin' her ta be with Rumble, which broke Apple Bloom's heart because she had a crush on him the whole time. Ah imagine that Scootaloo was hurt by all this, too! All it's been is lies on top of lies on top of lies with you!"

Time seemed to stand still for Sweetie Belle as everything began falling into place. All the times she had to cancel her plans with Scootaloo, all the times she was made to invite Rumble and break her promises, the fight and break up with Scootaloo, even taking him to the festival, all of it was because of Rarity, her own sister. The words that Scootaloo said in the clubhouse when they broke up began echoing in her head: "All this time, I thought it was Rarity who was trying to come between us." With everything Applejack was saying and everything Rarity had been doing for the past couple of weeks, Sweetie Belle came to a dreaded conclusion: Rarity didn't approve of her being with another filly.

Applejack took another deep breath and asked, "Why, Rarity? Why'd ya do all this? What could make ya do such an...an...an evil act on everypony who trusted you?"

Sweetie Belle didn't know which she felt more, anger or sadness. Tears began streaming out of the corners of her eyes at the very thought that her own sister would actively try to sabotage her relationship with Scootaloo, not to mention make her feel like it was her fault that Rumble was now heartbroken about what happened. However, she was also hyperventilating at the very idea that she was merely a puppet on Rarity's strings, being made to do what she wanted, when she wanted, and how she wanted. On top of that, Rarity remained silent on her couch, clearly guilty of the crimes she was committing.

I have to tell Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle thought as she wiped her eyes and began heading for the back door. She has to know that she was right all along, that it was all Rarity's fault!

Starting to get frustrated, Applejack took her hat off and slammed it down on the ground. "Darn it, Rarity, why won't you answer me? Why in tarnation did you do all this?"

It was then that Rarity finally spoke. She shouted her answer at the farm pony as loudly as her vocal chords would allow, if only to get her to stop pressuring her, making her feel worse than she already felt. However, it wasn't the outburst that caught Applejack by surprise and made Sweetie Belle, once again, stop where she stood; it was the answer that she gave her.

"I WAS SCARED, ALRIGHT!?"

Immediately, she dug her face back into her hooves like she had before. This time, though, she began to cry uncontrollably, no doubt releasing all of the guilt, pain, and anger that she was keeping bottled up inside. While she cried, both Sweetie Belle and Applejack remained motionless where they stood, neither of them able to comprehend what she meant.

After her crying had calmed to a soft sob, Applejack asked, "Ah know ya said you were afraid of losin' him, but did ya really think lyin' ta him was the best way ta..."

"No, Applejack," Rarity interrupted in a soft tone. "That's not what I'm talking about. What I mean is...I was scared of...of...everything. I know what I did was wrong, but...but you have to believe me when I say that...that I...I didn't mean for all this to happen...for everything to spiral out of control like it did...I wanted to stop it, I really did...I just...couldn't."

As Applejack sat on her haunches beside Rarity, Sweetie Belle returned to her hiding place. She sat down on her haunches as well, her eyebrows furrowed and her breathing labored. Although her insides kept telling her to runaway and scream at the top of her lungs, the filly just sat there, hoping to get some clarity for her sister's actions.

Rubbing a hoof on her back, Applejack said in a calm tone, "C'mon now, Rare's. Yer gonna hafta do better than that. Tell me what you were so scared of that made ya go 'round, spreadin' lies and hurtin' everypony."

Sitting up, Rarity wiped the tears from her eyes, freshly wet makeup getting on her hoof. Then, she sniffled and asked, "Do you remember a few weeks ago, when we were at talking at Sugarcube Corner together, before Thunderlane came to Ponyville?"

Applejack nodded. "Ya said you were able ta tell that both you and Sweetie Belle were miserable and that things might've been better if she were in love with a colt instead of a filly."

This response made Sweetie Belle flinch; she remembered the question that must have come because of that conversation, whether or not she was happy being with Scootaloo and if she had regretted being with a filly. With this new information, the reason why she asked those questions in the first place made much more sense.

"Well, the truth of the matter is," Rarity continued, "I was the only one who was miserable. I was so scared that...that what was happening to her on a daily basis...with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon...I was scared that that would be the rest of Sweetie Belle's life. She would be ridiculed for being with Scootaloo and that we would have to go through days like those time and time again."

Most of Sweetie's anger had dissipated at this point, leaving only sympathy for her sister; she had been hurt by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, but she had no idea that Rarity was just as hurt as she was about all of it, too.

"I tried to be supportive, I tried to be there for her, but I just...lost myself," explained Rarity. "I thought I could look past the dilemma and move on, but things went from bad to worse when Thunderlane and Rumble came to town."

She paused for a moment to wipe her eyes again before continuing. "When I foal-sat for him, I saw that look in both Rumble and Sweetie Belle's eyes, that look that told me that maybe, the two of them were meant to be. They looked so happy to be in each other's company that, I thought that maybe, like you had said, her relationship with Scootaloo was just a phase that she would grow out of."

Sweetie Belle's heart began to speed up with every passing second. She didn't know which she found more shocking: the fact that Rarity had been planting seeds of doubt in her mind or that Applejack thought their relationship was a phase, giving Rarity the idea in the first place.

Applejack scoffed. "Rarity, ah told ya that because ya'll wanted ta know how ah dealt with the news they were together. If ya remember, ah told ya that it maybe it was a brief thing she'd grow out of in time! That didn't mean fer ya ta force her ta do somethin' she didn't wanna do, especially when she wasn't ready! It didn't give ya the right ta interfere with their relationship!"

'Force her to do something she didn't want to do.' The words echoed in the filly's mind over and over again as her thoughts instantly flashed back to the dream she had. She saw the images clearly: the crossroad, Scootaloo and Rumble on different sides, and Rarity dragging her down a path she didn't want to go down. Silently, Sweetie Belle face-hoofed herself; how could she have misinterpreted that dream by thinking it meant she had to get Apple Bloom and Rumble together?

"I know," Rarity said, snapping Sweetie Belle out of her thoughts. "I didn't want to meddle in their relationship. I didn't want to get involved, but...all of that changed when...when..."

A brief moment of silence followed.

"When...?" Applejack prompted.

Rarity lightly sighed. "When Thunderlane told me that he didn't want to expose Rumble to fillies who loved other fillies."

Silence dawned on the room again as the words sank into both Applejack and Sweetie Belle's minds. Unbeknownst to each other, they both had their mouths hanging open in surprise for one reason or another.

Shaking her head to get back on track, Applejack asked with a tinge of annoyance, "What the hay did he mean by that?"

"Please, Applejack, it's not his fault!" Rarity responded, her tone shifting to a pleading one. "You have to understand, he told me his family is going through a rough patch right now and that he didn't know how to talk to Rumble about matters such as these. He knew he would eventually have to, but when the time was right!"

"So, lemme get this straight," Applejack said as she put a hoof on her head, as if it would help get her thoughts in order. "Thunderlane told ya he didn't wanna tell Rumble about those types of relationships...yet...because of what his family was goin' through?"

Rarity nodded in confirmation. "He asked me if Sweetie Belle was into other fillies...and...and I told him..."

"No," Applejack finished. Rarity hung her head as she lightly nodded. "Why would ya lie ta him? Why not just tell him the truth and..."

"I was scared to tell him," Rarity interrupted again. "He told me that Rumble didn't have many friends in Cloudsdale. He spoke fondly of Rumble being comfortable with Sweetie Belle and that he had a small crush on her. I was so afraid that, if I told him the truth, he might not want Rumble to be around Sweetie Belle anymore or...or worse..."

Although Rarity trailed off at the end of her sentence, Applejack was able to hear her. "'Worse'? What could be worse than that?"

Again, she took another deep, shaky breath before saying, "I was afraid that...if I told him about Sweetie Belle...he might...he might think of me the same way."

As soon as she finished her thought, she buried her face in her hooves again and turned away from her friend.

A moment or two passed before Applejack said, "You were afraid that Thunderlane would think you loved mares, just because yer sister is love with a filly?"

All Rarity could do was nod her head in response.

"No offense, Rare's, but that don't make a lick of sense. How could he possibly think that way about you just because of Sweetie Belle?"

"I don't know," Rarity said. "I don't know how or why, but I just didn't want him to think that way of me. I didn't want him to think it ran in the family like it was genetic or something. I...I didn't want him to get the wrong idea about me. I...I was scared he'd never want to see me again."

"And ya dragged Sweetie Belle and Rumble into all this because...?"

"At first, I wanted Sweetie Belle to see if she truly would be happier with a colt instead of a filly," she said. "But, the closer Thunderlane and I became...the more I became...selfish. I was thinking more and more about me and Thunderlane than I was about Sweetie Belle and Rumble. I purposely set up the two of them together so they could spend more time with each other and see that things might work out if they gave it a chance. When it finally did, I saw that Sweetie Belle was truly miserable being with Rumble than she ever was with Scootaloo. I tried so many times to make things right, to tell the truth and put an end to all of it, but I just kept putting it off until...well...you know the rest."

Fresh tears began streaming down her face again. "I don't know what to do, AJ. I don't know how to fix everything with everypony! I don't know how to undo the deceit and pain I bestowed upon everypony involved. I just...I just don't know."

As Rarity tried her best to hold back her tears, she was taken by surprise when she felt Applejack lightly wrap her arms around her in an embrace. She returned the gesture by hugging her friend tightly, resting her head on her shoulder as the tears continued to stream down her face. All the while, Applejack lightly rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down.

Sweetie Belle lightly sniffled as she wiped a tear from her own eye. As much as she wanted to remain angry at her for everything she had done, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Rarity. It was perfectly clear that she was sorry for what she had done and that she had the best intentions at heart, despite the disastrous outcome of it all. Besides, she knew she played a part in all of this as well, making her just as guilty as she was.

"There, there," Applejack said comfortingly. "Everythin's gonna be alright."

"How, Applejack?" Rarity asked softly. "How can everything possibly be alright after all of this?"

"Fer starters, ya hafta go to everypony ya lied to, explain why ya did it, and apologize. Ah can't say they'll forgive you right away, or at all, but it's the first step in makin' things right."

"You're right," Rarity responded with a sniffle. "I just...don't know how to explain it to all of them."

"You don't have to," a voice said, catching the two mares off guard.

They both turned to see the Sweetie Belle was trotting towards them, her own eyes welling up with tears. Rarity's heart was pounding so hard in her chest that Applejack might have been able to feel it.

Releasing their embrace, Rarity asked, "Sweetie Belle? How...how long...?"

"I heard everything," she interrupted as she wiped her eyes.

Immediately, she got up, trotted up to her and embraced her younger sister. Sweetie Belle returned the gesture as her own tears streamed out of the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. "I'm so, so sorry for all of this, for trying to come between you and Scootaloo, for trying to make you believe your love for her was a phase, for...for everything! Can you ever forgive me for all of this?"

"Of course I forgive you, Rarity," Sweetie Belle said softly. "It wasn't just your fault! It was mine, too!"

"W-What do you mean?" Rarity asked. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, I did," she replied softly. "Scootaloo and I were going to tell Rumble last night, after we made up, that we were together. But, I decided against it because...he was having such a good time and I didn't want to ruin that for him. We were going to tell him today, but..."

She didn't have to finish her sentence for Rarity to understand. All she could do was hold her sister tightly. The two of them held their embrace for a while as Applejack put her hat back on her head, a soft smile forming at the corners of her mouth. After a while, the two of them released their embrace, wiping the tears from their own eyes.

"Like I was saying," Sweetie Belle said as calmly as she could muster. "I can help you, if you want."

"How's do you propose you do that?" asked Rarity.

"I can talk to Rumble, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom about all of this while you talk to Thunderlane. That way, you don't have to worry about going to everypony. Besides, I have to say sorry to them for what I did, too."

A smile came to Rarity's face. "You'd...you'd do that...for me?"

"Of course," Sweetie replied with a smile. "That's what sisters are for, right?"

The two of them shared a small laugh; it may have been short-lived, but it made all of them feel better than they had all morning.

"Well, you two got yer work cut out fer ya," said Applejack. "Better get a move on!"

The two sisters nodded as Sweetie Belle began heading for the door. However, she only took a few steps before she stopped where she stood, a small thought crossing her mind. In the blink of an eye, she turned around and began heading back to the stairs.

"What's wrong, Sweet'ums?" asked Rarity as Sweetie Belle galloped up the stairs.

"I have to get something, first," she called from the upper floor.

Rarity and Applejack exchanged perplexed glances at each other, the former shrugging one of her shoulders as the two of them looked at the stairwell again.

A moment or two had passed before Sweetie Belle came galloping down the stairs again. The moment she was within eyeshot, Rarity opened her mouth to say something to her, but was immediately silenced when she saw what the filly was now carrying in her mouth. She closed her mouth and let out a small sigh as she galloped passed them and headed for the door.

Before leaving the Boutique, she took the item out of her mouth and said, "I'll be back soon. Don't worry, sis! You can count on me!"

With that, the filly put the item back in her mouth and left the two mares in the Boutique, the door closing behind her as she galloped into town. Letting out a deep sigh, Rarity hung her head and turned to Applejack with a look of despair on her face.

"I'm sorry, Applejack," she said in the most sincere manner she could muster. "It was wrong of me to lie to you like I did. Could you ever forgive me?"

Applejack focused her gaze to the floor, her eyes shifting back and forth for several moments. Her eyebrows furrowed as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. However, she didn't even open her eyes before Rarity spoke up.

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything," she said. "Your silence is answer enough."

When Applejack opened her eyes, she saw that Rarity was beginning to slowly make her way to the stairs, her head hanging as she began to ascend them.

"Wait," she called out to her, making Rarity stop in her tracks. When she turned to face her, Applejack said, "Of course ah can forgive ya, Rarity. Wouldn't be much of a friend if ah didn't."

The response made Rarity smile lightly as she trotted up to Applejack and gave her another small hug.

"Thank you," she said softly. "You really are the best friend a pony could ask for."

"Think nothin' of it, sugar cube," Applejack replied, returning the gesture. When they released one another, she said, "Now go and pretty yerself up some. Ya still have ta talk ta the pony that needs yer apology the most."

Rarity nodded as she headed up the stairs again. When she entered her bedroom, she closed the door behind her, sat down at her dresser and began trying to salvage what she could of her matted mane. As she sat in silence, she looked at herself in the mirror and stopped brushing, really paying close attention to the mare that was staring back at her.

The funny thing about mirrors is that staring at one's reflection causes one to reflect. Staring at her disheveled self, she thought about everything that had lead up to this moment and all the pain and torment she put the ones she loved the most through. This caused her to place her brush down and hang her head again, deep feelings of sadness and regret beginning to surface once again.

Applejack and Sweetie Belle were able to forgive, she thought with a sniffle. I just hope the others are able to forgive me, too.

Chapter 27: Seeking Forgiveness

Scootaloo sat in silence with her mouth slightly ajar as her ears rested against her head. She and Sweetie Belle were in front of her house as the morning sun shone overhead, a few clouds hovering about. Despite ponies going about their business all around them, all Scootaloo could hear were the words that Sweetie Belle had just told her, words that she never thought she'd hear her say.

"Well, that's what happened," Sweetie Belle concluded. She gave off a look of worry as the expression on Scootaloo's face remained the same for many moments. Nervously, she scratched the back of one of her legs with the opposing hoof as she waited for Scootaloo to say something, anything.

After what felt like an eternity had passed, Sweetie Belle finally asked, "Are you okay, Scoots?"

It was then that Scootaloo closed her mouth and sat on her haunches, her eyes shifting to the ground. "I...," she said softly. "I don't know what to say. I just...can't believe that...I was right. I can't believe...she actually tried to..."

"I know," Sweetie replied, her tone matching hers. "I know what she did was wrong, but...but you have to believe me when I say she had the best intentions at heart!"

Another moment of silence fell between them.

"Please, Scootaloo," she pleaded. "Please forgive Rarity. I saw and heard everything she said. She didn't mean for everything to happen like this. She really and truly is sorry for what she did."

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "If that's true, then why did she send you to apologize for her instead of doing it herself?"

"She didn't. I offered to do it for her because...she needs to apologize to Thunderlane. Out of everypony...she needs to talk to him the most."

"What about Rumble? She needs to talk to him too!"

"Well...that's where I'm going after this. I said I would talk to him and Apple Bloom."

Scootaloo nodded her head in understanding.

"What do you say, Scootaloo? Can you please forgive Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked. Before she had a chance to respond, she trotted up to her and began rubbing her head against Scootaloo's neck, making her face turn a slight shade of pink. "Please, for me?"

It was only when Sweetie Belle gave her the wide-eyed, puppy dog look did Scootaloo give a small smile, let a sight escape through her nostrils and said, "Okay, Sweetie Belle, I guess I can forgive her...this time."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," she shouted as she wrapped her arms around her in an embrace. "You have no idea how much this means to us!"

"Yeah, yeah," said Scootaloo, as she returned the gesture. "Let's just hope she doesn't try this again anytime soon."

Then, the two of them shared a small kiss as Sweetie Belle said, "I love you."

"I love you, two," Scootaloo said, her cheeks beginning to flush. When the two of them released their embrace, she asked, "So, you're going to talk to Rumble now?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "I was hoping that...you can come with me...if you don't mind, that is."

Scootaloo responded by raising an eyebrow and tilting her head in confusion.

"You see, not only do I have to apologize to him for what Rarity did, but...I have to apologize to him for what I did, too. I hurt him by not listening to you…by not telling him the truth about us when I should have and... I think he needs to hear the truth...from both of us."

Scootaloo nodded. "I guess you're right. Any idea where he is?"

She responded by shrugging a shoulder and smiling sheepishly, resulting in Scootaloo face-hoofing herself. "Well, we better start looking for him."

"Before we go, can you do me a favor?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Sure, what's up?"

Scootaloo watched as Sweetie Belle picked up a small box from the ground with a hoof and asked, "Can you hold on to this for me? It's kinda hard to carry it around, since I don't know how to use my magic yet."

As Scootaloo took the box from her, she instantly recognized it and asked, "Sweetie, isn't this...?"

"Yeah," she interrupted. "I...I think it'd be better...for all of us...if I gave it back."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

Sweetie Belle responded by nodding her head once.

"Alright, then," Scootaloo said as she placed the box underneath one of her wings. "Now, let's try and find Rumble."

"Okay," Sweetie Belle replied as the two of them headed into town. As they began heading toward the inn, only one thought kept swirling in her thoughts, making her feel more and more anxious by the second.

I hope he'll understand and find it in himself to forgive us for all of this.

It was late afternoon when the two fillies reached the center of town for the umpteenth time. The two of them starting to get tired and frustrated, they decided to take a small break from their search by resting in the shade of the "Our Founder" fountain.

"Where could he possibly be?" Sweetie Belle groaned as she rested her head on the side of the fountain.

"I have no idea," Scootaloo answered, sitting beside her. "He must be with Thunderlane somewhere, since neither of them were at the inn."

"I hope we find him soon."

"Don't worry about it. We'll find him...eventually."

The two of them sat in silence as the ponies around them went about the town, many of them cleaning up the remnants of the Festival that happened the night before. Earth ponies were sweeping the streets from all the litter that was strewn about as unicorns were taking down the tents and Pegasi were carefully detaching the lights that were still strung up.

As the crowds scurried about, the two fillies kept a close eye out for Rumble, hoping they'd spot him among the sea of ponies around them. They waited there for a few more moments before Scootaloo exclaimed, "There he is!"

The sudden outburst made Sweetie jump in surprise, but the shock didn't last long before she looked in the direction Scootaloo was pointing to see the familiar grey pony trotting through the crowds. The first thing the two of them noticed was the look on his face; it was mix of determination and anxiety, like he was preparing to do something, but having severe doubts about it.

Wasting no time, the two fillies got up and began trotting towards him. However, they didn't get very far before the colt spotted the two of them approaching, his eyes shrinking as his expression became one of alarm.

"Rumble!" Sweetie Belle called out to him as they drew nearer. However, she didn't say another word as she noticed him starting to back away from them. Immediately, she and Scootaloo stopped their trotting, only to see that he had stopped backing away.

That's not a good sign, Sweetie Belle thought as shame began to overtake her.

Oh, great, Rumble thought. Of all the times to run into...them...it had to be now.

Confident he could hear them, Sweetie took a step forward and said, "Rumble, we have to..."

"Stay away," he said firmly, taking one more step back. "Just stay away from me."

Her eyebrows furrowing, Scootaloo continued approaching as she said, "What's your problem? We just want to talk to you."

Rumble backed up until he bumped into a tree, making him stop for a brief moment. Despite this, he kept his eyes on the two of them as he moved around it. "I have nothing to say to you two, so just go away."

With that, he turned his back to them and began trotting away. Closing his eyes, he felt his heart race and his eyes beginning to pool with tears; the heartache from earlier returned with a vengeance. He was lucky he was able to hold his tears back because he heard the sound of hoof-steps behind him, making his ear twitch at the sound. Immediately, he turned his head to see that both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were following him. He looked ahead of him as his eyebrows began to furrow. Despite his heart already racing, he began trotting a bit faster than before.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged slightly confused glances at each other before speeding up to keep up with him. The moment they did, they saw that he began to trot even faster than before.

"I think we should just leave him alone," said Scootaloo as the two of them sped up, her voice loud enough for only Sweetie Belle to hear. "He clearly doesn't want to talk to us."

"No," Sweetie Belle said determinedly. "We need to talk to him. He needs to know the truth."

Can't they take a hint? Rumble thought as he groaned in frustration. Not stopping his stride, he turned his head and yelled out, "Why are you following me?"

"We need to talk to you!" Sweetie Belle answered. "We need to explain..."

"I don't want to hear it, so go away!"

"Rumble, please..."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

With as much strength as he could muster, he began galloping as fast as he could, his wings unfurling as he prepared for takeoff. However, he quickly clenched his wings back to his side as the thoughts of the paper underneath one of them resurfaced. It came to no surprise to him that the two of them were now galloping at full force, trying to keep up with him.

"Rumble!" he heard Sweetie Belle calling out to him. "Please, just listen to us!"

"GO AWAY!" he shouted as loudly as he could. He galloped as fast as he could, hoping that the two of them would run out of energy way before he did.

This went on for several minutes. Rumble galloped through town, dodging anything that got in his way, ducking down any alley he could find, and weaving through crowds of ponies that were all over town; he even went so far as to knock down anything he could in an attempt to slow them down. Unfortunately for him, no matter where he went or what he did, the two fillies were always close behind him.

Eventually, Rumble began to tire, causing him to slow down as the three of them approached a nearby bridge that overlooked a small stream. With the last bit of energy he had, Rumble managed to make it on the bridge before stopping to catch his breath; the heartache mixed with the galloping began taking its toll on him.

After several breaths, he turned to see that the two of them were also on the bridge, gasping for air like he was. Although this was the perfect opportunity to get away, he had little to no strength left in his legs to keep going.

"Rumble," said Sweetie Belle between breaths. "Please..."

"Why won't you leave me alone?" he asked as he turned his head away from them, his voice a bit more rigid than any of them were used to. "Can't you tell I don't want to talk to either of you?"

"Rumble, I know we hurt you...I know I hurt you," said Sweetie Belle, her voice cracking slightly. "But we need to talk to you about this. You need to understand..."

"I understand just fine," he responded through gritted teeth. Despite his best efforts to keep his demeanor, his voice started cracking as the tears he fought so hard to hold back began streaming out of the corners of his eyes. "You two are together. Good for you. Go be together somewhere else."

"Hey, we're trying to be nice to you about this," retorted Scootaloo. Although she tried to sound sincere, it was clear that she was just as annoyed as he was.

"Oh really?" Rumble asked as he turned to face her. "Were you 'being nice' when you lied to me about you two being in a relationship?"

Then, he directed his attention to Sweetie Belle. His voice completely overtaken by his heartache, he asked in a low, shaky voice, "Were you 'being nice' when you made me believe you loved me?"

Unable to keep his composure, Rumble turned his back on them again. This time, he squatted on the ground and buried his face in his hooves. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo could hear that he was trying his best to muffle his crying, though it was pretty clear it wasn't working.

After several moments of silence had passed, Sweetie Belle finally answered through her own tears, "No, we weren't. I admit that we weren't! But, if you would just talk with us and let us explain, you'd understand that...we didn't want to hurt you like this. Me...Scoots...even Rarity. None of us wanted this to happen."

The three of them fell silent again as her words sunk in. Even though his thoughts kept screaming at him to get up and walk away, he couldn't fight the urge to ask, "What are you talking about? Rarity has nothing to..."

"Yes, she does," Scootaloo cut him off, wiping her eyes from her own set of tears. "She's the reason all of this happened in the first place. She lied about everything to everyone, including your brother."

"W-What do you mean?"

Sweetie Belle sat on her haunches and told him the whole story, from Rarity's feelings about Thunderlane, to how she lied about everything to maintain her own relationship with him. She told him about how she interfered with their relationship and tried to convince her that it was all a phase by using him and his feelings. She even told him about her and Scootaloo's fight because of their first kiss and how they had made up and planned to tell him the night of the festival. The only thing she didn't tell him was about Apple Bloom and her feelings towards him; she had made her a promise not to tell and she was going to keep it.

The more she told him, the more it started to make sense; it definitely explained why Rarity and Thunderlane were spending so much time together and why she was adamant about him and Sweetie Belle hitting things off. However, it didn't mean that Sweetie Belle, even Scootaloo at one point, had to go along with it.

"I know what Rarity did was wrong," said Sweetie Belle as she finished explaining. "But, you have to believe me when I say that she's really sorry and that she didn't mean for all of this to happen like this!"

Rumble didn't say anything.

Her voice lowering into a soft tone, she said, "And...And I'm sorry, too."

"So am I," Scootaloo added, her voice matching Sweetie Belle's. "We should have told you last night before..."

"No, Scoots," Sweetie interjected. "I was the one who decided to wait to tell you about us instead of telling you right then and there. It was all my fault."

"Why?" Rumble finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sweetie Belle sniffled. "You were having such a good time with me last night that...I didn't want to ruin your night."

Another moment of silence followed. Amidst the silence, Rumble finally stood up, his back still facing them. Although he wasn't crying anymore, they knew there were still tears in his eyes.

"Please, Rumble," Sweetie continued, her voice sounding desperate. "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive us?"

Time stood still as Rumble's thoughts raced. Everything that she had said seemed to make sense, but that didn't take away everything that had happened; it didn't take away the pain he still felt. The word 'no' was on the tip of his tongue and was trying desperately to leave his lips. However, a sound he heard made him stop and really think about what he was told.

Turning his head, he watched as the water beneath the bridge streamed on, disappearing over the horizon. It was only then did the words that Thunderlane had told him that morning begin echoing in his head: "It's water under the bridge now. You have to be strong and try to move on."

He's right, Rumble thought. I have to be the bigger pony and move on.

With as much strength as his heart would allow, he turned to the two fillies, emitted a deep sigh, and said, "Okay, I forgive you, and Rarity, too."

A toothy grin beamed on Sweetie Belle's face as Scootaloo smiled and said, "Thanks, Rumble."

Rumble simply nodded as he turned and began trotting away again. However, he was immediately stopped when Sweetie Belle called out, "Does that mean we can still be friends?"

His heart started beating fast again as he hung his head. The gesture alone made the smile on Sweetie's face instantly disappear.

"I don't know," Rumble said softly, not turning to face them. "I'll have to think about it."

"But..." Sweetie said, her voice cracking again. "But...I thought..."

"I know," he interrupted. "I...I just need to...think about it. If you'll excuse me, I have to...do something."

Again, Rumble began trotting away before he was stopped, this time by Scootaloo asking, "Where are you going?"

Rumble tightened his wings against his sides as he said, "I need to talk to somepony."

"Do you need help?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"No, I...I know where to go, thanks." Learning his lesson, he looked at them again and said, "Anything else? I need to get going."

"Actually, there's one more thing," Sweetie said, as she tapped Scootaloo on the side. She unfurled it to give her the small box she had concealed underneath it. The second his eyes saw it, his pupils shrank into marbles. "I...I wanted to give this to you...if that's okay."

Rumble remained motionless as Sweetie Belle slowly trotted up to him, his eyes fixated on the small box she was now giving him. Slowly, he extended a hoof and took the box, his breathing starting to become a bit labored. The moment he had the box in his hoof, Sweetie Belle wasted no time wrapping her arms around him in an embrace.

"I'm sorry Rumble," she whispered. "I'm sorry about everything."

"But..." he managed to choke out.

"It's okay," she said as she released her embrace. "Give it to your true special somepony."

Those words made him look at her as she offered him a small wink and a smile before trotting away. Rumble was frozen where he stood as his cheeks began to turn crimson.

"Well, you better get going," said Sweetie Belle as she trotted beside Scootaloo, the two of them beginning to trot away.

"Yeah," he said softly as he watched the two of them trot away. He focused his attention on the small box as the words 'true special somepony' repeated in his head over and over again. Then, he looked in their direction and called out, "Sweetie Belle."

The two of them stopped as Sweetie Belle replied, "Yeah?"

A second or two passed before he said, "T-Thank you."

"You're welcome," she answered with a small smile.

"I'll...I'll see you two...later."

They only responded with a nod as the two of them trotted away again.

Confident they were out of earshot, Scootaloo said, "Well, that was...something."

"You can say that again," Sweetie Belle responded. "So, you wanna go to Sugarcube Corner and get something to eat?"

Scootaloo flinched for a second. "I thought you had to talk to Apple Bloom next."

"Don't worry about her," she replied, her eyes looking back to where Rumble was. "Something tells me she's already taken care of."

With that, she kissed Scootaloo on the cheek and rested her head on her shoulder, their tails entwining with one another as they headed back into town together.

Rumble stared at the box in his hooves, completely paralyzed at what happened.

Does she know? Rumble thought, not taking his eyes off of it. What felt like five minutes had passed before he could get his thoughts straight, making him shake his head to regain his focus. That doesn't matter now. I have to get to her and fast!

With that, he began trotting again, a bit faster than before so he could make up the distance; the whole chase had taken him way off course. As he trotted and kept an eye out for where he needed to go, he tucked the box beneath his wing, right next to the folded piece of paper he had there.

As the road he was looking for came into view, Rumble felt his anxiety beginning to return, making the butterflies in his stomach flitter on hyper drive. Despite this, he couldn't help but scoff and roll his eyes at the irony of what was happening.

They wanted me to forgive them for what they did, he thought as he trotted on the dirt road that led to Sweet Apple Acres. Now it's my turn to hope she can forgive me for what I did.

Chapter 28: Stronger

Thunderlane continued to sit at the table after Rumble left, staring into the abyss as he focused his thoughts on what had to be done next. Although it was plainly obvious that he had to talk to Rarity about what happened, he couldn't shake how she would react from his mind. Could he really live with himself, knowing very well what would happen? Could he live with himself if he did nothing at all?

Don't be so naïve, he thought to himself as he emitted a sigh and sat up straight. This has to be done. No turning back, no backing down.

Nodding once to himself, Thunderlane got up and exited the inn, making his way into the busy streets of Ponyville. Although a cool breeze that blew by made him feel at ease, he quickly refocused his thoughts on where he was going. It was only when he starting think about what he was going to say and how he would say it did he start to slow down, his once confident attitude starting to drain from him.

What am I supposed to say? Thunderlane asked himself. How do I start this? Do I let her talk or do I just break it to her? Is there even a point in letting her talk? How exactly do I go about doing this?

His unasked questions went unanswered as he reached his destination sooner than he anticipated. It was only when he laid eyes upon the establishment did he stop trotting all together as one last question entered his mind: Is now the right time to do this?

Despite having the utmost confidence and helping Rumble overcome his feelings, to some extent, it was only in the face of day did doubt start plaguing his mind. Thunderlane began taking some deep breaths as his heart began beating faster than before, though it did next to nil to calm him down.

Squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth, Thunderlane began recollecting all that had happened, all the lies that were told, all the times he was made to believe he and Rumble had a chance at finding true love. Although the pain was enough to make his eyes pool with tears, he was able to prevent it as they shot open, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

No, Thunderlane thought as a spark of confidence washed over him, making him trot forward again. I have to do this. I have to talk to her. I...I have to...

His train of thought was immediately interrupted as he began thinking about the aftermath of it all again; try as he might, he couldn't shake the inevitable look of despair she would have when all was said and done. Just thinking about it made his heart sink, which made him mentally curse himself for having one in the first place; why did he have to care so much?

I can't hurt her...not now...not like this, Thunderlane thought. She may have dragged us through the mud, but that doesn't mean I should stoop to her level.

Immediately, he slapped his face and shook his head. What am I saying? I can't let her get away with this. This has to be done, regardless of what happens!

Biting his lower lip, his eyes shifted from the ground to the building over and over again. His thoughts were stuck in a perpetual tug-of-war, leaving him lost and confused as half of him screamed to do it now and the other half tried to talk him out of it. His breathing started to become labored as the bottoms of his hooves started to go numb, making his legs tremble.

I...I should get back home, he thought as he turned around and began trotting away. I...I need more time to think this through.

As he took several deep breaths again, he continued making his way through town. Since the crowds of ponies cleaning the town were beginning to diminish, it was easier for him to get to the inn than it was when he had left. Thankfully, his anxieties began to lessen the moment his home came into view; hopefully, he would be able to find some clarity and come to a definitive decision. Unfortunately, it was only when he was a yard or two in front of the building did the mood shift in a way he wasn't prepared for.

"Thunderlane," a voice behind him said, making him freeze in his tracks. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was; he recognized her voice instantaneously. His neck muscles began tensing up as he tried to get all his thoughts together as fast as he could.

"Thunderlane," the voice said again, albeit softer.

Thunderlane's heart began beating faster than before as he searched for the right words to say. It was only when he heard her call his name for a third time did he squeeze his eyes shut as his eyebrows furrowed. He took several deep breaths, hoping it was enough to prevent the venom he kept bottled inside from spewing out.

Thankfully, he found it in himself to remain calm and collected as he asked in a firm, but civil manner, "What do you want, Rarity?"

"I...I wanted to talk to you about...about last night," she said, an insecure tone in her voice.

Thunderlane didn't say a word as he kept his back to her, refusing to turn and face the mare he once loved. Whether it was out of hatred or regret, he couldn't find it in himself to look her in the eyes as she said what she had to say.

Taking the hint, Rarity softly said, "I...I wanted to apologize for..."

"For what?" he interrupted, his voice as cold as ice. "For lying to me? For lying to Rumble? For lying about Sweetie Belle? For destroying everything we built together? For what, Rarity? Pick one!"

His outburst made her fall silent for several moments; as much as she wanted to retort about his behavior, she knew all of it was warranted.

"I know that just saying, 'I'm sorry' won't take away what I did," she said after a while. "But you have to understand that...I never wanted to hurt you, Rumble, or Sweetie Belle like this."

It was those words that made him turn around and face Rarity with a look of disbelief. Despite his best efforts, he saw the anguish in her face; her eyes were red with deep circles underneath them. Her mane, although attempted to look kempt, was frazzled and sticking out in many places. The black mascara smears on her cheeks were a clear indication that she had been crying prior to now. Overall, she looked as he felt: a total wreck.

Although he did everything in his power to avoid it, Thunderlane couldn't help but feel sympathetic for her; clearly, she was destroyed by all of this just as much as he was. However, he kept his posture straight as he tried to maintain his anger and say what needed to be said. Try as he might, his anger, mixed with his sympathy, began taking its toll on him, making his words come out in a breathy whisper.

"Seriously?" he asked. "You knew what you were doing. You knew the lies you were telling. You knew how this would al end! How can you possibly stand there and tell me you 'never wanted to hurt' anypony? Tell me, Rarity, 'cause I'd love to hear it!"

The words were on the tip of her tongue, having said all of this already to Applejack and Sweetie Belle. It was only because of his sudden questioning and the pain in his voice that the words seemed to be escaping her. In an attempt to find them, she looked at the ground as her eyes shifted back and forth in desperation.

Thunderlane let out a scoff and said in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

It was only when he turned and started trotting away did Rarity find her voice again. "Thunder, please, I'm trying to make this right."

A hoof on the door to the inn, Thunderlane stopped where he was for several seconds before saying, "There's nothing you can say or do that'll make this right."

With that, he entered the inn, leaving her to stand there with a stunned look on her face. Thinking there was nothing left to say, Rarity turned and began slowly trotting away, her head hanging as it did the previous night. However, she stopped trotting and lifted her head as a determined look came across her face.

No, she thought as she turned and began trotting towards the inn. You can't turn away this time. You have to talk to him. Even if he doesn't want to listen, he needs to hear the truth.

Wasting no time, she galloped into the building and up the stairs, bee-lining to his door before pausing for a brief second to maintain her confidence. With all the strength she could muster, she knocked on the door. When the sounds of his hoof-steps were heard, Rarity's heart started rapidly beating again.

"Who is it?" he called out.

"You know who it is," she said. "Please let me in. We need to talk."

"Rarity, there's nothing left to talk about. Just...leave me alone, alright?"

Stomping a hoof on the floor, Rarity shouted, "No, Thunderlane! I came here to talk to you and that's what I'm going to do, even if that means talking through the door!"

As a moment of silence followed, she felt a small tear drop stream down her face, which she quickly wiped away. However, it did nothing to prevent her voice from breaking ever so slightly.

"I know what I did was wrong," Rarity stated, her voice lowering a few decibels. "I know there's nothing I can say or do to take it back or make it better, but if you'd let me explain, you'd understand why...why I felt I didn't have a choice."

As she turned her head away from the door in an attempt to prevent herself from breaking down, Thunderlane asked in a softer tone, "What do you mean 'didn't have a choice'? You had the choice to tell me the truth and you didn't."

"I know," she responded. "I just...didn't want to lose you. I didn't want to push you away. I didn't...I didn't..."

The pain more than she could bear, she slowly fell to the ground and began sobbing. This went on for many moments, even though it felt like an eternity. Although it wasn't her intention, it must have broke him as well, for the sound of him unlocking the door and opening it soon followed.

As best as she could, Rarity cleared her eyes and looked up to Thunderlane, a mix of guilt and resentment plastered on his face. They stared at each other for at least a minute before Thunderlane stepped aside and gestured with his head for her to enter. Trying her best to clear her eyes of her tears, she rose up and slowly entered the room. As he closed the door behind her, she stood in the middle of the room and waited for him to accompany her. Fortunately, it didn't take long before he trotted past her and sat down at the table, prompting her to follow.

They sat across from each other, eyeing one another in silence; it was like one was waiting for the other to speak first. Thunderlane broke the silence first by saying as calmly as he could, "What do you mean?"

Sniffling, Rarity wiped her eyes and said, "That was the reason I lied to you, to Rumble, to everypony. I...I didn't want to lose you."

"So, what you're saying is that you lied to me...to us...about everything...because you didn't want to 'lose me'?" he asked. Before she could say anything in reply, he shot back, "That doesn't make any sense!"

"I know," she quickly stated. "That's what I wanted to explain to you."

Rarity then went on to recap what had happened from the beginning, from how Sweetie Belle was being treated by other ponies, to how his statement about not wanting to introduce Rumble to those kinds of relationships yet triggered her to lie. She explained how she tried to help them get together to see if they would be happier, only to realize that Sweetie Belle was anything but, and she, Scootaloo, and Rumble paid the price for her interference.

As she continued explaining, Thunderlane tried to maintain his serenity, even though his insides were beginning to tear him down. Like he had said to Rumble earlier, he shared some of the blame in what happened by not talking to him about these things earlier. After hearing how telling Rarity this caused her to do what she did, it only set it in stone and made him feel worse.

"You have to believe me," Rarity said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I didn't want any of this to happen, not like this. I just wanted all of us to be happy, but I couldn't stop myself. Every time I wanted to tell you the truth, we'd end up getting closer and closer. The closer we got, the harder I found it to tell you. I know that's no excuse for my behavior, but...but..."

She lowered her head in shame as her tears began to stream down her cheeks again. "...I'd do anything to take it all back."

Allowing her words to sink in for several moments, Thunderlane mustered up his strength to ask, "So...you lied about everything, huh?"

Rarity nodded once in response.

His breathing becoming shallower, he got up, turned his back to her and asked in a shaky voice, "Then...that means you lied when you told me you loved me, right?"

Immediately, Rarity lifted her head, her eyes wide and her heart racing. However, she didn't get a chance to even open her mouth before Thunderlane turned to her and said, "I was nothing to you but another pawn in your sick game, wasn't I?"

"No!" she exclaimed through tears. "I admit that I lied about everything, but if there was anything I was honest about, it was my feelings for you!"

"Yeah, sure they were," he muttered sarcastically as he turned away from her again. He lifted his head up to look at the ceiling in a desperate attempt to keep the tears in his eyes, but to no avail.

An uncomforting silence followed as Thunderlane lowered his head and covered his eyes with a hoof as if it would stop the tears. All Rarity could do was stare at him, her eyes shifting back and forth as her ears laid flat on her head. As much as she wanted to say something, anything to try to make him believe her, deep down she knew there was nothing that would change his mind. She didn't dwell on this for long because this wasn't the main reason she wanted to speak to him.

As soft as she could muster, Rarity finally said, "Thunderlane?"

"What?" he responded, his back still facing her.

"I'm not asking for you to take me back. I'm not asking you to still love me. But...please...can you ever find it in your heart...to forgive me?"

Time halted to a stop as his thoughts began swirling in his head again. After everything that had been said and done, every single molecule of his being shouted at him to say the first thing that came to mind, to tell her what she deserved to hear. However, he kept thinking about Rumble and all that he had said to him earlier.

Reluctantly, he turned around to face Rarity, their eyes locking onto one another as Thunderlane's breathing started to become more and more labored. Looking into her painful eyes started making his heart pound harder than before, his ribcage starting to physically hurt.

"I really want to say 'no'," he said, his tone barely above a whisper and with a sting of anger. "But that would make me no better than you. So, yes...I forgive you."

Although it was the first ounce of good news she had received from him, it did nothing to lift her spirits.

"If anything, I really should be thanking you for all of this," he added. He watched as she gave him a slightly confused look before continuing. "Before I met you, I really did believe in 'love at first sight', that love was something that was so easily found. That would probably explain why I fell in love with you so easily, without question, without hesitation.

"You taught me not to trust anypony so quickly, especially when you know nothing about them," Thunderlane said as he held his head higher than before. "Yes, you hurt me and Rumble, but we were just fine before you and we'll be fine without you. So, I thank you for making me a better pony than I was, for making me stronger than I was before I met you."

Rarity was speechless beyond compare. Although what he said was to be expected, something about it hit her harder than she really anticipated.

"You want a small piece of advice?" he asked. Not waiting for her to reply, he swallowed a lump in his throat before continuing, "I think you should hang out with your friend Applejack more often. Maybe some of her honesty will rub off onto you because that's something you really seem to be lacking."

Left with nothing else to say, she watched as Thunderlane turned his back on her once again, his head still held high. With one last deep breath, Thunderlane said in a humble tone, "Now, get out and don't ever come back."

She lowered her head again as she slowly made her way to the door. When she opened it and stepped through, she said softly, "Goodbye, Thunderlane."

With that, she closed the door behind her, leaving him alone. A few minutes felt like a lifetime before he could find the strength in his legs to move. Slowly, he trotted to his bedroom and looked out his window. For a brief moment, a wave of guilt washed over him as he watched Rarity slowly trotting towards town with her head still hanging low.

It was only when she had disappeared over the horizon did he say, "Goodbye, Rarity."

Then, he trotted away from the window, ready to begin his life anew without her.

Rarity slowly trotted into town, ignoring anypony that got in her way. She wandered through town aimlessly until she found the nearest bench underneath the shade of a tree. Sitting down, she looked at the ground as everything that just transpired sank in. Thankfully, her tear ducts had dried up and anything remaining in her eyes was gone, but that did little to make her feel any better.

As her eyes shifted back and forth and her thoughts swirled like water down a drain, she couldn't help but mentally scoff at herself; did she really anticipate anything else to happen? Did she really think he would accept her apology and let her walk away without any final, harsh words? Despite the inevitable outcome, she'd be lying to herself if she said that it didn't hurt.

Rarity let out a sigh as her thoughts slowly started to settle. However, her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar voice called her name. She looked in her direction as the pony in question trotted up to her with a look of concern on her face.

"Hey," Applejack said as she sat down beside her.

"Hi," Rarity responded, refocusing her gaze at the ground.

Applejack didn't need to ask how she was feeling; the look on her face was answer enough. However, that didn't stop her from asking a question with an obvious answer, "How'd it go...with Thunderlane?"

Rarity sighed and answered, "As expected. He forgave me for what I did, but he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore."

Applejack didn't say anything in response. All she did was put a hoof on her back and lightly rubbed it, as if the gesture would help her in anyway.

"There, there, sugar cube," she said as sincerely as she could. "Ah know it hurts now, but it'll pass in time. Just keep yer head up and everythin'll be just fine. Ah just hope ya learned yer lesson in all of this."

It was Rarity's turn to fall silent as she nodded her head in response, letting out another sigh as she did.

In an attempt to lift her spirits, Applejack said, "Look at the bright side; at least he forgave ya, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose," she replied softly.

"Maybe he'll come around someday," she continued. "Maybe, when yer least expectin' it, he'll be there ta catch ya when yer fallin', ya know?"

Rarity couldn't help but scoff at the statement and say, "Yeah, what are the chances of that happening?"

All Applejack could respond with was a shrug and a half smile, making the smallest fraction of a smile form in the corner of Rarity's mouth. Although it was brief, it made her feel better than she had all morning.

"You gonna be alright?" Applejack asked with a reassuring smile.

Rarity hesitated, looking at the ground for a moment before answering, "Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you, Applejack...for everything."

"Think nothin' of it, sugar cube," she replied as she got up. "Ah guess ah'll see ya later, then?"

Offering a small smile, she answered, "Of course."

Tipping her hat with a smile, Applejack turned and trotted away. When she was out of eyeshot, Rarity let out one last sigh before she got up and began trotting back to the Boutique. Although there was deepened regret and agony in her heart, the words that both Thunderlane and Applejack said to her kept echoing in her head.

They're both right, she thought as she made her way through the crowds of ponies. I caused all of this and I got what I deserved. No point in feeling sorry for myself. I've done all I can do, so the only thing that's left is to is put it all behind me and move on.

With that, she continued to trot towards the Boutique. Although she had made her amends, it did little to heal what was left of her broken heart. It was only with those thoughts did she say to herself, I hope Scootaloo and Rumble are able to forgive me as well.

Author's Note

...and cue the music!

Epilogue: What Happens Next?

It was a beautiful afternoon in Ponyville; the weather was warm, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, peace was everywhere. As everypony went about their usual hustle and bustle, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trotted into town together.

"I don't know about you," Scootaloo said as they made their way towards the main square. "But these past few weeks have been crazy!"

"You can say that again," Sweetie Belle answered. "Well, look at the bright side: at least everypony is happy, right?"

"I guess so," Scootaloo responded unsurely. "Do you think really Apple Bloom and Rumble will be okay?"

"Of course they will, Scoots. Couldn't you tell by the look on their faces? She and Rumble are going to be fine."

The two of them fell silent for a little while as they trotted past Sugarcube Corner. It was only when they passed by the inn did Sweetie Belle let out a small sigh and hung her head.

Seeing this, Scootaloo lightly nudged her and asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Hmm?" she answered, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Oh, yeah, I'm okay. I was just...thinking about Rarity and Thunderlane. I hope everything worked out between them."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "I understand you're just looking out for your sister and all, but after everything she put him through, I think it's safe to say that..."

"I know," Sweetie Belle interrupted. "I just...hope they can still be friends with each other, that's all."

She only nodded in response as the two of them reached Scootaloo's house. They stood in front of the building for several minutes, one waiting for the other to say something first. Sweetie Belle dug the tip of her hoof in the ground as Scootaloo rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish grin on her face. With everything they had been through at its end, and everything seeming to be back to the way they were, what could one say?

"Well," Scootaloo finally said. "What's next?"

"I just have to talk to Rarity," Sweetie Belle said. "After that, I'm not really sure. I guess...we all just...move on."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Another moment of uneasy silence followed. It didn't last for too long before Sweetie Belle said, "Thank you, Scootaloo."

Raising an eyebrow, Scootaloo asked, "For what?"

"For everything," she answered with a small smile. "You've been so understanding and forgiving about all of this. Not just for what Rarity did, but for all the things I've done."

Her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink, Scootaloo wrapped her arms around her in a warm embrace. As Sweetie Belle returned the gesture, Scootaloo said softly, "You don't have to thank me for anything, Sweetie. I love you and, like I told you before, nothing is ever going to change that. Besides, not everything was your fault. I shared some blame in what happened, too."

Sweetie Belle felt tears of joy enter her eyes as she said, "I love you too, Scootaloo."

Then, the two of them shared a small kiss with each other. Like always, it was just a butterfly kiss on the lips, but it was as tender as they hoped it would be.

"Eww, gross," they heard a familiar voice say, causing them to break their kiss a bit earlier than they wanted. Turning to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon trotting passed, she former said, "Get a room, Scoota-Belle. Do you have to do that in public?"

The two bullies laughed as they trotted away, leaving the two of them to roll their eyes. However, when Sweetie Belle looked at them from the corner of her eyes, she could have sworn she saw Silver Spoon looking back at them and smile before turning away and following her cohort.

"Well, I guess that's a sign that things are back to normal," Sweetie Belle said as she looked at Scootaloo, who seemed to be smiling contentedly.

"Yeah," Scootaloo said calmly. "Almost, anyway."

"What do you mean?"

Scootaloo let out a chuckle and said, "To be honest, I think that name is starting to grow on me."

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened a bit. "Really?"

"Scoota-Belle," she repeated, more like she was talking to herself than Sweetie Belle. "Has a nice ring to it, don'tcha think?"

They laughed in unison again for a bit before Sweetie Belle said, "Well, I have to get going. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You bet," Scootaloo said as they shared one last kiss before going separate ways.

Sweetie Belle quickly trotted towards the Boutique. When she got to the establishment, she headed straight for Rarity's "inspiration room", where she was confident her sister would be. Luckily, Rarity was there by the sewing machine, slowly feeding a piece of fabric into it with a blank expression on her face.

"Hey, Rarity," Sweetie Belle said, causing the mare to lift her head to face her.

"Hello, Sweet'ums," she responded, turning off the machine and approaching her. "How did everything go?"

"Okay. I spoke to Scootaloo and Rumble about what happened and they both forgave you."

Rarity let out a small sigh of relief, though her face remained the same. "Well, that's some good news, I suppose."

Despite knowing the answer to the question, Sweetie Belle gave her an optimistic look and asked, "How did everything go with Thunderlane? Did he forgive you, too?"

She didn't need to say anything to know the answer; Rarity lowering her head and let out a depressed sigh told her everything she needed to know.

"It...went as expected," Rarity said. "He did forgive me and all, but...he..."

"I'm sorry," Sweetie Belle interrupted. "Does he...at least...want to be friends?"

Rarity shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know, Sweetie. Maybe someday, but for now, it's best we give each other some space and..."

She was cut off midsentence by Sweetie Belle hugging her reassuringly. "Everything will be alright," she said with a smile. "You'll see."

In that moment, Rarity felt tears of joy beginning to form in her eyes. Whether it was because of her optimism, the fact that everypony was willing to forgive her, or just seeing the smile on her face, Rarity couldn't tell. If there was anything she could tell, it was that Sweetie Belle was much happier now than she had been in the longest time, and that was enough for her to feel rapture in her heart.

Returning the embrace, she responded, "Thank you so much for everything, Sweetie Belle. I promise I'll do my best to be a better, more supportive sister than before."

The two of them remained in each other's arms for several minutes before they released each other, both of them wiping tears of joy from their eyes.

"Well, I take it you and Scootaloo have plans for today?" Rarity asked.

"Not today, no," Sweetie Belle answered. "Maybe tomorrow, though."

Rarity nodded in response as she trotted to her sewing machine to get back to her latest creation. "Well, I must get back to work. Thank you again for your assistance, Sweet'ums. I love you."

"I love you too, sis," she said as she trotted for the door.

When she left the room and closed the door behind her, Rarity let out a small sigh and lightly smiled to herself.

Well, that's that, she thought as she got back to work on her outfit. All the while, she couldn't help but keep the same smile on her face as the optimism from both Applejack and Sweetie Belle kept echoing in her head. Maybe one day, Thunderlane would come around and be willing to give her a second chance. Until then, she had to follow her own advice by putting all of this behind her and move on.

"Are you sure about this, Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously. "I don't know if I can do this. I've never done this before."

"Neither have I," said Scootaloo excitedly. "But this is gonna be so awesome! I've always wanted to try this since, like, forever! This has got to be your best idea yet, Apple Bloom."

"Ya bet yer boots it is," Apple Bloom said with enthusiasm. "Ah just hope it gets us our Cutie Marks."

"Maybe," said Sweetie Belle. "Even if we don't, at least we'll still have fun together, right?"

"Totally!" answered Scootaloo.

It was the next day when the three fillies trotted from the Carousel Boutique towards town. It was a warm and sunny day with a few clouds making their way across the sky overhead. However, it didn't seem to faze the three of them as they trotted in front of Scootaloo's house; they had come up with another idea to get their Cutie Marks and they were all anxious to see if it would work.

As the three of them stopped their trotting, Sweetie Belle asked, "So, do any of you have an extra one? I don't have one and I don't think my Dad will let me borrow any of his."

"Sorry, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom answered first. "Ah only have one."

"Don't worry," Scootaloo said. "I have one you can borrow. My Dad has a lot of them!"

"Thanks, Scoots," Sweetie Belle replied.

"Well, ah need ta go and get mine," Apple Bloom said. "Why don't the two of you go get yers and ah'll meet ya'll there?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Sweetie Belle said with a smile as Scootaloo trotted into her house. "We'll see you there."

Apple Bloom waved at them before turning away and began galloping as fast as she could towards Sweet Apple Acres. When she was out of eyeshot, Sweetie Belle sat on her haunches as she waited for Scootaloo to come out. As she waited, she began lightly flexing her forelegs, hoping they would be strong enough to do what she needed them to do.

A while had passed before Scootaloo finally came out of her house with two bags. One was resting on her back while the other was in front of her, being pushed on the ground until it was in front of Sweetie Belle's hooves.

"Thanks again, Scoots," said Sweetie Belle as she picked up the bag with a hoof. "Ooh, pretty bag! I love the floral print!"

"No problem," said Scootaloo. "Just be careful; it's a bit heavy to carry in your arms all the way there."

"Don't worry about it. I think I can manage it."

The two of them began trotting towards their destination with their bags in tow. However, they had only traveled a short distance before Sweetie Belle had to put the bag on the ground.

"You're right," she said as she rubbed the arm that was holding the bag. "That is heavy."

"Sorry about that," Scootaloo said nervously. "I would have given you a bag like mine, but that was the only one I had left."

"It's okay," Sweetie replied. "I just wish I could use my magic. It would make it so much easier."

Scootaloo let out a small laugh. "Don't worry, you'll learn to use your magic someday, just like I'll learn to use my wings...someday."

The two of them shared a laugh for a little while. When they had calmed themselves down, Sweetie Belle wrapped her arms around Scootaloo. For just a moment, they both thought they could feel each other's heart beat.

"I love you, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle whispered as she rubbed her head against her neck.

"I love you, too, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo replied, as she returned the gesture by holding her tightly.

Releasing each other, the two of them kissed each other tenderly. Like always, it was just the connection of their lips, but it didn't change the fact that the two of them felt whole again. Despite everything that had happened, the two of them came through together. Yeah, there would be hardships to deal with down the road, but as long as they faced them together, they didn't have anything to worry about.

Several moments had passed before the two of them released one another, both of them turning red as they noticed a few passing ponies staring at them.

"We better get going," said Scootaloo. "Apple Bloom is probably waiting for us."

"Okay," Sweetie Belle said softly. Then, she picked up the bag with her mouth and began trotting with Scootaloo. Fortunately, the bag didn't feel as heavy in her mouth as it did in her arm.

The two of them trotted side-by-side until they saw Apple Bloom, standing in front of a certain building with a small red ball resting by her hooves. When she saw the two of them approaching, her face lit up with determination.

"Today's the day, Cutie Mark Crusaders," Apple Bloom said triumphantly. "Ah can just feel it!"

When the two of them were in front of her, she said with much enthusiasm, "Today's the day we're all gonna get our cutie marks in...BOWLIN'!"

"Whoo-hoo!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she jumped in the air, her wings fluttering in excitement.

Sweetie Belle cheered as well, but it came out as a muffled moan than a cheer because of the bag in her mouth. After spitting it on the ground, she smiled widely and yelled, "I mean, YAY!"

The End

Author's Note

The End
Thank you all so much for your time, patience, and support with this story!
:twilightsmile:

Outro (Author's Notes)

Story Start Date: January 28, 2013
Story Finish Date: April 25, 2017
Author's Notes Date: May 4, 2021

As you can tell by the dates above, it's been one heck of a ride, one heck of a struggle, one heck of an effort, but here we are. Four years of production, and four years of waiting for this outro to be made; a story that is now 8 YEARS IN THE MAKING!!

Never has a story taken me this long to make and the end results are...well, pretty disappointing, to say the least. Believe it or not, what you are reading is NOT the story I originally wanted to tell, but is the by-product of what fans wanted. I'm not saying it's your fault or anything. I'm saying that it's my fault for not sticking to the story I wanted to tell instead of trying to be a "crowd pleaser", as it were.

Confused? Well, allow me to explain all about this story and what can laughingly be called "the plot"...

How it Started

It was June of 2012.

The story, "New Discoveries" had just finished and the demand for a sequel were pouring in faster than I had ever anticipated across all three websites this story is associated with [Fanfiction, DeviantArt, and FIMFiction]. With the hopes to capitalize on the success of the original story, a quick sequel was drafted and announced by November of 2012. Set to be released a year after "New Discoveries" was first released, everything was set for what was to be great story about the hardships of young homosexual love.

Quick Off the Mark

The problem was that, when the story was started in January of 2013, it was still just as I had just said: a quick draft. You can tell by the description of the story that the main focus was supposed to be on Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Rumble, and the subsequent love triangle they would form. Sweetie and Scoots are in love, Rumble enters the picture and wins the heart of Sweetie, resulting in her relationship with Scoots starting to diminish, forcing them to really think if they were meant to be. Sounds good on paper [pun entirely intended], but when the story officially started and was about five chapters in, that's when the real problems started to rear their ugly heads in.

Despite the premise being a pretty solid one, it didn't make for a very long story that would rival its predecessor; the story would have been ten chapters, give or take, before it would start to painfully repeat itself. Additional material and minor subplots were added to try and beef up the story and make the outcome seem a lot less mean, but this proved to cause more harm than good.

Apple Bloom's Subplot

Apple Bloom's subplot of falling in love with Rumble literally comes out of nowhere [seriously, reread chapters 4-6 again and tell me it doesn't just manifest out of thin air]. This was because I had thought about the ending of the story. Anyone who knows me could have told me the ending of the story before it even started: Sweetie and Scoots get back together and Rumble is kicked to the curb with no "good ending" at all. Although, with the benefit of hindsight (looking at you, "Marks and Recreation" episode), that may not have been such a bad idea, but still. Adding Apple Bloom to the mix was meant to try and alleviate that harsh blow. Admittedly, it was never an intention to make Rumble and Apple Bloom a couple by the end of the story. All she was meant to be was a soft pillow for him to land on before he hit the ground, giving him support where he needed it and the hopes for a brighter future. Sadly, this became one of the central focuses and something that really took away from the story than it added.

Rarity's Subplot

Rarity, Rarity, Rarity. If there's one thing that was slap in the face for this story, it was making Rarity an active participant of this story. Originally, she was meant to be a support character and nothing more; she was given the idea of their relationship being "just a phase" early on in the story so that, after Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo broke up, she would use those thoughts to help her cope with her heartache.

That's it!

However, by the time we reached chapter 8, it was decided that she was going to be an active player, being the puppet master that was pulling all the strings. Although I tried to make her motivations on point with some of the "real world" issues about homosexuality, it still came across as completely forced and extremely last minute. To make matters even worse, SHE became the reason everyone read the story, wanting to see all her lies and scheming blow up in her face; this is evident in that, after Chapter 24, the views on chapters diminished. Although I am grateful that people stuck around just for that, it saddens me that no one was really interested in the main focus of the story: Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

Meeting Fan Demand

Although these subplots were added at the last minute, I still tried to focus the story on what was originally promised, which turned out to be disastrous [why do you think the main plot of the story didn't start until chapter 13?]. A new story, in the middle of the current story, was outlined and implemented, complete with new plot threads, scenes that would have made the growing relationships start to feel natural and make sense, and everything that was hinted at in the beginning of the story paving the way for what would be a better story than before. Sadly, it was about chapter 14 when a LOT of the PMs and comments started pouring in and changed everything.

You see, people started hitting me with the same complaints: the story was moving too slow for their liking. No one wanted to see the relationships grow. What they wanted to see was Rarity get what she deserved and how Apple Bloom and Rumble's relationship would work without it feeling like he was just "settling" or "catching her on the rebound". Because of so many messages like this, I made the stupid decision to give in to what everyone wanted and began making cuts and edits to the story to make it end faster and get to the scenes everyone wanted to see. This resulted in plot points in the story being introduced, but going nowhere, everything feeling extremely rushed and forced, and certain characters becoming very unlikeable.

So, you see, it's not your fault for this story being this way. It's my fault for thinking that I needed to alter what could have been a great story into an overly-contrived mess of stuff that happens in a sequence. I regret not sticking to my guns and just telling the story I wanted to tell, regardless of who said what.

With all that said, you'd think that that would be as bad as it gets. Unfortunately, two other events happened that almost made this story get thrown off of a cliff with cement shoes on. Brace yourselves, because it only gets worse from here...

The "Official" Third Installment

That's right, folks. In April of 2015, I was contacted by a user on Fanfiction by the name of "CMC Agent Wolf". They had stated that they were inspired by the story so much that they wanted to make a third installment to the series, with the working title "New Adventures", after the story was complete. Not much can be said about it because we haven't talked about it for a long time, so it's safe to say the project is dead. What can be said, based on what we discussed, is that it would have been an alternate universe story, taken place XX amount of years in the future where Sweetie and Scoots are all grown up and with kids of their own. The story itself was meant to be a series of short stories that would be retold in a "Remember that time when..." fashion. This is relatively good news, but then, something far worse happened that changed everything...

Crusaders of the Lost Mark

I don't want to start a comment-war with anyone, so I'll just be brief: I absolutely HATE this episode! I hate everything about it, including [though not limited to] the cutie marks the Crusaders got. I feel it's a huge injustice to the characters and that they deserve so much better. This episode impacted me on such a negative level that I couldn't look at the Crusaders anymore, let alone write about them. TV shows make me laugh, cry, shout out in annoyance, and even make me irate, but it's very rare when a show hurts me so much and fills me with such distain that I practically lost faith in the franchise.

But, how does this relate to the story and its third installment?

Well, the ending, where the story ties into Season 2, Episode 6: The Cutie Pox was something I wanted to rewrite and include in "New Discoveries", back when I wanted to do a 3.0 revision on the story. Deciding it was best to let sleeping dogs lie, I came to the conclusion of incorporating the tie-in with this story. Continuity clues were everywhere in the story; it only would have taken a keen eye to notice them all. Therein lies the problem: with a third installment on the way that was set to be an "alternate universe" story, I felt it was a huge injustice to the writer. He would have to alter his story in order for it to tie into the continuity of the show. Feeling guilty, the ending overcame many rewrites in an attempt to satisfy how I wanted the story to end and how their story would begin.

Because of what happened with this third installment and how negatively the episode impacted me, the story was almost cancelled. It seemed like there was no way out and that it was best that some things were best left for dead in the sands of time.

While time has proven to be the true enemy of this story, in this case, it has proven to also be the best ally. Since it’s been so long, that original third installment has been long forgotten about, but my feelings about "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" have changed dramatically. Still, I can't forget how these two events practically killed this story.

Revival?

With so many disasters going on, and so much going against this story, a fair question that would be asked is, "If it was as bad as you say it was, why continue at all? What made you keep going until the very end?"

Well, the answer to that is quite simple: somehow, someway, there was still an audience for this story. People were genuinely invested to see what happened in the story, even after the climax of Chapter 24. So, that support kept me going, as well as personal investment; as stated previously, this was the first sequel that was started and (at the time) was mostly done, so I bit the bullet and finished it anyway, if only for the bragging right that I finished the damn thing!

Maybe…

With everything said and done, there's nothing left to say about this except that I continuously think about what could have been for this story. Despite production being a living nightmare, I always look back at the things I had to take out and say to myself, "Maybe…"

Similarly with "New Discoveries" (and with the recent release of the Snyder Cut of Justice League), I have been heavily inspired to (possibly) go back and create an "Author's Cut" of this story. Obviously, I am not promising anything, but if such a thing were to happen, it would most likely be posted to "FanFiction.net" (since I don't think this site would allow such a thing) and would include all the chapters and scenarios that were cut out of the story, making it the original story that I wanted to tell. This would include all the proper motives, all the open scenes actually going somewhere, and making it the length that it really should have been. Of course, the ending would be the exact same, so it's not like there would be anything devastatingly different about it that would make it a "must-read", but it would at least give me the closure that I need to properly put all of this behind me.

Maybe…maybe…

Conclusion

I can't begin to tell you how many times I tried to type this up, trying not to sound like a whiny baby about all this and pass the blame onto other people why this story turned out so bad. At the end of the day, this story is long forgotten, and for good reason, because this really should have had the proper drafting and outlining before it was even announced. All I can say now is that it's a lesson learned for next time (if there even will be a "next time").

If you are one of the few people reading this, then you have my utmost respect and gratitude. Thank you for sticking around for the ending of this story and for this long-overdue outro. It means the world to me! I thank you and love you!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I sleep now…

~Phantom Shadow

Trilogy?
If you're one of the few people actually wondering if there will be a third installment of this series, all I will say on this matter is this: No promises, but you never know. Maybe something is already in the works... ;)

Prologue: What Happens Now?

It was a beautiful day in Ponyville; the weather was warm, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, peace was everywhere and everypony who lived there was happy. It was hard to believe that a hurricane had passed only four days ago. Now that it had, everything had seemed to go back to normal. The colorful ponies that inhabited the town went about their ordinary routine without a care in the world.

As the population of ponies went about their business, they were all completely oblivious to two small fillies making their way through the town towards Sweet Apple Acres, both of them with smiles on their faces. The two of them galloped down the busy streets of Ponyville, every now and then, passing a smile at one another. Eventually, their gallop turned into a trot as the two of them began heading down the dirt path leading to the local apple orchard.

As they trotted past the main section of the farm, the two fillies exchanged another glance at one another, smiling as they did so.

“Wow,” said Sweetie Belle in a soft tone, “I have to admit that this is very...different.”

“What do you mean?” asked Scootaloo as she gave her friend an unsure look.

“I mean, I honestly didn’t expect Rarity to approve of us being...you know...together like this. Now that she has, it feels a little...different.”

“Is that a good thing?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course!” she quickly shot back, “I just mean that this has never happened before, so I’m kind of new to the whole thing.”

“Yeah, I guess I know what you mean,” the orange Pegasus replied, “It’s going to take some getting used to, I suppose, but it’s nothing that we can’t handle, right?”

“Right,” the unicorn filly said softly, not resisting the chance to nudge against her friends’ neck.

It only happened a few days ago, but it seemed like an eternity had passed when Sweetie Belle developed a crush on Scootaloo, causing an uncanny chain of events to occur. Eventually, the white unicorn filly had told her friend the truth and Scootaloo had confessed that her feelings were mutual to hers. Since then, the two of them had agreed to keep their relationship a secret from everypony. However, the guilt-ridden Sweetie Belle couldn’t keep the truth from her older sister, Rarity, who had believed the lies she had told to her and anypony else that was involved in the whole ordeal. It wasn’t until earlier that day that the two of them told the older unicorn the truth about what had happened and requested her blessing for the two of them to be together. Now that she had given them her approval, the two of them headed for their clubhouse, ready to meet up with their third member of their group, Apple Bloom, and continue their adventures to earn their beloved Cutie Marks.

As the two of them began slowly approached the clubhouse, Sweetie Belle leaned in and kissed Scootaloo on the cheek, causing the two of them to giggle. Like the two of them had said, it was going to take some getting used to, but they knew they could work it out. Her cheeks a small shade of pink, Scootaloo followed suit and kissed the white unicorn filly on the cheek, once again, causing the two of them to let out another giggle.

Soon, the two of them arrived at their clubhouse where their yellow earth pony friend was waiting for them, sitting on her haunches on the front ramp. When she saw her friends approaching, she stood up and began approaching the two of them, a smile plastered on her face.

“Well,” she said in her Southwestern accent, “What did she say? What did she say?”

The two of them smiled at one another, knowing what she was talking about. Then, Sweetie Belle turned to her and said, “Rarity approved!”

“Woohoo!” shouted Apple Bloom, as she wrapped her arms around her two friends, “Ah told ya she would! Now you two can be together and not hafta worry ‘bout keepin’ it a big secret!”

As the three of them shared in their embrace, they all let out a laugh. Apple Bloom was the first pony that knew about them being together, thanks to Scootaloo telling her without Sweetie Belle knowing. Furthermore, she was the first pony to accept and support the idea that they were together like they were. Now that their family and friends were supportive of them, they can be together without anything to worry about.

After they released their embrace, the three of them headed up the ramp and entered their clubhouse, all of them ready to earn their Cutie Marks.

“So, Apple Bloom,” said Scootaloo, “You said you had some new ideas for us to try, right?”

“Ah sure do!” she said with a smile, “Ah was thinkin’ we can try to earn our Cutie Marks in jewelry makin’!”

“Oh!” said Sweetie Belle, her voice cracking slightly, “That’s sounds like a great idea! Imagine making all those pretty rings and necklaces and bracelets! It sounds so wonderful!”

Scootaloo couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She really had no interest in jewelry of any kind, but she figured it was best to try it anyway. Anything was better than nothing, she figured.

“Then it’s settled!” said Apple Bloom, “Maybe we can get a book from the library to see how we can make ‘em. Then we can ask Rarity or Twilight if they can help us find some gems that we can use!”

“Sounds good to me,” said Scootaloo, trying her best to sound like she was, more or less, interested in the whole thing. Fortunately for her, neither Apple Bloom nor Sweetie Belle noticed the slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

As the three of them began heading out of the clubhouse, Apple Bloom stopped trotting and began to think, blocking the other two from leaving the clubhouse.

“What’s wrong, Apple Bloom?” asked Scootaloo, raising an eyebrow at her, “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” she said, turning to face the two of them. “Ah was just wonderin’ somethin’, if you two don’t mind me askin’.”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged unsure glances at one another before turning to face the red-mane earth pony.

“Don’t get me wrong, ah’m happy that the two of you are together like this, but...” she began, fidgeting her hoof into the floor boards.

Thinking she knew what she was going to say, the orange filly said, “Don’t worry, Apple Bloom. We’re not going to neglect or forget you, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’ll still be the same between us, right?”

“Right!” said the white filly, offering her friends a smile.

“No, that’s not what ah was gonna say,” said Apple Bloom, nervousness clearly evident in her tone, “Ah was just wonderin’, now that the two of you are together...well...”

Hesitant, Apple Bloom took one last breath and asked, “What happens now?”

The two fillies shot each other confused looks before looking back at Apple Bloom. “What do you mean?” they asked in unison.

“Ah mean, now that the two of you are together like this, what happens now? What are you two gonna do now?” she asked, looking from Scootaloo to Sweetie Belle.

The two of them were caught off guard from the question, causing silence to blanket the clubhouse. It was something that the two of them didn’t think about, even after they had asked for Rarity’s approval. They were together now, but what could they do? They couldn’t do anything most couples they saw around town do because they were too young. They couldn’t date, take each other out, or anything, at least not now. The question hung over the two fillies, sending an uneasy shift in the room.

After several moments had passed, Scootaloo broke the silence. “L-Let’s not worry about that, now. We have jewelry-making Cutie Marks to get!”

With that, the three of them exited the clubhouse and began making their way into town. As they trotted down the dirt path heading towards Ponyville, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but exchange confused and slightly worried glances at each other again. As they made their way to Ponyville, the question echoed in their minds like a broken record, replaying over and over and over again:

What happens now?

Author's Note

This chapter takes place immediately after the events in "New Discoveries"

Chapter 2: Conflicts and Resolutions

The next morning, at around nine or so, Rarity was putting the final touches on a new outfit she was working on. It was similar to the one she was working on the night before, except it had a different assortment of jewels adorning it. She had been working on it for most of the morning, after sending Sweetie Belle off to school. Now that she had finished putting the last of the gemstones on it, she took a few steps back to admire her own creation. When she did, she smiled and let out a contented sigh; in her opinion, this was one of the best and most beautiful ensembles she had created in a long time.

After spending a few moments admiring her own work, she used her magic to levitate the red-framed working glasses she wore off of her face and onto her desk.

“Excellent, my latest fashion design is complete,” she said aloud in a cheery tone as she placed the glasses down. When she did, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the note she had written the night before. Turning her head to look at it, she read what she had written and remembered what she had to do today.

Her ears drooped and she repeated in a flat and annoyed tone, “Excellent, my latest fashion design is complete.”

Now that she was finished with her work, that meant she had to pay Filthy Rich a visit and talk to him about his daughter’s behavior...AGAIN. When the thought of doing so crossed her mind, she let out a sigh before trotting out of the work room, down the stairs and towards the front entrance of the Boutique. Putting a closed sign on the front door, she began making her way into town.

Several moments later, Rarity trotted down the streets of Ponyville, making her way to the store called “Barnyard Bargains”, the business Filthy Rich owned and operated. It was a journey that she could make with her eyes closed, having done it so many times. However, she put that thought aside and continued to make her way through the cobblestone streets.

As she entered the main square, where Town Hall stood tall amongst the rest of the suburban houses, Rarity heard a familiar voice call out to her, catching her attention.

“Hey, Rarity,” said the southwestern drawl of her good friend Applejack, who was trotting up to her.

“Hello, there, Applejack,” said Rarity as she stopped trotting to allow her friend to catch up.

“Where are ya heading this mornin’, sugar cube?” the orange workhorse asked.

Letting out a small sigh, Rarity said, “Barnyard Bargains.”

“Again?” asked Applejack, tilting back her Stetson and looking at the unicorn with a shocked expression.

Rarity simply shrugged one shoulder and rolled her eyes.

Now, it was Applejack’s turn to let out a sigh. “Is that no good filly botherin’ yer sister again? Ah thought ya dealt with this the last time she pulled this.”

“I did,” the alabaster unicorn said softly, “But she’s still bothering Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, so I must talk with her father and put an end to this, though I thought I had done so the last time.”

Rarity slowly began to trot away when she stopped and looked at Applejack, a slightly worried look on her face. “Applejack,” she asked, “What am I going to do?”

The earth pony shook her head and looked at the ground. “Ah don’t know, sugar cube. Ah guess ya keep talkin’ with her father until...”

“That’s not what I mean, darling,” said Rarity, holding up a hoof to silence her friend, “I was talking about Sweetie Belle; what am I going to do with her?”

Before either of them could elaborate on what she meant, Rarity’s stomach let out a small growl; having been working all morning, she only now realized that she didn’t eat anything in a while. Having heard the rumble of her friends’ stomach, Applejack let out a small giggle, which she tried to suppress with a hoof.

“C’mon, sugar cube,” she said with a smile, “What say we talk about this over breakfast, mah treat?”

“Oh, that’s quite alright, Applejack,” she said with a weary smile, “You don’t have to do that.”

“Ah insist,” said the orange pony, “Ah was headin’ ta Sugar Cube Corner ta pick up some ingredients anyway, so it’s no big deal. C’mon, you’ll be able ta think straight with a full belly.”

Simply nodding her head, Rarity began following Applejack, the two of them heading towards Sugar Cube Corner for some breakfast.

A short time later, the two of them entered the local bakery. When they did, a pink blur appeared in front of them, startling both of them.

“Hey, girls!” shouted the pink party pony that began bouncing up and down in front of them.

“Oh, howdy, Pinkie Pie,” said Applejack, a weary smile on her face.

“Hello, Pinkie, dear,” said Rarity, sharing the same look as the workhorse.

“Have you two heard the big news?” asked Pinkie Pie, a smile brimming so wide on her face that it was a miracle the rest of her head was able to fit it, “I just heard about it from Twilight this morning!”

Applejack and Rarity exchanged an unsure look at one another before facing the pink pony, both of them shrugging at her.

Laughing, Pinkie Pie said, “Two new ponies are arriving to town tomorrow and you know what that means!”

“A party?” they asked in unison.

“YES! How did you two know?”

Exchanging a smile at one another, Applejack said, “Lucky guess.”

“So, who are the two new ponies and where are they from?” asked Rarity.

Pinkie opened her mouth to speak, but froze where she stood. Then, she sat there, tapping her hoof on her chin, eyes looking towards the ceiling.

“Huh, I don’t know, actually,” she said, looking back at her friends, “I think Twilight was about to tell me, but I got so excited to throw a welcoming party for them to stay and hear who they are. Still, can you believe it? That means I have enough time to prepare the welcoming party for them!”

Before anything more could be said, Pinkie Pie disappeared in a blur, leaving the two ponies speechless where they stood.

After several moments went by, the two of them made their way to the counter and ordered their morning pastries and the ingredients Applejack needed for later. As they waited for their order, they decided to wait in one of the many tables in the sweets shop. When the two of them sat down, Rarity couldn’t help but look out the window that was next to them. She couldn’t help but stare at the ponies that were going about town, all smiles and with pep in their trots. Although she saw that some mares were with other mares, she couldn’t help but stare at the mares that were with stallions, both with love in their eyes and smiles to match.

Noticing this, Applejack asked softly, “Is everything alright, sugar cube?”

Quickly, Rarity directed her attention to Applejack, who had a worried look on her face. Then, she let out a soft sigh and said, “It’s nothing, darling.”

“It has ta do with Sweetie Belle, doesn’t it?”

Seeing that Applejack knew what was on her mind, she softly said, “I just can’t help but think that our lives would be much simpler if she was with a colt instead of a filly, that’s all.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow and asked, “How so?”

“I mean, things would go...oh, how should one put this...smoother, I suppose, if she wasn’t with Scootaloo,” she explained, “Don’t get me wrong, dear; I have nothing against Scootaloo or their choice to be together, but it just seems like we’re both becoming more miserable as time goes on.”

“Ah understand how you can be miserable, havin’ ta deal with everypony that bothers them and all,” said Applejack, “But how in tarnation do ya know Sweetie Belle is miserable?”

“Oh, please, Applejack. I’ve put on enough fashion shows to know when somepony is feigning feelings for the sake of their kin, putting on a façade to ensure that her elders or significant others don’t know their true feelings.”

Scratching the back of her head, the orange mare asked, “Come again?”

Rolling her eyes, Rarity stated, “What I mean is that Sweetie Belle is only pretending she’s happy, even though she’s not. I can see it in her eyes when she comes home from school. I hear it in the way she tells me about her day or when she and her friends are ‘crusading’ together.”

“Uh-huh,” said Applejack as she tried to understand the white unicorn, “What do ya think she’s ‘miserable’ about?”

“Being with another filly, darling.”

Applejack gave her a flat look. “How do ya know she’s miserable being with another filly? What if she’s just annoyed with bein’ picked on by Diamond Tiara?”

Rarity looked at the ground and said, “Call it an older sister’s intuition, if you will.”

The orange mare face-hooved and said, “Need ah remind ya that ah have a younger sister as well?”

“Yes, but you’re not going through this with Apple Bloom, are you?” Rarity shot back.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, both of them unsure of what to say to the other. The only sounds that could be heard were the entering and exiting of the other patrons, as well as the silent chatter of those who sat around them.

Eventually, Rarity looked at her friend and asked, “Applejack, how did you deal with all of this?”

“What do you mean?” asked Applejack.

Rarity said, “When you were told that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were ‘together’ like they are, how did you deal with it?”

The question caught the workhorse off guard for a moment, causing her to shift her weight in an uncomforting manner. Applejack feared that Rarity would, one day, ask her a question like this. Now that she had, she found herself unable t answer. She didn’t know how to word it, in fear that it might upset or offend her friend. However, she couldn’t lie to her either.

“Well...ta be honest...” she said, lowering her voice into a whisper, “Ah...um...ya see, ah...er...well...”

Rarity noticed her inability to tell her and asked, “What’s wrong, darling? Can’t you tell me?”

Applejack looked at her friend and said, “Ah...ah can, but...ah...ah don’t want ya to feel offended or anything.”

Offering a polite and understanding smile, the fashionista said, “It’s okay to tell me, Applejack. I promise I won’t get mad.”

Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, the orange earth pony said, “Somethin’ tells me that...ya know...this whole thing, Sweetie and Scoots bein’ together and all, is just...just...”

“Just what?”

Swallowing deeply, Applejack blurted out, “...just a phase.”

“Just...” she said softly, a stunned look on her face, “...just a phase? In what way, dear?”

Looking at the ground, Applejack said softly, “Well...ah just feel that this whole thing is just a phase in her life. Maybe...maybe, it’s just a brief thing that she’ll grow out of it...in time.”

“Could...” she said softly, mostly to herself, “Could that be true? Could all of this...just be a phase...something that she will outgrow in time?”

Rarity sat for a moment in silence, letting the words soak into her mind like a dried sponge getting hit with water. In all the time that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were together, the thought of all of it being a “phase” that she’ll get over never crossed her mind. Now that the seeds of the idea were sown into her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about them. The more she thought about them, the more she began to believe that it might be true. As she continued to think that it could be true, the more relaxed she began to feel.

“Rare’s, ah’m sorry,” said Applejack, bringing her back from her thoughts, “Ah’m sorry if ah offended or made ya mad. Don’t get me wrong, sugar cube; I’m mighty happy that they are together and support them one-hundred percent, but...”

Smiling, Rarity said, “Oh, don’t be sorry, Applejack. If anything, you’ve made me feel quite, dare I say, better!”

“B-Better?” asked Applejack.

“Why, of course, darling. Maybe it’s all just a simple phase of life, one that I’m sure she’ll outgrow in due time. Silly me, why didn’t I think of that before? Thank you so much for your help, dear. You’ve made me feel so much better.”

With that, she wrapped her hooves around her friend, who wore a confused look on her face.

“Um...” she said, returning the hug in a hesitant manner, “Yer welcome?”

However, before either of them could release one another, a pink blur appeared out of nowhere with a wide smile on her face.

“GROUP HUG!” she shouted, as she wrapped her hooves around the two of them, bringing them into her forced hug.

“Pinkie Pie,” Applejack struggled to say, “What the hay are ya...”

Still holding them in a tight hug, Pinkie Pie said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I just saw you two giving a hug to each other and I thought I’d join you!”

Both the earth pony and the unicorn rolled their eyes and offered the pink pony a weary smile. Soon, Pinkie Pie released the two of them and trotted behind the counter, leaving the two of them in surprise again. Then, she returned with a plate in her mouth. When she placed it down, they saw that it was the pastries they had ordered.

“Here’s your order!” said Pinkie before disappearing behind the counter in a blur.

After a few silent moments, Rarity said, “Well, thanks again, Applejack. You’ve really helped me with this.”

“If ya say so...” said Applejack as she scratched the back of her head.

Without saying another word, Rarity levitated a pastry and took a small nibble out of it. Applejack just sat there, unsure if she was really any help to her unicorn friend.

“So...Rarity,” said the orange mare, “What’re ya gonna do now?”

Wiping her muzzle with a napkin, Rarity smiled and said, “I’m still going to talk to Filthy Rich about his daughter, but I’m not going to worry about it so much. If what you say is true, and all of this is just a phase, then I have nothing more to worry about.”

“If ya say so,” she said hesitantly, as she picked up a pastry in her hooves and biting down on it.

With that, the two of them sat and ate their pastries in silence. As the thought of her sister liking another filly only being a phase that she’ll soon overcome continued going through her mind, Rarity let out a contented sigh; the feeling of stress and worry was beginning to be alleviated from her body.

Someday, Sweetie will meet a really nice colt, one that will capture her heart much more than any filly could, thought Rarity, as she took another nibble into her delectable delight. When that day comes, she’ll realize that being with a filly was nothing more than a simple phase and will put it all behind her. What’s the worst that could happen?

Chapter 21: The Hard Goodbye

Apple Bloom leaned against the doorframe of the clubhouse with a look on her face that was a mix of impatience and defeat. She had been waiting here for what felt like hours, keeping an eye on the horizon for any signs of Rumble's arrival. As the sun slowly crept across the skies overhead, the day slowly coming to a close, she let out a sigh as she trotted down the ramp and headed for home, her ears lying flat against her head.

"Ah don't get it," she said aloud. "There's gotta be a reason why he didn't show up. Sure, he might've gotten lost, but ah'm sure Sweetie would've helped him find the way here."

She let out another sigh as she hung her head. "Maybe he knew that it was me and chose not ta come. Maybe he doesn't like me, but somepony else instead. What could've possibly gone wrong?"

Then, a familiar sound of galloping hoof-steps made her ears perk up, as well as her spirit. Lifting up her head to see who it was, a hopeful smile came across her face. However, it slowly turned to a look of confusion as she recognized Scootaloo, running faster than she ever thought possible. She was going so fast that she didn't have a chance to open her mouth to ask what was wrong before she was already past her, heading for the clubhouse.

"What the hay?" Apple Bloom asked as she looked in the direction her friend had just gone. She took a few steps in her direction before stopping, the sound of more approaching hoof-steps making her turn around again.

This time it was Sweetie Belle galloping towards her, not as fast as Scootaloo, but as fast as the filly could muster. She was able to open her mouth to ask what was going on this time, but quickly silenced herself when she saw the red puffy eyes she had, clearly the results of crying.

"Where is she?" Sweetie asked, huffing from both crying and being out of breath. "Where's Scootaloo?"

"She went that-a way," Apple Bloom answered, pointing towards the clubhouse. "Sweetie Belle, what's goin' on? Where's Rumble?"

"No time to explain," she answered as she began galloping again. "I have to talk to Scootaloo!"

With that, she headed towards the clubhouse as fast as she could. A worried look on her face, Apple Bloom began following her. Since the clubhouse wasn't that far away, she managed to get there in a jiffy. However, her heart began to race as she trotted up the ramp and heard the two of them arguing with each other.

"Go away, Sweetie Belle!"

"Scootaloo, please let me explain!"

"I don't wanna hear it, so go away!"

What's goin' on with them? Apple Bloom thought, entering the clubhouse to see the two of them on opposite sides of the room. Although they both had tears in their eyes, Sweetie Belle looked like she was upset while Scootaloo looked outraged.

"Scoots, please," Sweetie Belle pleaded. "Just listen to me!"

"Why, so you can lie to me some more?" Scootaloo asked as she wiped her eyes.

"I'd never lie, to you or anypony else!"

"What in tarnation is goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked, stopping the two of them, if only for a moment.

"Why don't you tell her, Sweetie Belle?" prompted Scootaloo, not taking her eyes off her as she pointed a hoof in Apple Bloom's direction. "Why don't you tell her all about you and Rumble?"

A moment of silence followed as they waited for Sweetie Belle to say something. Lowering her head and shifting her eyes, Sweetie bit her lower lip as she felt the weight of both their eyes glaring down on her.

Eventually, Apple Bloom broke the silence. "Sweetie, what is she talkin' 'bout?"

"Nothing!" she exclaimed. "She's got it all wrong!"

"Do I?" Scootaloo shot back. "I heard and saw everything, Sweetie Belle! You and Rumble are really close, aren't you?"

"No, were not! It's all a misunderstanding!"

"Just admit it: you love Rumble!"

"WHAT!?" Apple Bloom shrieked, her eyes becoming pinpoints.

"No! I don't!" she protested as fresh tears streamed down her face. "I mean, I thought I did, but I don't!"

"If you don't love him, why did you take that necklace he gave you?" Scootaloo asked as she pointed at her neck.

Slowly, Apple Bloom lowered her eyes to Sweetie's neck to see the silver, diamond-studded necklace she was now wearing. Instantly, a saddened expression fell upon her face as her heart began pumping fast.

"He got that fer ya?" she asked, her voice almost in a whisper.

Sweetie Belle put a hoof over it, as if she was trying to hide if from her. Slowly and softly, she replied, "Y-Yes, he did."

Apple Bloom sat on her haunches as everything started falling into place. "So...yer the pony he has a crush on?" she asked, almost to herself than either of them.

Unfortunately, Scootaloo heard and answered her question. "Crush? Ha! It's much more than a crush! You should have seen the way they were looking into each other's eyes just before they kissed each other!

"YOU KISSED HIM?" she yelled, standing up on all fours again.

"No!" she said at first. "I mean, yes...but...I didn't..."

"First he kissed her," Scootaloo interrupted. "Then she kissed him! Go on, Sweetie, tell her all about it! Tell her how you looked each other in the eyes all lovey-dovey before lip-locking!"

"You...you did...twice?" Apple Bloom asked, her heart sinking deeper than she thought imaginable.

"Well..." Sweetie said. "Kinda...I didn't mean to...I just..."

"But...ya knew ah liked him. Ah told ya ah did."

The statement took Scootaloo by surprise, making her flinch. "Wait...you liked Rumble?"

Realizing that the kitten was out of the bag now, Apple Bloom nodded and said, "Yeah...ah did."

Scootaloo broke out in a fake laugh. "Well, isn't this a nice surprise? Not only did you betray me, but you betrayed Apple Bloom, too!"

"I didn't betray anyone! Honest!" Sweetie protested, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Give me a break!" Scootaloo said. "You think I'm blind or something? You think I didn't notice you two from the start? You've had your eye on him ever since he became a Crusader! Just admit it!"

"No! Why would you think..?"

"Because you've been making excuses to see him, that's why! It was you all along!"

"WHAT?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shouted in unison, both of them shocked at her accusation.

"Don't act so surprised!" she continued. "You're the one who wanted him to become a Crusader! You're the one who brought him with us when we were supposed to be alone together! You're the one who ditched me for him! You're the one who kissed him! It's all your fault!"

The room fell silent as they allowed her words to soak in. Thinking about everything Scootaloo had said, mixed with everything that had happened within the past few days till now, Apple Bloom began piecing together everything, coming to a conclusion that made tears well up in her eyes.

"So that's why you're eager fer me ta do this ridiculous plan of yers," Apple Bloom said, the tears starting to stream down her cheeks. "Ya wanted me outta the way so you can take him fer yerself!"

"No!" she said. "I wouldn't..."

Interrupting her, Apple Bloom yelled out, "Some friend you are!"

With that, she ran out of the clubhouse, tears pouring out of her eyes as she headed back to her home. Quickly, Sweetie Belle got up to try and go after her, but she remained where she was; she had to deal with Scootaloo first.

"All this time, I thought it was Rarity who was trying to come between us," Scootaloo said through gritted teeth, her head turned away from Sweetie Belle. "I should have known that it wasn't her...it was you!"

"You're wrong!" Sweetie shouted. "Why won't you listen to me?"

"Because that's why all of this is happening! All I've ever done was listen to you! All I've ever done was forgive you, and all you've done is lie to me! Well, I'm not listening to you anymore!"

Sweetie Belle began furrowing her eyebrows as anger began overtaking her sadness, though her tears remained. Scootaloo was outright ignoring her, denying her the chance to explain her actions while throwing wild accusations at her.

"Well...maybe that's the problem!" she said. "You never listen when I need you to!"

"Don't try to turn this on me," Scootaloo said, looking at her from the side. "Besides, I've already seen everything I had to see! Give me one good reason why I should listen to anything you say?"

"Because you don't understand!"

"I understand everything!" she retorted, stomping her forehooves on the ground. "You're nothing but a two-timing, backstabbing, traitor!"

Sweetie Belle was taken aback by her words, but only for a second. "Well, at least I'm not a...a...a non-listening jerk like you!"

"HA! What’s the matter, Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked as her voice changed into a mocking tone. "You too busy thinking about your sweet, little colt-friend to come up with a come-back?"

"He's not my colt-friend, but if he was, he'd be a much better pony to be with than you!" she shot back.

"Oh yeah? If he's so much better than me, then why don't you go be with him, then?"

It was then that Sweetie lashed out without even thinking about it. "M-Maybe I will! At least he'll listen to me when I need him to, unlike you...you...stupid, flightless chicken!"

The look on Scootaloo's face was all she needed to see in order to put her hooves over her mouth, eyes as wide as anything. Silence dawned on them again as the extremely hurtful words hit Scootaloo, making her clutch her wings closely at her side. Turning her back on her, she squeezed her eyes shut as she tried desperately to stop herself from crying uncontrollably. Sure, she had been called these names from foals in the past, but what made it hurt the most was that it came from Sweetie Belle; she was one of the few ponies that would never throw that in her face.

Instantly, all the rage within Sweetie Belle was gone; she had never seen Scootaloo like this before in her entire life. Tears fell down her cheeks as she watched her friend, trying to maintain her tough exterior and failing immensely. There was a line in the sand and she had just crossed it.

"Scootaloo," she said in a soft whisper. "I'm sorry."

Sniffling, Scootaloo straightened her composure when she was confident she wasn't going to break down. Her voice as soft as Sweetie Belle's, she said, "No, Sweetie, I'm the one who should be sorry...sorry I ever thought the two of us would work out. I hope you're happy because this...this is over."

The words hit Sweetie Belle like a ton of bricks as they replayed in her head like a scratched record. Just the idea of their relationship ending was more than she could bear. As she watched her trotting towards the door, she realized that Scootaloo was right; she didn't have to go with Rumble, she didn't have to listen to Rarity, she didn't have to kiss him a second time. Whether she wanted to believe it or not, it was all her fault.

"Scootaloo, I'm sorry!" she tried again, as if those words could take back everything that had happened.

She didn't answer as she continued trotting out the door and down the ramp. Her head was held up, though her gaze was on the ground with her eyebrows furrowed. Standing in the door, Sweetie Belle watched as she continued trotting away, not speeding up or slowing down. Just by her stride, she could tell that she had really hurt her badly.

Trotting behind her, Sweetie said, "Scoots, please! I didn't mean to..."

"Don't you get it," Scootaloo snapped, turning her head to look at her but not stopping her trot. "I don't want to see you anymore. We're finished!"

With those final words, Sweetie stopped her trotting. Then, she sat on her haunches as she watched her friend trot out of her life forever, leaving her to do nothing but cry.

The journey back to the Carousel Boutique was one of the most painful experiences Sweetie Belle had ever felt in her life. All the way, her mind kept trying to wrap around everything that happened and how it was all blown to pieces. Tears slowly streamed down her face as she made it to the front door of her home, not even bothering to look up as she entered the store and slowly bee-lined towards the stairs. She heard Rarity talking with somepony, who she recognized as Twilight Sparkle, but even that didn't make her head rise.

"Don't get me wrong, darling," Rarity said. "While your Gala dress is gorgeous and would suffice, one shouldn't be afraid to change her style now and again. A new dress is just the thing you need to make everypony see how ravishing you are."

"You really think so?" Twilight asked.

"I know so."

The two of them stopped talking when they spotted Sweetie Belle trotting in, a look on her face that clearly said she was upset. Offering each other a look, Twilight tilted her head towards the filly, prompting Rarity to find out what was wrong.

Nodding, Rarity began following her as she trotted up the stairs and into her room, closing the door behind her. Softly, she knocked on the door, waiting for a response that never came. Then, taking a deep breath, she opened the door to find Sweetie Belle lying on her bed, curled up in a ball while hugging one of her pillows. Looking at her for a few moments, the sound of her sniffling was all the proof she need to conclude that she was upset.

"Sweet'ums?" she asked softly as she entered the room, closing the door behind her. "Whatever's the matter?"

"It's nothing, honest," she answered in a whisper.

Rarity let out a huff; this felt very familiar and she wasn't going to put up with it again. "Sweetie, don't do this to me again," she said. "I know something is bothering you, so please tell me what is so I can help you."

She trotted over to the side of Sweetie Belle's bed, a worried look on her face. A feeling of familiarity still upon her, Rarity tried to lighten the mood by asking, "Having trouble with 'Scott' again?"

Rarity forced out a laugh, hoping it would make Sweetie Belle smile. Unfortunately, it did little to bring her spirits up. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at herself; she was no Pinkie Pie, but at least she tried.

"Come on, Sweetie," she said reassuringly. "Tell me what's wrong."

Hugging her pillow tighter, Sweetie sniffled again and softly said, "Scootaloo..."

"Yes?" she asked, leaning in to hear her better.

"She...she..."

"She what?"

Taking one last shaky breath, Sweetie said, "Scootaloo broke up with me."

The words made Rarity double back a few steps. "What? She broke up with you? Why?"

As best as she could, Sweetie began retelling what happened, from her and Rumble at the field to the spat at the clubhouse. As she spoke, Rarity felt everything begin to disappear; it was like she was sitting in an empty room with nothing but a single spotlight shining down on her.

Sweet Celestia, she thought as she felt tears beginning to well up. What have I done?

When she finished telling her story, Sweetie buried her face into her pillow, trying her best to muffle her crying. Immediately, Rarity shook her head out of her thoughts and trotted up to her, bringing her into a reassuring brace. The moment her hooves wrapped around her, Sweetie got up and held Rarity close, crying into her shoulder.

"There, there," she cooed. "Everything will be alright. I'm here, I'm here."

"It's all my fault," she said between her sniffles. "If I hadn't gotten so close to Rumble, none of this would be happening. I'm the worst pony in the world!"

No, I'm the worst pony in the world, she thought. All this is happening because of me. I guess I should have seen this coming. There's only one thing left to do. I do hope you understand and forgive me for this, Sweetie Belle, but I'm doing this because I love you.

"No, no, no," Rarity said aloud. "You're not the 'worst pony in the world', and neither is Scootaloo. You two...just...don't see things eye to eye like you used to. However, I do think it was rather rude of her to not give you a chance to justify your actions."

Her sister's silence prompted her to continue. "Maybe...in an odd sort of way...it's better that this happened."

Sweetie lifted her head and gave her a questioning look amidst her tears. "W-What do you mean?"

"Well...oh, how should one put this?" Rarity asked as she looked to the ceiling in fake thinking. "Maybe...you two have...you know...outgrown each other."

"Outgrown?" she asked as she freed herself from Rarity and sat on the bed. "What do you mean?"

She fiddled a hoof on her blanket, making tiny circles. "Well, did you ever think that...maybe...just maybe...your love for Scootaloo was...just a phase?"

"A...phase?"

Rarity nodded as she rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. "Everypony goes through certain phases in their lives; it's all a part of growing up and finding who you are."

"Like a Cutie Mark?" Sweetie asked.

"I suppose you can say that. You're at the age where you're still trying to find who you are and trying different things to see what you might like or dislike. Like your Cutie Mark, you and your friends try different things that might work, but when they don't, you try something else."

Sweetie looked at the ground as her eyes shifted back and forth, taking all of it in.

"It's possible your love for Scootaloo was a part of that," Rarity continued. "Maybe your love for Scootaloo was just you trying something new out to see if you liked it. Perhaps all of that has finally run its course, making you see that it was something you didn't like at all."

"I don't know," she said.

Rarity felt her heart start to pound harder. "Maybe it's time for you to move on from Scootaloo and try something new. Who knows? You might feel much happier if you found somepony else, like Rumble, for example. You two seem to like each other already, so there's no harm in trying."

Again, she looked at the ground in thought. Seeing this, Rarity brought her into an embrace again.

"Let's not worry about that now," she softly said. "For now, you should try and put all of this behind you and move on. I know you're feeling hurt now, but it'll be much better tomorrow, I promise."

"Thanks, sis," Sweetie said as she returned the gesture.

"No need to thank me, Sweet'ums," Rarity said softly. "That's what sisters are for."

With that, the two of them released their embrace and Rarity trotted out of the room, closing the door behind her. When she was certain she was out of earshot, Sweetie Belle let out a sigh as she rested her head on the pillow she was hugging moments before. As Rarity's works sunk in, what she had said many days ago began resurfacing into her head, making her heart start fluttering again.

Maybe Rarity was right all along, she thought. Maybe I'll be much happier if I was with a colt instead of a filly. Maybe my love for Scootaloo was all just a phase that has run its course. Maybe I should just put her behind me and move on.

A saddened look came across her face as she softly closed her eyes, a few more tears streaming down her cheeks. Although she was ready to try and move on, it still didn't take heartache of losing Scootaloo away.

Rarity trotted down the stairs to resume assisting Twilight with her outfit. When she reached the base of the stairs, she put a hoof over her mouth in an attempt to keep herself from crying.

Come now, Rarity. There's no reason to be upset, she thought as she wiped her eyes. Everything is going to be alright. She'll be much happier now, you'll see. Just try not to think about it now.

Taking a deep breath, she trotted into the showroom where Twilight was and put on a pseudo smile.

"Is everything alright?" Twilight asked. "How's Sweetie Belle?"

"She'll be fine," Rarity said. "She's just...having trouble with Scootaloo. Everything is fine now. Now, where were we?"

As she began sorting through a few outfits for Twilight to try, the thought of her planting the seed of doubt in Sweetie's head began running laps around her brain, making it hard to concentrate. Unfortunately, her inability to focus didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" Twilight asked. "You seem a little...rattled."

Letting out a sigh, Rarity lowered her head and asked, "Twilight, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she answered, sitting on her haunches.

"Do you know what the worst part about having a bad idea and a horrible plan is?"

Tilting her head and raising an eyebrow at her strange question, Twilight replied, "No...I don't. What is it?"

A single tear streaming out of the corner of her eye, Rarity gave her the answer in a voice barely above a whisper, the cold-hearted truth sinking in as she spoke each word:

"When that bad idea and horrible plan...actually works."

Chapter 29: Bridges

The morning had turned into afternoon by the time Rumble arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. His first stop when he got there was the main barn, where he was immediately greeted by Big Macintosh who was pushing a barrel full of apples from the front of the house to the back.

"Excuse me," Rumble called out, catching his attention as he drew near. "Sorry to bother you, but is Apple Bloom here? I need to talk to her right away."

Big Mac nodded and was about to answer when Granny Smith, who was trotting by, answered for him.

"Apple Bloom, ya say?" she said. "She's over at that there clubhouse of yers. Poor thing's been there all mornin'. Said somethin' 'bout wantin' ta be alone fer a while. Somethin's botherin' her mighty fierce. She won't tell us what it is, but anypony can see it written on her face clear as day."

"R-Really?" Rumble asked as he lowered his head, but not his gaze.

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh answered solemnly with a nod.

"Darn tootin'," Granny added. "Ah ain't seen her like this in a long time. She might be worse now than she was before the festival started."

Their responses caused a knot to form in Rumble's stomach. He didn't know which was worse: the fact that she was taking what happened really hard, or that it was his fault she was the way she was.

Regaining his focus, Rumble asked, "Do you think I can see her? I need to talk to her about...something really important. It...It might even cheer her up...I hope."

Granny Smith tapped the bottom of her chin as she looked up at the sky in thought. Then, she looked at the colt and said, "Ah suppose so. Just don't be surprised if she asks ya ta leave her be."

"Okay, thanks," said Rumble as he smiled nervously before trotting off towards the clubhouse; thankfully, he was able to remember how to get there on his own. When his back was turned to them, he let out a depressive sigh and rubbed his eyes with a hoof as regret began filling his heart, making it hurt physically as well as emotionally.

Regaining his focus, he continued his trotting as he began running through what he was going to say once he got there. Truth be told, he knew what he wanted to say; he just didn't know if he could bring himself to go through with it. He took out the folded note from beneath his wing, stopping his trot for a moment as he opened the paper and read it to himself in an attempt to regain some confidence that what he was going to do wasn't a big mistake. When he reached the end of the note, he slowly folded it back up as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths to calm his nerves.

As he tucked it back in its resting place, Rumble took out the other item that was there: the small box. Holding it in his hoof, he stared at it for several moments, the words Sweetie Belle told him about it repeating in his head over and over again. The guilt began creating a nauseating feeling to arise from the pit of his stomach, forcing him to put the box away and squeeze his eyes shut.

No turning back, he thought as he opened his eyes and looked ahead. I have to do this. I have to.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, he continued trotting forward. Despite having the strength to press on, it did little to ease the burden in his heart. It didn't help when, before he knew it, Rumble stood in front of the clubhouse. He stood and stared at it for only a split second before nodding and making his way up the ramp.

When he got to the doorway, he didn't have to look far to find the filly in question. Apple Bloom stood by the window furthest away from him, her back facing him as she rested her head on her arms that were atop the window sill. Although he couldn't see it, something told him that her face either had a look of distraught or was completely expressionless. No matter which one she had, it made his heart start to hurt, as if it was literally starting to break.

Knowing very well she knew he was there, he softly inhaled before saying calmly, "Hey, Abby."

Her head shifting ever so slightly, Apple Bloom responded in a near-sarcastic tone, "If yer lookin' fer Sweetie Belle, she ain't here."

Rumble cringed at her tone; clearly she was very annoyed with him. Going against his thoughts screaming at him to leave and call the whole thing off, he said, "Actually, I...I came to talk...to you."

"Lemme guess," she replied. "Ya wanna talk ta me ta get more information 'bout her, right?"

Before he could say anything, she immediately interjected. By the way her voice shifted from bitter and sarcastic to shaky and low, he could tell she was trying her best not to break down. "Well, ya better go ta somepony else. Ah wanna be left alone."

Waves of sadness beginning to wash over him, Rumble couldn't prevent his voice from cracking when he said, "Abby...please...just let me..."

"Rumble, please," Apple Bloom interrupted, her voice beginning to break like his. "There ain't nothin' ta talk 'bout, alright? Will ya just..."

"No, Apple Bloom," he interrupted this time, raising his voice as much as he could. "If you don't wanna talk to me, that's fine. All I'm asking is for you to hear me out...please."

Apple Bloom fell silent as she appeared to bury her head in her arms like she was trying to hide her face from him. As he slowly trotted up to her, Rumble could hear her muffled sobbing. It pained him to see her this way, especially when it was all from his doing.

Stopping in the middle of the room, he took out the folded note and said, "I...I found your note, Apple Bloom...the one you left on my seat in class."

Rumble watched as she lifted her head at his statement. It was only when she turned her head to face him from the side did he conclude that it caught her attention. Tears began welling up as he watched her tear-filled eye first look at him before looking at the note he was holding.

Quickly, she turned her head away and said in a hushed whisper, "So what?"

Wiping his eyes clear for a moment, he said, "Apple Bloom...I am so, so sorry. I...I didn't know...I mean, I should have known. I...I want to..."

Rumble stopped his gibberish as he sat on his haunches and looked at the ground, his eyes shifting back and forth as he tried to make the right words come out. With all his thoughts mashing together, making it difficult for him to find the right words, he closed his eyes and hung his head in defeat.

"I know saying this won't matter, especially after everything that's happened," he spoke softly. "But...I really am sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry if I just...used you to get information about Sweetie Belle. I'm sorry for lying to you and for ignoring you and your feelings. You practically told me straight out and...and I was too stupid to realize it."

Opening his eyes and lifting his head a little bit, Rumble watched as Apple Bloom slowly turned her head to look at him, the tears that were once in her eyes now streaming down her cheeks.

Despite feeling his heart breaking down even more than before at the sight of her like this, he continued. "If it makes you feel any better, I was lied to, too. I was made to believe that Sweetie Belle felt the same way I did...so was Thunderlane. I know it doesn't make it right, but..."

"Whaddaya mean?" Apple Bloom asked, cutting him off.

Swallowing another lump in his throat, Rumble answered, "Rarity lied to all of us: me, Thunderlane, Sweetie Belle, everypony. You have to believe me when I say that...if I was told the truth about her and Scootaloo from the start..."

He stopped talking before looking down in defeat again. With every word he spoke, the guiltier it made him feel. With nothing left to say, Rumble slowly stood up, trotted up to Apple Bloom and held her in an embrace. Astonished by his sudden gesture, Apple Bloom just stood there for a moment with a confused look on her face.

Before she could say or do anything, Rumble said softly, "I'm so sorry you got caught in the middle of all this. I hope that, someday, you'll forgive me for the pain I've caused you."

Again, Apple Bloom had no time to respond before he planted a small kiss on her cheek, making her start to turn a bright pink. He released his embrace before taking the note out from beneath his wing and putting it on top of a wooden box that was near the window. Then, he slowly turned and began trotting towards the doorway.

As he trotted away, she turned and looked at the small piece of paper before looking back at him. She didn't know if it was from what he had said or how he acted, but in that moment, it felt like all the contempt she felt for him had dissipated. All that remained was an overwhelming feeling of guilt and sadness; like her, Rumble was a victim in all of this, too. As all her thoughts seemed to fall into place, she finally found her voice as she called out to him.

"Rumble," she said, stopping him in his tracks. He turned and faced her, only to see that she quickly trotted up to him. Then, it was his turn to be taken off guard as the filly wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder in an attempt to prevent herself from crying uncontrollably.

"Of course ah forgive you," she said after a while, her voice so soft that her accent was almost nonexistent. "Ah'm so sorry. Ah had no idea you were bein' lied to as well."

"It's okay," Rumble responded in a reassuring tone as he rubbed a hoof on her back. "You have nothing to be sorry for. None of this was your fault."

"That's not true, Rumble. Ah'm just as much ta blame as..."

"No, you're not," he interrupted. "You practically told it to my face that you...liked me. I was just too stupid to notice..."

It was her turn to interrupt. "Ya weren't stupid, Rumble. Ah should have just told ya instead of hintin' the whole time."

The two of them fell silent as they remained in each other's arms for what felt like hours, despite it being only a few minutes. Reluctantly, they released their embrace and looked in each other's eyes. Rumble gave a small smile out of the corner of his mouth, making Apple Bloom follow suit.

After a moment or two had passed, Apple Bloom asked, "So...does this mean that...you...you wanna be my...ya know?"

Rumble felt his cheeks starting to heat up as his he looked into her hopeful eyes and her small flicker of a smile. She didn't have to ask the whole question for him to understand what she was asking. The answer to the question was on the tip of his tongue, but something told him to wait until a little later to tell her; there was something else that was a bit more important that needed to be said first.

"Abby," he said softly. "If it's alright with you...I wanted to talk to you and the others about...something first. If you don't mind, do you think you can get them?"

Apple Bloom's enthusiasm seemed to diminish a bit as she said, "Oh, uh, sure."

With that, she trotted passed him and left the clubhouse. When he was alone, Rumble began letting out deep breaths to calm his rapid heartbeat. He closed his eyes before unfurling his wing and taking out the small box that was given to him. Slowly, he opened the box and stared at what was inside: the necklace that he had given to Sweetie Belle. As he looked upon it intently, Rumble began recollecting about Apple Bloom and how she had been ever since he came to Ponyville.

He thought about how she acted around him, how she felt about him, what she said to him, how she went through so many hoops and hurdles trying to get him to realize how much she cared about him. Then, Rumble began thinking about his feelings for her and all the things they had been through.

My mind is made up, he thought as he slowly closed the box and put it back underneath his wing. It has to be done. This is for the best...for everypony.

Nodding once to himself, Rumble trotted towards the doorway and sat on the top of the ramp, waiting for the others to arrive.

Approximately forty-five minutes had passed before Rumble saw the three fillies quickly galloping towards him. When they were a few yards away, he let out a small sigh through his nostrils as he got up and trotted inside the clubhouse. By the time he got to the wooden box on the far end, the three fillies entered.

"Hey, Rumble," Sweetie Belle immediately greeted him. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, Apple Bloom said you wanted to talk to us," Scootaloo added. "Is everything alright?"

Apple Bloom didn't have to say a word; the confused and worried look on her face spoke volumes to him.

Softly clearing his throat, Rumble said, "Well...the reason I asked for you all to come is because I wanted to talk to you all about something important."

The three of them exchanged baffled glances at each other before looking back at him with their full attention. Looking from one to another and back, Rumble's thoughts escaped his mind, making him temporarily forget what he wanted to say. Thankfully, it lasted for just a split second.

"I...I don't know how else to put this," he said as he made small circles on the ground with a hoof. "I guess...just saying it would be best.

With one last sigh, he mustered all the strength in his heart and said, "I don't want to be a 'Cutie Mark Crusader' anymore."

"WHAT!?" all three fillies exclaimed in unison, making him stumble back a little. If he wasn't mistaken, he could have sworn Apple Bloom was the loudest of the three.

Regaining his balance, he continued. "I've been thinking long and hard about this and...well...I think that doing this is for the best."

"But, why?" asked Sweetie Belle, her voice slightly cracking.

Rumble looked down at the ground, closed his eyes softly and softly exhaled. Then, he looked up at them and said, "You three have been the best friends a pony could ask for. You've all been there for me ever since Thunderlane and I moved here. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done."

Him stopping for just a second was enough for Scootaloo to prompt, "But...?"

"The truth is..." he continued, his voice insecure. "I'm...I'm just...not comfortable, that's all."

"Comfortable with what?" Apple Bloom asked, her heart starting to pound harder than ever. "Is it the clubhouse? We can change it if ya want!"

"No, no," Rumble responded. "It has nothing to do with that."

Apparently, it fell on deaf ears as Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and muttered through gritted teeth, "Ah told ya we shoulda put yer sister's couch in here."

Before she could respond, Rumble interrupted by exclaiming, "It's not that!"

Fortunately, his outburst stopped Apple Bloom and regained all of their attention. Inhaling deeply, he said with the utmost confidence he could muster, "I'm not comfortable...being around Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."

Then, he squeezed his eyes shut and squatted down to the ground; it was like he was bracing himself for them to yell at him or something. However, the three of them just stood there with shocked looks on their faces.

After several minutes of silence, Scootaloo finally asked defensively, "We make you uncomfortable? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sorry," Rumble said apologetically. "Please don't be mad at me."

"We're not mad at you," Sweetie Belle said as Apple Bloom jabbed Scootaloo hard on the side for her snide remark. "We're just...having trouble understanding why you're uncomfortable being with us."

Confident they weren't going to pounce on him or anything, Rumble slowly stood up straight and explained. "I know it sounds mean, and I'm really sorry if I offended you, but...it's just how I feel. You two are...together and all...and I don't mind, honest! It's just...I don't feel right, that's all. I...I hope you three understand."

Awkward silence fell upon them as the three of them looked at one another, hoping that somepony would say something first. They didn't know why, but something about what he had said hit them harder than they anticipated.

After some time had passed, Rumble hung his head, trotted passed them and said somberly, "I understand. I'll...I'll see myself out. Thanks for everything."

Immediately, Sweetie Belle said, "Rumble, wait."

He stopped and looked at them, a regretful look on his face.

"You didn't offend us," she said. "Right, girls?"

"Right," Apple Bloom said.

"Not at all," Scootaloo added. "Sorry for snapping at you like that. It was just...sudden, that's all."

"Really?" Rumble asked. "I mean, you're not mad."

"Of course not," Sweetie Belle answered. "We understand completely. We wouldn't want you to stay if you didn't want to."

He smiled softly at them and said, "Thank you...for understanding, that is. I guess...I'll see you around."

"Yeah...I guess," Sweetie responded. "See you around, Rumble."

"Later, Rumble," said Scootaloo. "If you ever wanna join again...you're always welcome to."

Rumble smiled and nodded as he began trotting out of the clubhouse. He made it to the bottom of the ramp when he heard the sounds of somepony beginning to follow him. Rumble didn't need to turn around to know who it was; just as expected, Apple Bloom had followed him.

"Rumble, wait a sec," Apple Bloom called out as she caught up to him. "If yer leavin' us...does…does that mean...ya don't wanna be..."

He turned to her with a saddened look on his face, making her stop talking instantaneously. Biting his lower lip, Rumble said, "Abby...I really like you...a lot. I know that...you want to be my 'special somepony', but..."

"But...?" she prompted as her voice began cracking and a torrent of sadness washed over her.

"I...I don't think now is the best time for us to be each other's...'special somepony'."

Small droplets of tears escaping from the corners of her eyes, she asked, "W-Whaddaya mean?"

His own eyes welling up, Rumble quickly said, "It's not that I don't want to be. I just...we just..."

He lowered his head and sighed again. "Abby, we barely know each other and...to be honest...right now...I don't want us to jump into this before we're ready. Going through all of this Sweetie Belle taught me that."

Apple Bloom sat on her haunches, scratched the back of one leg with the opposing hoof and simply said, "Oh."

"I'm sorry, Abby," he said softly. "Maybe someday we can be together. For now, if it's all the same to you, maybe we can start slowly...maybe as friends?"

As she looked into his lavender eyes, she felt a wave of comfort wash over her; it was as if she was able to see them further down the road being with one another, just like the first dream she had of him all those weeks ago. She didn't know which thought it was that did it, but one of them made a soft smile form on her face.

Then, she trotted up to him and wrapped her arms around him in one last embrace. As she held him close, she whispered in his ear, "Deal."

After holding one another for a bit, the two of them released one another. Then, Apple Bloom asked, "Do ya...wanna hang out or somethin'?"

"Maybe later," Rumble said. "I have to get home. I have to talk to Thunderlane. There's...one last thing I need to do."

"Okay," Apple Bloom replied with a smile. "I guess...I'll see you around?"

Returning a smile, Rumble said, "You bet. See you around, Apple Bloom."

With that, the two of them smiled at one another and began trotting in different directions. As Apple Bloom trotted up the ramp, she wiped her eyes clear of any remaining tears that lingered within them. Then, she let a content sigh escape through her nostrils as she entered the clubhouse, a soft smile on her face.

"What was that all about?" Sweetie Belle asked, a knowing smile on her face.

"Nothin'," Apple Bloom playfully answered. "Just...talkin', that's all."

Cutting to the chase, Sweetie asked, "So, did he ask you to be..."

She was interrupted by Apple Bloom putting a hoof on her mouth. Letting out a small laugh, she said, "Cool yer jets, Sweetie Belle. One hoof-step atta time!"

Removing her hoof from her mouth, the two of them shared a small laugh, leaving Scootaloo to look at them like they had two heads.

"You two gonna fill me in, or what?" she asked as she rose an eyebrow.

"Don't worry yerself 'bout it," Apple Bloom answered as he patted the top of her head, making the top of her mane rest flatly on her head.

Readjusting her mane, Scootaloo asked, "Does this have to do with your crush for Rumble?"

Sweetie Belle let out a small giggle as she rested her head on her shoulder. "Something like that," she said as she nudged her head on her neck.

Scootaloo just rolled her eyes and smiled. Then, she asked, "So, is everything good between you two?"

Apple Bloom trotted to the window and stared at the magnificence of the crystal clear skies. Letting out one last romantic sigh, she answered, "Never better, Scootaloo. Never better."

Rumble trotted through the door of their room at the inn, a small smile plastered on his face as he saw Thunderlane going through the mail that must have just arrived. Closing the door behind him, he said, "Hey, Thunder."

"What's up?" he responded as he put down the envelopes to hug his brother. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Rumble replied. "Much better. How are you doing?"

Thunderlane let out a sigh before answering, "I'll admit that I've been better, but I'll be fine. I'm just glad to hear that you're doing better."

"Sorry to hear that," he said. "Like you said, it'll get better, right?"

Thunderlane nodded as he let out a small chuckle. As the colt began trotting towards his bedroom, he asked, "If you don't mind me asking, where did you run off to?"

Rumble stopped in his tracks and said nervously, "I...went to talk to Sweetie Belle and the others about...what happened last night."

The smile on Thunderlane's face faded. "Is that so? I hope everything's alright between you guys."

Turning to face him, Rumble said, "I...I left their group today."

"What?" Thunderlane exclaimed. "Why?"

"I'm...just not comfortable being with them. I just...need some space, I guess."

His voice becoming serious, Thunderlane responded, "I understand, Rumble. I just hope you remember what Dad said about burning your bridges."

"Yes, I remember," Rumble said. "I explained it to them and they understood how I felt."

"So, you're still friends with them?"

Rumble nodded. "I'm not burning my bridges. I guess...I'm building new ones."

Thunderlane smiled again and said, "Good for you, buddy."

A moment of silence went by as Thunderlane began going through the mail again. All the while, Rumble stood where he was, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. He knew what he wanted to say, but he found it hard to start the conversation. It didn't take long for him to rely on the direct approach.

"Thunderlane," he said softly. "Can I talk to you about what you said earlier, about staying in Ponyville?"

Putting the envelopes down, Thunderlane answered, "Of course."

"Well, I've been thinking about it a lot and, if it's alright, I would like to stay in Ponyville."

Thunderlane slowly nodded. "I don't mind, but are you sure it's what you want?"

"Yes," Rumble responded. "Is it what you want?"

Hesitating for just a moment, Thunderlane said, "I don't mind if you don't. I'll just have to let Mom and Dad know."

"Thanks, Thunderlane."

"No need to thank me, buddy. That's what brothers are for."

Rumble smiled and nodded as he began trotting towards his room again. As he entered his room and closed the door, he could have sworn he heard Thunderlane say, "Ponyville Pegasi...has a nice ring to it."

Rolling his eyes and smiling, Rumble immediately trotted over to his dresser. Opening the top drawer, he unfurled his wing and took the small box out from underneath it. Putting it in the drawer, he stared at it for several seconds before he smiled and let out a contented sigh.

One day, Abby, he thought as he closed the drawer. One day.

Before he could do anything else, he heard Thunderlane excitedly call him into the kitchen. Quickly, he galloped into the kitchen to see that Thunderlane was holding a pink piece of paper with small bits of confetti falling from it. What caught his attention was the ecstatic look on his face as he read over what it said.

"What is it, Thunder?" Rumble asked as he cocked his head to one side.

"It's a good thing we agreed to stay in Ponyville," Thunderlane said as he lowered the paper to look at his brother. "You won't believe who decided to move here as well!"

Rumble's inquisitively asked, "Who?"

"Your old foal-sitter!" he exclaimed. "She and her sister are arriving in a couple of days. We've been invited to their welcoming party at Sugarcube Corner! Can you believe it?"

Immediately, Rumble's left eye began twitching as his ears fell flat against his head. However, he feigned the best smile he could and said through gritted teeth, "That's great."

"I know, right? The two of them really loved the beans out of you, little bro," Thunderlane said as he winked at him. "I know they'll be very happy to see you again."

"How could I forget?" the colt said as he began backing into his room again. "I can't wait to see them, either."

When he was in his room, he closed the door and leaned his back against it, burying his face in his hooves.

You've gotta be kidding me, he thought as he trotted over to his bed, quickly burying his face in his pillow. Of all ponies to come to Ponyville, why did it have to be Flitter and Cloudchaser?