Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

by Solarip

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Rarity, Romance, Rumble, Slice of Life, Featherweight, Thunderlane
Length: 24184

Rumble has spent nearly his whole young life being with his friends and family. He has nothing to complain, until a trio of fillies entered his life.

Another weekend approaches, but this wasn't any ordinary weekend. Rumble couldn't wait to lie on the clouds and relax without intrusions, but what he didn't expect was a group project. He had to finish it, or else he couldn't pass. Luckily, Sweetie Belle, along with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, was there to save his flank.

A series of unexpected events later, he realized that three fillies were in love with him. How will he cope with this? Would it matter if he liked all of them?

Published 2013-05-07 02:30:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-05-16 07:36:01 UTC

It Begins

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 1: It Begins

It was almost noon in the town of Ponyville. The late morning air smelled of cakes and pastries as lunchtime was approaching. The warm and mild breeze blew across the Ponyville Schoolhouse.

The schoolhouse was almost the same as the library, only there were foals inside. As the teacher discussed her lesson, the class remained silent. Few were paying attention, while the rest were either asleep or bored. The light grey pegasus, instead of listening to what the teacher said, had left his mind to wonder around town.

There was peace in Ponyville, if you call a town of busy streets with buzzing crowds and yelling ponies as peaceful. Early morning, the town hall was in mild traffic, filled with ponies minding their own businesses. The residents had no reason to sit idly, for they had somewhere important to be.

The market, however, was carpeted with ponies walking past the stalls that were set up overnight. Most of them stopped by on a stall or two to fulfill their search on what they need. A handful of ponies' needs were satisfied, but those who weren’t moved to another and repeated the process. A few even complained about the price hike on the owners' products.

The Golden Oaks Library was a place to find silence, as it was a library and unnecessary noise was always kept to a minimum. Although only a few stopped by and actually went there, the librarian that had been residing in it didn't care. Having a few ponies reading there was just one problem concerning the residents' knowledge, but the librarian just wanted to see them happy.

Rumble, seated in the first row and closest to the window, snapped out of his reverie. He was definitely bored. With his head rested on his right hoof, he stared beyond the window and to the sky. He wanted, no, needed to fly out of his chair and simply feel free from walls and homework, but it would have to wait. He glanced at the clock situated on the other side of the room. Eleven-thirty.

He reached his left hoof out to the window, trying to touch the clouds. Only four hours left before I can show off my awesome tricks to Featherweight and Pipsqueak.

"Yes Rumble," Cheerilee called.

Rumble sprang out of his chair, causing pencils and paper to fly out and some of his classmates to wake up.

"Y-Yes Miss Cheerilee?" he nervously asked.

"Oh! I thought you were going to answer my question," she said in surprise.

"Oh yeah, but um..." he tapped his hoof on the desk.

"What's the matter?"

"Can you repeat your question?" he requested as he scratched the back of his head with a hoof.

"Why certainly," she said, cleared her throat, then continued, "If x minus y is eight, and x plus y is ten, then what is the value of y?"

"Um, one?" he answered with doubt.

"Correct!" Cheerilee gleefully yelled.

She turned to face the chalkboard and, wrote Rumble's answer.

Rumble smiled in his triumph. The fact that he answered her question seconds after hearing it gave himself a mental pat on the back. He sighed in relief and calmly sat back on his chair. He stared at the window the way he did a few moments ago. My luck saved my flank today. I guessed the answer right out of the blue and I got it! Now where was I? Oh right, the stuff to do after class.

Then something hit him, metaphorically. His eyelids grew heavy and his head slowly slid out of his hoof without him realizing it. There was nowhere else his head could go but on his desk. A loud thump was heard in the classroom, but his classmates else were too bored or too sleepy to care. With a hoof resting over his head, he snoozed off as he drooled on his wooden desk. Little did he know that three sets of eyes were watching him.

* * * *

Rumble was standing on the only cloud visible. He scanned for signs of pegasi, but it turned out that we was alone. He turned around, only to see the same thing. The wind blew from behind. Moments later, he felt something wet on his face and hooves. He tried to wipe to off, but it didn’t went away. What’s happening to me?!

A loud thunder was heard, causing him to cringe. Seconds later, he started to hear voices and murmurs of foals mixed with noises that he assumed to come from books and chairs. It surrounded with noises and sensations and made him scared beyond straight. He sat on the cloud and covered his ears but the noises never left. Well, at least the cloud seems normal to me. He buried his head inside it in a desperate attempt to muffle the creepy noises, but to no avail.

Moments later, after so much suffering which caused Rumble to be on the verge of tears, the horror faded. The wind and voices were nowhere to be felt or heard. He brought his head back up but he remained paranoid of what will happen next. He took a cautious look at the sky and saw nothing unusual, just like before. He closed his eyes and felt something on his head. He felt his mane sway, not by wind or body movement, but by nothing. He looked up, only to see nothing but the sensations were still there. He shook his head to see if it would go away, but the swaying continued.

From above, he saw a bright light. At first, he thought it was the sun, but the light grew brighter. He placed a hoof over his eyes and stared at the light. It grew brighter and brighter until it was impossible to see. He felt the cloud disappear. After that, he couldn't see, hear or feel anything else.

* * * *

He opened one eye and saw a white filly, who seemed to be caressing his mane, standing before him. His vision cleared and saw a better view of the filly. She had a horn, emerald eyes and pink cheeks. It’s Sweetie Belle. Why does she have pink cheeks? He slowly raised his head and Sweetie swiftly pulled back her hoof.

"Hey Sweetie Belle," he greeted her lazily to break the silence.

"Um, hi!" she raised a hoof and waved at him.

"How long was I out?" he asked, yawning, while scanning his surroundings.

"Um... about four and a half hours, I guess," she said and looked at her hoof as if she was looking at an imaginary watch.

"Really? Wait, why are you here alone? Where's Apple Bloom and Scootaloo?" I really thought they are inseparable.

"Well, since Bloom, Scoots and I were the last to leave. I didn't want to see you sleep here till dawn. I decided to wake you up," she explained as she drew tiny circles on the ground.

"Oh okay. Thanks," he replied before a smile appeared on his face, which faded afterwards. Should I be remembering something?

"What's wrong?" Sweetie asked.

"Have you seen Featherweight and Pipsqueak anywhere?" he asked.

"Well, they left already."

"Horse apples!" Rumble slammed a hoof to his desk. His sudden outburst startled the filly. Realizing Sweetie’s reaction, he calmed down. I don’t want to scare her, since I know she's pretty sensitive. I should probably stop doing that.

“I’m sorry I startled you like that."

“Oh, it’s alright,” she said, giving Rumble a smile.

Rumble absentmindedly grabbed his saddlebags and placed it around his back. He looked down as he walked out of the classroom with Sweetie Belle following him.

"Hey wait up!" she yelled.

"Huh?" Rumble snapped out of his empty thoughts, stopped and waited for her.

"Can I walk with you?" she asked.

Rumble turned, only to look at Sweetie's bashful smile and pleading eyes. He stared, mildly blushing at the sight.

"Um, okay."

* * * *

The two walked side-by-side across the playground. Trying to avoid eye contact, Rumble looked to his right, while Sweetie looked to her left. I've never walked with her before. I've never been this close to a filly before, but here I am, being asked to walk home with her. Okay Rumble, don't mess this up! Just talk to her. Simple, right?

His mouth opened, but Sweetie was the first to speak.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" she asked.

"Well yeah, actually. Why do you ask?" Rumble replied.

"You see, the group project Miss Cheerilee gave us was meant for four members, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders will always be together, so that makes us three. We need another member, and I thought you would fit since you're really smart and all," she explained while she looked at the ground and rubbed her foreleg.

"Plus, it's a weekend and I'm home alone for the next two days since I'm staying at Carousel Boutique and my sister will be in Trottingham for a business trip," she continued with confidence, but mostly, the lack thereof.

"Oh I see. Feathers and I are supposed to be going to Cloudsdale for a Wonderbolts show...” Rumble explained, tapping a hoof on his chin.

The unicorn’s ears flopped down when she heard those words.

“...but I'll think he's busy, too. He left without me, so he must have something urgent that he needed to do. So I'm free!"

"Really?" she asked. Her ears perked up.

"Yup. I'd like to be part of the project with you girls. I don't have a group on my own, so I guess I'm lucky," he said as he scratched his cheek. I don't think I can trust Pip and Feathers this time. I'm positive they already have their own members and having to be with the Cutie Mark Crusaders is a change of pace for me. After all, I saw what they've done ever since their club was made, and I'm pretty impressed, except for that one time at the talent show.

The pair reached the town proper. He looked around and saw only a few ponies walking by. It was strange for him to see an empty street in the afternoon. Don’t tell me a new zebra came to Ponyville. The balmy wind blew, making Sweetie's mane sway with the breeze.

After a long moment of awkward silence, Sweetie Belle stopped beside a fountain. Rumble stopped after realizing his friend stopped. He turned to Sweetie, who was beaming with glee.

"Everything alright?" Rumble asked as he raised an eyebrow.

She didn't reply. Instead, she continued walking, happier than usual.

"Oh nothing," she said in a sing-song tone.

Rumble shrugged and continued walking to meet Sweetie.

"So, where are your friends?" he asked.

"You mean Apple Bloom and Scootaloo?"

"Yup."

"Well, they're probably stuffed from eating at Sugarcube Corner," she explained.

"Oh, okay," Rumble said with a smile. Seeing his heartwarming smile before her caused Sweetie to blush even more.

Sweetie looked away to regain her alabaster complexion on her face, and it worked. Rumble, who was staring at the filly before him, had been curious as to why she was acting that way. Is she mad at me or something? Maybe I did something wrong to her, that's why she's like that.

"Sweetie?" Rumble called the unicorn filly.

"Y-Yes?" she replied while avoiding eye contact.

"Are you okay?" he asked and placed a hoof on the filly's shoulder.

Instead of a response, she hid behind her mane, save for her eyes, and gave Rumble the cutest look she could. She folded her hooves and brought them as close to her chin as possible. Her emerald eyes widened and her cheeks turned pink. She did her best to cover most of her face with her mane, but it is not enough. She made the most adorable smile.

She leaned closer to Rumble. Since he couldn’t do anything, frozen by Sweetie Belle's adorableness, he just stood there. Sweetie, on the other hand, continued to slowly lean closer to him, until their muzzles were mere inches apart. They exchanged breaths unintentionally, as it couldn’t be helped. Rumble blushed even more than the time when he saw his brother and Rarity do indescribable things on the couch. His eyes widened, focused on the filly. Not even realizing, he leaned closer to her and closed his eyes. He took a second to know what happened next, but it wasn't what he expected.

He felt a slight pressure on his muzzle, making it a little bit itchy. It felt like a hoof. He opened his eyes to see what it really was, and it was a hoof on his muzzle. A hoof from none other than the filly before her, which seemed to have returned to her normal, innocent self. She put her hoof down moments later.

"What was that for?!" Rumble yelled.

"I was just messing with you," she said with a gleeful smile.

Rumble pouted. This made Sweetie giggle at the sight.

"You look cute when you do funny faces!" she squeaked between giggles.

Her giggles were contagious. Rumble joined in with Sweetie Belle in their fit of laughs and giggles.

A moment of laughter had passed and their giggles faded. They continued walking afterwards. Rumble felt Sweetie's fur brushing his coat. Too close! He moved away from her, but Sweetie reacted and went closer to him. They did this a couple times but his attempts were fruitless. Is she like this to everypony?

Sweetie Belle and Rumble now walked at the same pace. Before, the filly tried to catch up to the athletic colt’s gait. Now that she had gotten used to his pace, she can now focus on the conversation she's in.

"Hey Rumble!" she called to her friend.

He turned to Sweetie in response.

"How 'bout we go to my sister's house?" the alabaster unicorn suggested.

"What're we gonna do there?"

"Just some stuff," she said nonchalantly.

"Stuff?" he pressed on, trying to know what that meant.

"Yeah... stuff."

What does she mean by that?

Seeing as there was no use in asking further, Rumble said, "Okay then."

The pair went silent as the town glowed with an orange tint from the setting sun. Along the path Sweetie Belle and Rumble passed by was a bush. A weird bush, as it had a purple mane and a pair of binoculars sticking out of it.

Author's Note

A new story!

What do you think of the introduction to total misunderstandings and awkward romance?
Tell me what you think. Comments, Suggestions or Requests are welcome!

As always, hope you enjoyed it!

EDIT: A big revision. I changed and added a lot, including a few paragraphs, and made things hopefully better. Sorry for the inconvenience to those who saw stuff that seemed out of place.

A Friend's Trust

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 2: A Friend's Trust

"So, what do you do when you're bored?" Sweetie asked, trying to make the conversation going.

Rumble stared at the sky as he thought of what he will say. The rays of the sun tinted the clouds of a yellow hue and gave the sky a subtle gradient. He noticed that the usual blue faded to a faint orange as he looked down the horizon. A few pegasi were spotted flying around doing tricks and kicking clouds. What do I do when I'm bored? What do I usually do? Oh, I know!

"Well, I usually fly around town when it isn't raining out," Rumble replied as he tapped his chin with a hoof.

"So what do you do when you're bored and when it's raining?"

They continued to walk, but in silence. Rumble went back to his train of thought. He stared at the ground as they approached Carousel Boutique. Sweetie turned to look at Rumble. He saw her at the corner of his eye, and he began to get worried. This is getting awkward fast. I have to say something. Anything! The moment he thought of one of his activities, a blush grew on his cheeks. Sweetie only stared at him in confusion. Can I even say this to her? I mean, it's really personal. What if she laughs at it? He mustered up all the courage he could get. He sighed and began to speak.

"I don't usually do this, but I draw stuff when I'm alone," Rumble said while he stared at the ground.

"No way! You draw?" She asked in excitement.

"Yeah, but not all the time," he said shyly.

"That's so cool! What do you draw?"

"Well, I sketch portraits of ponies. Other times, I draw out sceneries I've seen. I stay in my room, pull out a pencil and a piece of paper, and I just draw stuff."

"You're really awesome! Who do you draw?"

Rumble expected a response from her, but it didn't come. He turned to Sweetie, and saw her widened eyes looking at him with enthusiasm. Her smirk slowly grew to a jubilant smile. Should I trust her?

"Before I tell you, can you promise me to keep this a secret?" he asked.

"Why?"

"Just promise me," Rumble said with annoyance.

Knowing that she had a lot of secrets kept, Rumble grew a little relieved when he realized that Sweetie was trusted by everypony, especially her close friends. I think trusting her might be a good idea, since she's cute and all.

Wait, did I say she's cute? Never mind that.

"Okay. I promise," she said as she drew a cross on her chest and placed her hoof on her right eye. What was that about?

"Okay," he sighed and continued, "I draw our classmates."

A miniscule eternity had passed and only the clinging and clanging of their saddlebags were only heard. Sweetie was still looking at Rumble, who seemed to be blushing in embarrassment. Her smile turned to giggles, which made Rumble completely confused.

"What's so funny?"

"Is that your secret?"

"Yes. What do you think it was?"

"Well, it's that, it's really cool. I'm jealous, even. But there's no reason for that to be a secret," she explained to the red-faced Rumble.

"There is!" he yelled, and then his head hanged low.

"Then what is it?"

"I, um, don't want ponies to know that unless he's somepony special and trusted. I want to show them that I'm cool, tough, and awesome, like my big bro, but I like drawing just as much as flying. It's just, they might think that I'm an awkward colt that draws all day, and I don't want that." he explained as he looked away from Sweetie.

"That's not true. Even thou—" she was cut off. Rumble heard a thump in her direction. He turned to find out that Sweetie's head had hit a door.

"Hey! We're here!" she shouted in excitement.

Their walk had come to an end as they reached the entrance of the boutique. Sweetie placed a hoof on the knob, turned it, and the door swung. The living room came to view. The first that entered Rumble's mind was it was covered in violet. There were embellishments on every wall that ranged from simple framed pictures of ponies to more complex crystal figurines of famous icons. Curtains, which were used for showmanship, filled many parts of the room. There were mannequins on display; some were dressed in a custom dress of wide varieties. Most of them were neatly hung different racks. Those must be Rarity's finished work. I rarely go here because this place is too girly for me. The only times where I go here are when I run errands or when Rarity invites me for tea. Of course I would say no, but she would always force me to drink those things.

The pair went inside and dropped their bags beside the doorway. Rumble started to look around for the fashionista. Sweetie, looking happier than before, popped to his field of vision which startled the pegasus. She grabbed his hoof and walked to the sofa. Surprisingly, he was dragged with her. His entire lower half brushed across the purple carpet. Wow! She’s really strong! Well, either that or I’m losing weight. He decided not to question her strength. Who knows, she might be strong enough to send Rumble flying out the window.

“So, where are we going?” he asked as he started to flap his wings, gaining altitude. A second later, he was already off the ground, but his hoof was still with Sweetie. Not for long, Sweetie. His unexpected flight gave him the opportunity to release his hoof from her grip. Nonetheless, Sweetie didn't mind.

“Let’s just sit for a while. Walking really tires me,” she said when she made it to the violet sofa.

“Okay then,” he said, and then he gestured a hoof to the sofa. Sweetie complied and climbed up, one hoof after the other. When she had almost made it up, one of her hind legs was dangling. Rumble flew down to help her up. He held her hoof, and then with a light pull, she finally made it. When Sweetie sat on the cushions. He flew down the sofa and landed beside the unicorn. He noticed that he sat too close to Sweetie because his left wing was touching her right hoof. He moved a little to the right, but it seemed that Sweetie was unhappy.

“You alright, Sweetie?” Rumble asked.

“Yup,” she said, associated by a faint smile. This made Rumble to smile back.

“Hey, where’s your sister?” he asked while looking around to see if the alabaster mare was there.

“Rarity? Well, she’s upstairs, packing up her stuff,” Sweetie explained.

“Oh okay,” he said as he noticed that Sweetie moved closer to him. He moved away, only to find Sweetie moving along with him. She’s really weird.

The pair finally settled down. The whole living room was filled in silence. The subtle ticks of the clock were only heard during the awkward eternity. Rumble rested his head on the inside arm, while Sweetie Belle did the same on the inside back of the sofa. Okay, this is too awkward for me. C'mon Rumble, think. What does she like to talk about? Books? Jewelry? Oh wait, I know!

"So, any thoughts for a cutie mark?" Rumble asked, catching Sweetie off-guard.

"Oh! I-I, um, I don't know," she said bashfully.

"Why?"

"Well, I usually talk about this with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. We usually brainstorm about this, but when I'm alone, I can't think of anything but..." Sweetie's voice faded and hid her face behind her mane.

"Hm?"

She sighed and looked at Rumble.

"When I'm all by myself, I can't think of ways to earn my cutie mark. I don't have my friends to help me earn it. This always happens, you know, when my mind's completely blank. I mean, without my two best friends, I wouldn't be the same, but that made me worried," Sweetie explained as she was on the verge of tears.

Rumble heard every word and every emotion she showed. What do I do? A filly's gonna cry in front of me and I don't know what to do! Rumble thought of anything to do or to say, but couldn't find a solution. He was panicking, looking for a way to stop her from crying. He sat up and went closer to the unicorn, her ears flopped down. He looked around to see if there was something to keep the floodgates shut. Something, anything! A round of thoughts later, he had found a solution. Okay, I think I'm going to regret this. He turned to Sweetie, and did what he had to do.

He grabbed her shoulder, and wrapped his hooves around her neck. His chin rested on her shoulder, leaning on her head. Sweetie was surprised. Luckily, she stopped crying, but she couldn't move. She was frozen from the unexpected embrace. Rumble was also blushing and frozen, as he didn't know what to do next. However, talking is the best option for him, so he thought of the right words and began to speak.

"You know, I'm really soft when it comes to crying fillies," he said.

At least that's better than nothing.

A few seconds later, Sweetie, accepting his embrace, wrapped her forelegs around his waist. She calmed down afterwards, and started brushing her cheeks against his neck. Rumble noticed that she went back to her usual self, carefree and sweet.

"You don't have to hug me, Rumble," she said as she hugged him tighter.

"Then I'll let go off you no—"

"No don't!" she squeaked.

She's so cute when she squeaks.

"Okay then," Rumble said, "But you have to, you know, let go off me sooner or later."

"Oh, right," she said as they slowly broke free from their hug.

An awkward pause ensued, before Rumble suddenly thought of something.

"So, now you've calmed down, what were you saying a while ago?" he asked.

"Oh yeah. Well, what I was saying is that when I'm alone, I can't think of anything but—" she was cut off by an alabaster mare entering the living room.

"Hi Sweetie Belle! Welcome back!" she greeted her joyfully.

"Oh come on!" she shouted, throwing her hooves up high.

"Oh hi Rumble! What brings you here?" she asked, raising a brow at Rumble.

"Hi Rarity! Sweetie Belle invited me here. Is it okay?"

"Of course. Sweetie always talks about yo—" she was interrupted by Sweetie.

"Rumble, why don't we go to my room?" Sweetie, her face flushed in pink, suggested hastily.

"What for?"

"Well, um..." she said as she tapped her hooves together.

"I was just getting ready to leave for Trottingham," she said as she levitated her luggage behind her. "Maybe I should let you stay for the night with Sweetie Belle? I'm sure she might get lonely here when I'm gone," she said with a smirk on her face.

Sweetie and Rumble blushed in unison as they stared at each other. Is she serious?!

"I-Is it okay?" Rumble asked.

"Why of course! I can trust Rumbly-wumbly to watch over Sweetie while I'm gone. Besides, you have to cook for her, or better yet, you can teach her," she said in delight.

The thought of being alone in a house with another filly made Rumble blush even more. However, there was one thing bothering him: What will his parents have to say? He might be able to spend the night here if his mom and dad were aware of it. Maybe Rarity can do something about it.

"I'd love to, but Mom an—"

"You don't have to worry about them, darling. I'll tell them that you will be staying at Carousel Boutique for the weekend before I catch the train," she explained nonchalantly.

"Really? Thanks Rarity," he said in high spirits, then noticed something odd. "Wait, did you say 'for the weekend'?" he asked to clarify.

"Yes, for the weekend. I'll see you soon," she said in a sing-song tone as she opened the door and left the boutique.

The room fell silent for the second time. The ponies remained were Rumble and Sweetie Belle. He noticed that the alabaster filly was nowhere to be found. He looked around the living room. He checked behind the sofa, the mannequins, the curtains, everywhere, but still no Sweetie. If I were Sweetie, where would I be?

He found himself in front of a set of stairs. He looked at the top of the stairs and saw a pale rose lock of hair. That must be Sweetie's tail. He climbed up, and saw the unicorn. She turned to Rumble with a smile of bliss. I guess she heard the news, and she probably took it well.

"So, have you heard?" Rumble asked.

"Yup."

"Are you okay with it?"

"Absolutely," Sweetie said.

A few seconds passed, a loud grumble was heard by Rumble. At first, he thought it came from him, but it turned out it was Sweetie's stomach. She was embarrassed, so she quickly turned about-face. Rumble giggled at the sight, which made her to giggle afterwards.

"Wanna grab something to eat?" Rumble asked between giggles.

"Sure."

The pair, shoulder to shoulder, went down the stairs as they continued to enjoy each other's company, prepared for the night of surprises and tender moments ahead.

Author's Note

Rarity sure likes RumBelle!
If you want to see Sweetie Belle cook, let me know. I will gladly write that for you.

Tell me what you think. Comments, Suggestions or Requests are welcome!

As always, hope you enjoyed it!

Learn Something New

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 3: Learn Something New

The sun had set and nightfall replaced the sunset's orange hue with a deep blue hue. The pair had gone down the stairs and went back to the sofa. Rumble sat beside the right arm, and Sweetie was next to him. Moments later, Carousel Boutique went silent as an awkward atmosphere filled the living room, affecting the foals inside. Rumble sat on the sofa, looked through the window, only to see nothing but caliginosity. Sweetie sat beside him in silence, anxiously waiting for a response from the pegasus. He also waited for the filly to break the deafening silence, but it seemed that it will never come. He turned his attention back to the boutique and to Sweetie. He saw her ears perk up as he stared at her hooves, drawing what seemed like a heart.

A few more moments had passed, then Rumble's stomach grumbled. I forgot I'm hungry. Maybe I'll cook something for me and Sweetie.

"Hey Sweetie," Rumble called.

"Y-Yes?" Sweetie asked as she folded her hooves close to her chin.

"I, um, what do want for dinner?"

A blank expression was on Sweetie's face. Moments later, she said, "Oh no. I'll cook for us. You are my guest after all."

"Are you sure? I mean, I hate to see a filly do all the work."

"It's okay. Besides, I'm doing this for you," she said. A smile appeared on her face as she slightly tilted her head. Oh Luna, she's so cute.

"Well, okay then. How could I say 'no' to that adorable face of yours?" Rumble complimented, causing Sweetie to blush madly. Confused on her reaction, he thought back to what he said. Wait, did I just say she has an adorable face? He stared at Sweetie, who was having a hard time staring back. He leaned closer to the unicorn, but the filly didn't react. He examined her face to see if what he said was true. He saw her eyes widen the moment he went closer. Her blush grew the more as he continued to stare. She concealed her blush by hiding in her mane, but to no avail. Rumble watched her hide in her mane, which made him blush. I guess it's true. She is adorable.

"You're cute," Rumble said absentmindedly, assuming what he said was only in his thoughts.

"Eh?" Sweetie asked, blushing even more.

"What did I say?"

"Th-that I'm cute?" she answered, squeaking at the end.

Did I really say that out loud?! What should I do? What can I say? Rumble thought for a moment, then quickly had a conclusion.

"Oh. Well you are," he declared.

Sweetie, looking surprised, stared at Rumble for a few minutes.

"Um, thanks?"

"Don't mention it."

Rumble leaned back to his place and stared back to the window. As he gazed into the window, he noticed at the corner of his eye the unicorn staring at him. His mind returned to the boutique afterwards by the voice of the filly.

"So, I'll start cooking now," she said, pointing at the kitchen.

"Sure, I guess," Rumble said.

Sweetie smiled then jumped down the sofa. Rumble followed suit, only to find Sweetie stopping him in his tracks. She turned to him and placed a hoof at his chest.

"Oh no you don't! You get back on that sofa and be cool while I cook us dinner," Sweetie commanded.

"But I wanna help," Rumble whined.

"No, I'll do it myself," she said.

Rumble and Sweetie stared at each other for a moment, frozen by the fact that the pegasus is worried about her. I don't wanna make her feel I'm useless and all, but she's insisting me to just sit on the couch. Oh, I know! If she gets into trouble or if she needs my help, then I'll rush to her side in a flash. That way, I won't feel useless. It's perfect!

"Okay then," he said, finally giving in.

"Great! Now just sit there and be cool," she said, pointing at the sofa.

"Okay," he said as he complied with her orders.

* * * *

Ten minutes had passed. Rumble had been lying down on the sofa before then. Occasionally, he would glance through the kitchen door, to see the utterly terrifying chaos she had caused just a few minutes earlier. Not only did she turn the oven into a hazardous smoke machine, she even set the kitchen sink ablaze. How can she turn a kitchen upside down in three minutes? This made Rumble feel uneasy knowing that his stomach might be on the line. Sweetie said to stay put, but it looks like she really needs help. He heard a small explosion from the oven, light flashing in the kitchen.

Then he heard a scream.

Rumble opened his wings. With a powerful flap, he was lifted to the air. He dove to the kitchen until he was inches above the floor. Seconds later, he found himself standing in the middle of the bedlam that was once the kitchen. Smoke was what he could see. Afterwards, it started to fill his nose and his eyes began to tear up. He covered a hoof on his muzzle, and then he continued his search. Sweetie, where are you?

"Sweetie!" Rumble yelled.

"Rumble! Help!" Sweetie yelled back.

"Where are you?"

"I-I *cough* I'm under *wheeze* the table," she said as her voice slowly faded.

Oh no. I'd better make it quick.

Rumble began to flutter his wings as he trotted around the room. Fanning the smoke with her wings was not a practical approach, but it worked wonderfully. At least I can see things two feet away from me. He kept a close eye, hoping to find Sweetie as fast as he can. He whipped his head in different directions, looking for a sign of her. A few seconds had passed, and he found a wooden leg. This must be the table where she is. He found the other legs and the filly in distress.

He saw Sweetie Belle, curled up in a ball. She was head over hooves covered in soot. Her alabaster coat turned pale grey. Her pink and purple mane and tail seemed to have lost their vibrancy. Her eyes were tightly shut with tears flowing down her cheeks. She was whimpering in fear, whispering something only she could understand.

Without hesitation, Rumble picked her up with ease. She's pretty light. Pretty and light! He carried her with her hind legs on his left hoof and her back on his right hoof. Her forelegs were wrapped around Rumble. Then she leaned on his shoulder, but her eyes were still shut.

He fluttered his wings, and then he flew out of the kitchen with no time to waste. Afterwards, he landed on the sofa, and then laid her there, her head resting on the arm. Rumble sat beside her, holding her hoof. I think it's a good time to let her know I really care for her. Sweetie let out a series of dry coughs before she opened her eyes, meeting with his own. He started to brush the soot out of the filly. Sweetie, on the other hand, remained still.

"What happened, Sweetie?" Rumble asked as he took out the soot from her mane.

"I-I..." she stuttered, an anxious look on her face.

Rumble continued to clean her until she was back to her normal color. He smiled when he saw the filly was void of smut, but turned to a frown after he saw the worried look on her face. She must be worried about what I might say to her.

He opened his mouth, and he saw her forelegs in front of her face. He smiled, and then gently put her hooves down.

"Hey Sweetie, it's alright. It's not your fault," Rumble said as he placed his hoof on her cheek. Sweetie held his hoof afterwards. She's so soft. I've never knew a filly is this soft.

"But..."

"It's alright, as long as you're safe. We'll clean up later," he said, a faint smile on his face.

Sweetie smiled, and then pulled him in for a hug. Her mane brushed against his ear. Her forelegs were tightly wrapped around his neck. Seconds later, Rumble accepted it and wrapped his forelegs around her chest. Surprisingly, Sweetie giggled when his hooves touched her body.

"What's so funny?" Rumble happily asked.

"You should've probably noticed that I'm really ticklish," Sweetie said.

The pair broke free from their hug. Rumble saw almost half of Sweetie Belle was covered in soot. Don't tell me I was dirty, too?

"Um, Sweetie?"

"Yes?"

"You got a little something on you," he said as pointed at the spots covered in the residue.

"Never mind that. We'll clean it up later," Sweetie said.

"Oh okay the— " Rumble stopped as a thought came into his head. "Did you say 'we'?"

"Yup."

Rumble's face was flushed pure red, with no idea what to say.

"Why? Do you trust me?" Sweetie asked as she pouted.

"O-Of course I do."

"Then there's no problem with bathing together, right?" she asked with a smile.

"Um, I think that's beyond trust," he said as he placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"Oh," she trailed off while she drew hearts on the sofa.

"Anyway, should I cook for us?" he suggested. I don't want another awkward atmosphere.

"No. But I have an idea."

* * * *

The pair decided to cook for each other. The kitchen was filled with chaos yet again, but a different kind this time. This is organized chaos, where harmony was at its minimum but still maintaining order such that everypony knew what they need and where they placed it. Well, at least Rumble knew what he was doing. He planned on making cream of wild mushroom soup; because that was the only recipe he learned to cook on his own. He knew it by heart, so he started with ease. He would take occasional glances at Sweetie, who seemed to be making scrambled eggs for Rumble. I hope we survive before I could even taste them.

After a half hour in the kitchen, Rumble, with a faint smile, had made soup for three. I made extra in case she wants more. Wait, since when did I like cooking so much? Sure I find cooking fun, but when did I get so worked up over soup? He turned to gaze at Sweetie, who is also done with her dish. I don't think she was making scrambled eggs for me.

"Looks like we're done," Rumble declared. Sweetie smiled back in response.

"Now for a spoon," he said to himself as he reached for a spoon on the counter. He thought he had found it, so he held it.

Wait, spoons aren't soft.

Rumble turned to see what it was, only to see Sweetie's hoof in his grasp. She seemed to be reaching for the same spoon. His gaze went up from their hooves to her face. Her face was flushed in red and her eyes widened as they met with his. Moments later, they pulled their hooves close to their chest simultaneously.

"Oh! Do you want this spoon?" Sweetie asked politely.

"Um, I want it, but it's fine if you want it though," Rumble said, scratching his head.

"O-Okay then," she said then slowly grabbed the spoon afterwards.

Rumble, holding a bowl of soup, flew to the vacant chair. On the other hand, Sweetie held the plate with her mouth and trotted to the other vacant seat. Moments later, they finally settled down.

"So, do we switch now?" Sweetie asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Rumble replied.

And so, the pair started to exchange dishes. Rumble, trying not to spill the soup, slowly pushed it across the table. Sweetie did the same. He stared at her dish with both curiosity and anxiety.

What seemed like a pile of grey mush covered in ash was actually scrambled eggs. He examined every bit of detail, delaying what he must do. Should I ask her? It might hurt her feelings if I say the wrong thing.

"Um, Sweetie?" Rumble asked Sweetie, who was indulging in his cream of wild mushroom soup.

"Mmhmm?" she asked with a full mouth.

"This is scrambled eggs, right?" he asked, pointing at the indescribable plate of Celestia knows what.

"Mmhmm," she nodded. She's so cute!

"Okay. Just checking," he said as he turned his attention back to the plate.

Should I eat it? If I do, then I might die of food poisoning and Sweetie would be responsible. If I don't, then I might hurt her feelings and might not talk to me ever again for the rest of my life. What should I pick?

I guess trying it won't hurt. Besides, I'll never know what it tastes like if I don't eat it.

Rumble cut a part of the 'scrambled eggs', and held it with a spoon. He slowly raised it to his mouth. Regretting what he will do, he opened his mouth and hoped to Celestia he stays alive after this.

He was sweating bullets while frozen in his state. Seconds later, he shoved the spoon in his mouth.

The last thing he felt was a hard lump making its way down his throat before everything went black.

Author's Note

If he did survive that bite, how will he survive the rest of the meal?

Tell me what you think. Comments, Suggestions or Requests are welcome!
As always, hope you enjoyed it!

By Her Side

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 4: By Her Side

Where am I?

Rumble was conscious. He realized he can't see anything but darkness. He felt a sharp and intense pain on the back of his head, then a soft and comfortable sensation all over the rest of his body. It felt like he was lying on a cloud, but he wasn't. There was the absence of the cool breeze blowing across his mane and coat. There was also silence, void of any of nature's symphonies, save for the tiny breaths of a pony.

What happened? The last thing I remembered was a sweet and crispy taste, then something really bad.

Rumble stretched his forelegs and opened his eyes. What he first saw was a dim ray of light from the window. He turned to the left, only to see the moonlight from a full moon. He turned the other way, and saw Sweetie Belle sitting beside him. The sight made his heart drop.

Sweetie's head hanged low. Her ears were dropped and her eyes were tightly shut. A river of tears was seen on her left cheek. She sniffed a few times, then continued to cry again. Her hooves would wipe her tears every now and then. Poor Sweetie Belle. Does she know that I've woken up?

He stared at her for a few seconds more before he heard something from her.

"I c-can't do anything right. I'm s-such a useless blank flank. He c-can't like a filly like me," she whispered, and then burst to tears once more.

The melancholic atmosphere filled the room, which made him feel even worse. I really don't want to see fillies cry. A crying Sweetie Belle is one I would never want to see. She's adorable when she's happy and full of energy, but when she's in tears...

...all I can do is cheer her up. Nothing else. What if I... no. I can't do that to a filly I haven't known much.

He placed a hoof on hers. Surprised, Sweetie opened her eyes and looked to Rumble. He held her chin up to face her. He wiped her tears and placed his hoof on her shoulder. Sweetie, on the other hand, still had a frown on her face. She couldn't move, which made Rumble worry.

"Why were you crying?" he asked with concern.

"Um..." her voice trailed off as she held his hoof.

"I'm sorry, *sniff* Rumble," she continued. She leaned her head on the colt's chest. He rested his hoof on her mane. I think this is one way of comforting her. I hope this isn't too awkward for her.

"It's alright, Sweetie Belle. Just don't cry anymore. I don't like to see a cute filly like you crying," he said, nuzzling her mane.

"Um, okay," she said, a faint smile on her face.

I think it worked!

"Now, please tell me why were you crying," he requested.

"Sure," she said.

She buried her face on his chest. Rumble didn't mind, even though her slight movements were ticklish. Her tiny breaths made him on the verge of laughter. Few seconds later, she pulled her head up and began to speak.

"When I saw you pass out, I panicked. I thought my scrambled eggs poisoned you or something. I tried to call somepony for help, but no one came. Luckily, Twilight was passing by the boutique. I called her, saying it's an emergency. She rushed in and I told her you passed out from eating the eggs. After a short while, she found out that you had an allergic reaction. Fortunately, she had just learned a spell that can treat allergies. Talk about coincidences, right? Then she told me to let you rest so you can recover. I decided to carry you to my bedroom," she explained.

"Then why were you crying?" he said in a flat tone.

"Well... I sorta blamed myself for all this. I will never forgive myself if anypony was hurt, or worse, because of me," she said on the brink of crying.

Rumble pulled her in for a hug. Come on, don't cry again. Seconds later, Sweetie wrapped her hooves around his waist and calmed down afterwards.

"What was in those eggs?" he asked.

"Well, there were salt, pepper, peanuts and some chives."

"Did you say peanuts?"

"Yeah. I thought adding it would taste better. Why?"

"I'm allergic to peanuts," he concluded.

"Oh! That explains you passing out. You would've told me earlier," she said.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry."

"It's alright. As long as you're here by my side."

The pair sat still, enjoying their company. Sweetie rubbed her cheek against his own. Rumble seemed to be enjoying it, since he didn't react violently when she started. Moments later, Rumble rested his head on the pillow, bringing the unicorn with him. He tried to push her off, since her grip was too tight for him to breathe.

"I-I c-can't..." he stuttered.

"Oh, sorry," she released her grip on Rumble.

She rolled and landed on his right side. Rumble stared at the ceiling, thinking of what to say next. Sweetie continued to stare at him. A short eternity had passed, and Rumble finally turned to face the filly. The moment he did, his muzzle was met by her lips. He was surprised as his eyes widened and his face blushed madly. His wings acted on their own and popped open. Moments later, she pulled back to see him as red as an apple and giggled.

"Oh Rumble, why did you turn? I was aiming for your cheek," she pouted.

"I-I um..." he stammered.

Before he could finish, Sweetie poked his muzzle.

"Boop!" she squeaked.

"Hey! Why'd you do that for?" he cried out.

"Oh nothing. You just look so adorable," she cooed.

"I'm not adorable!" he yelled, hiding his face behind a pillow.

Seconds later, they started giggling. Rumble placed his pillow back and rested his head on it. After a minute or so, the laughter subsided. They stared at each other, until Sweetie yawned, with Rumble yawning afterwards.

"You ready to sleep?"

"Yup. I'm pretty tired. Oh! We have to go to the clubhouse tomorrow so we can start our project," she said.

"Then we should get there early. The earlier we finish, the more time we can have for fun."

"Right."

Rumble pulled out the sheets from under and blanketed them, save for their heads. Rumble gazed at the familiar ceiling, waiting to fall asleep. Sweetie moved closer to him and whispered.

"Your soup was delicious."

Soon after, he began to hear faint snores. He turned to face her, who was sound asleep. She slept while leaning towards him; her muzzle was inches away from his ear. Her face looked innocent and gentle. Her forelegs were folded close to her. Rumble could feel her hind legs gingerly poking his own.

This is my first night with a filly. I'm... really lucky. I mean, Sweetie Belle is the first filly whom I spent the night with. When I first saw her, I thought she's the sensitive and shy type. But when I saw her with her friends, it turned out that I was wrong. Honestly, I don't know her much, but there's something we both have in common that I just don't see. Maybe the fact that we both don't have our cutie marks yet? We're both little siblings? I don't think those were the right things. Maybe I'll find out soon enough.

One thing's for sure, though. She can't cook that well. I think I'll teach her, like what Rarity said.

He ended with his train of thought and turned to his side. He stared at the moon until he slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * * *

Rumble opened his eyes and found himself sitting under a shady apple tree in the middle of a vast blanket of velvet green grass under the clear sky. The branches swayed in time as the pleasant breeze blew across the field. He stared at the sky, admiring the perfect shade of blue above him. Afterwards, he felt a familiar sensation on his right side. He turned to see a filly, but it wasn't anypony he knew.

She was grey in color and her mane was long, straight and black like the midnight sky. She was cuddling him like a teddy bear. Her right hind leg was resting on top of his and her right foreleg was lovingly wrapped around his chest. She was staring at Rumble with a bashful smile on her face. Seconds later, he realized his right foreleg was wrapped around her. Where am I? Who is she? Where's the boutique?

"Good morning, Rumble," she greeted. Her voice was smooth, as though it was silk, but sounded strange at the same time. It was like she wasn't exactly a filly, nor a pony. It was something else.

"Where are we? Who are you? How'd you know my name?" he asked.

"I don't really know, and I don't care as long as I'm with you," she cooed.

Okay, this is weird.

"Rumble?" she called.

"Hm?"

"Do you love me?" she asked as her tangerine eyes were locked on Rumble.

"What?!"

"I said, 'do you love me'?" she repeated.

"I-I um..." he stuttered.

Why would she ask that out of the blue?

"You don't love me?" she asked.

"Y-you I n-no, I..." he continued to tumble in his words.

"You hate me, don't you?!" she released Rumble from her embrace and stood up. Her eyes were tearing up as she stared at him.

He was speechless and frozen at the same time. He wouldn't dare to move as her eyes bled and dripped down her cheeks. Her legs started to bend outwards. Soon, it turned to legs reminiscent to a spider. She went closer to Rumble, step by step. He crawled away from her, and then stood up. He began to run away, as her legs grew taller and more slender. The more he ran further from it, the more the grass turned to tar. He struggled to keep distance from it, but one of his hooves were stuck. Soon enough, all of his hooves were completely stuck to the tar. Rumble tried to pull them out, but to no avail.

After a moment of struggling, his hooves were deep into the ground. He fluttered his wings as a last resort, but it was useless. He had nothing else to do to escape. The spider-like monster ran towards Rumble at an unreal pace. There's no reason to struggle anymore.

Seconds later, his body was buried to the puddle of tar, save for his head. The grotesque creature entered his vision, startling him with its dreadful smile.

"There is no escape," it whispered.

* * * *

"GAH!"

Rumble opened his eyes and quickly sat up. He was in cold sweat and his heart was racing. It's just a bad dream, no, a creepy nightmare. He looked around the bedroom, only to find that it was not his. Oh right. I'm in Sweetie Belle's room. He turned to look at Sweetie. She was sound asleep with her hooves wrapped around her pillow. A faint smile was on her face. He turned his attention back to the room. He saw the rays of the sun shining through the window. It must be morning. He looked at the wall clock in front of him. It's quarter to seven. She's still asleep. Should I wake her up? Nah. I'll just make some breakfast before she does.

The thought of eating another plate of burnt eggs made him cringe. He decided to cook for the both of them. He slowly got out of bed. Being light on his hooves, he walked with minimal noise. He made his way towards the door, turned the knob and carefully opened it. On his way out, he looked back to the bedroom. He saw Sweetie Belle nuzzling her pillow. I wonder what she's dreaming about?

He slowly closed the door and made his way down the stairs and to the kitchen. He thought of a delectable dish to start the day with. A moment of contemplation later, he decided to cook pancakes for them. Just a short stack of pancakes topped off with a generous serving of cinnamon apple syrup. He flew up to the cupboards and opened them. He searched for the ingredients. Luckily, everything he needed was there, even the cinnamon apple syrup.

"Alright, let's get cooking," Rumble said to himself as he grabbed a small bag of flour and a few eggs.

He flew down and landed on a chair in front of the counter. As he poured the flour and cracked a couple eggs, his mind was filled with questions. Who was that in my dream? I haven't seen her before. What was my nightmare even about? Maybe it has something to do with my allergies? Or maybe because of what happened last night? He continued to dwell in his thoughts while he adds a cup of sugar and a teaspoon of butter into the large bowl. After he had put all the ingredients in the bowl and mixed them thoroughly, he grabbed a pan and placed it on top of the stove. He turned it on, and then a blue flower of fire appeared below the pan. He put a small portion of butter on the pan. After a few seconds, the butter completely melted and were spread throughout the surface. He grabbed a ladle and scooped enough batter from the bowl and poured it on the pan.

While he was busy waiting for the batter to cook, he heard a voice from upstairs. It looks like she's awake.

"Rumble? Where are you?" Sweetie asked with concern.

"'I'm in the kitchen," Rumble yelled in response.

He heard a set of hooves making their way to said kitchen. He turned to see Sweetie Belle. She had a worried look on her face and a white blanket on her back. Why does she still have the blanket?

"Good morning, Sweetie Belle!" Rumble greeted.

"Good morning," she said flatly.

"What's wrong?"

"It's that... you didn't wake me up?" she asked as she went closer to him.

"I didn't, but it's not that I don't want to! I just don't want to disturb you and all," he explained while he rubbed his foreleg.

"Oh, okay."

Sweetie Belle sat on a chair by the dining table with an innocent smile on her face. She stared at Rumble as he continued to cook. Feeling a little concerned, he glanced at her occasionally, only to see her still staring at him. I think she wants to cook for me. He turned to the unicorn who had a tiny smile on her face.

"Um, Sweets?"

"Hm?"

"Do you, um, wanna help?"

"I'd love to!" she squeaked.

She jumped out off the chair and trotted to him with a spring on every step. Moments later Rumble flew down of the chair to face her eye to eye.

"Great! You can start by pouring flour into a bowl," he said.

"Okay!"

Moments later, Sweetie Belle started to do what she was told. Rumble continued to flip pancakes skillfully. She stared at him, mesmerized by Rumble and his pancake flips. Seeing her blatantly gawking at him, he smiled at her and went back to work. Sweetie blushed madly and continued her task.

After a few minutes, he was done with a stack of pancakes on a plate. He turned to Sweetie, who seemed to have started cooking. It's a good thing she knows how to cook pancakes, since she didn't ask me anythi— Sweetie Belle turned the knob on the stove too much. It let out a huge fire underneath the pan. That's not good.

Rumble flew to the stove and turned the knob the other way. He looked at the fire and saw it was blue and stable. He turned to Sweetie and said, "You might not want to turn it up too high. Otherwise, all your food might get burnt to a crisp."

"Oh! So that's where I went wrong," she said, placing a hoof on her cheek.

"Yeah. You better be careful with the stove next time. Okay?"

"Got it."

* * * *

Rumble and Sweetie Belle had finished their breakfast. Both of them were satisfied, especially Sweetie. She seemed to enjoy everything Rumble cooks, which made him curious. A moment later, he shrugged it off, seeing as there was no need to be bothered about it. She just likes my cooking. That's all. Now what did she say last night about my soup? He looked back to what she said before she went to sleep. "Your soup was delicious." That's what she said, right? I should thank her.

Rumble looked at Sweetie across the table. She looked really happy, which somehow warmed his heart a little.

"Sweetie Belle?" he called.

"Yes, Rumble?"

"I-I want to thank you, a-about what you said last night," he stuttered. Why am I so nervous?

"You're welcome," she said as tiny blushes formed on her cheeks.

Rumble forgot about his nightmare when he saw the filly's smile. Maybe what I needed was a smile, and I think she needs a pony to smile with. Well, if there's nopony with her, I'd be happy to be by her side.

It feels like I don't want to leave her.

Author's Note

Are you guys okay with couple of italicized paragraphs?

Anyway, next up is Rumble's time with Apple Bloom. Could she convince him into liking her?

I Wasn't Ready!

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 5: I Wasn't Ready!

Rumble was on the sofa, with Sweetie Belle beside her, not that he wanted her to be with him though. Sweetie always went beside him ever since Rarity left. Not only that, there was last night's episode. Rumble tried to forget that, but something inside him said otherwise. Whether he has feelings for her or not, he kept it to himself. He was unsure what his heart was telling him. However, his mind was focused on two things: finishing the project before the weekend ends, and keeping Sweetie away from any kitchen. Why am I concerned about her, anyway? Just because I'm staying with her doesn't mean I have to take care of her.

"I can trust Rumbly-wumbly to watch over Sweetie while I'm gone." Rarity's voice echoed in his head.

Oh, right.

Moments of staring at the sky had passed, and then he turned to Sweetie, who looked like she was in bliss. He noticed a warm feeling on his hoof. He looked at it and saw an alabaster hoof gingerly holding his own. He looked up, and felt his muzzle on contact by hers.

"Boop!" she squeaked.

"What?" he flatly asked as he madly blushed.

"Oh nothing," she said in a sing-song tone.

"And why use your muzzle?" he touched her muzzle. She scrunched her face afterwards.

"I just want to try out a different one this time," she said as she hid behind her mane.

"Oh Sweetie, when can you stop being cute?" he mused, assuming that he kept it in his thoughts.

"I-I um... I can stop if you want," she tapped her hooves. What did I say? Oh, I did it again, didn't I? Well, I can't take it back now. Just roll with it, Rumble.

"No no no no no! Don't stop! I like you this way," he said, blushing even more. I can't believe what I'm saying right now.

"R-Really? You l-like me?" she asked, tripping in her words.

"I-I uh... Should we be meeting Apple Bloom and Scootaloo today?" he turned away to stare at through the window.

"Oh right! I almost forgot!" she cried.

Sweetie Belle jumped out of the sofa and trotted her way upstairs. The pegasus watched as she disappeared out of sight. Silence encompassed the living room, causing a calming atmosphere. Rumble drew circles with his hoof to pass the time. His ears would perk at the faintest sound and his mane would sway at the weakest blow of wind. I could get used to moments like this.

After being deep in thought, he heard hoofsteps from the floor above him. He ignored them and continued to draw circles. Seconds later, he heard a door open and saw Sweetie Belle trotting down the stairs and towards the door. She had a couple of saddlebags rested on her sides. It seems that she only brought a few things.

"Well, what're you waiting for?" she asked as she held the doorknob.

"Just you," he replied as he flew out of the sofa and landed beside her.

* * * *

The morning sun shone down Ponyville bright as usual. Rumble shaded his eyes with a hoof as he walked with Sweetie across the placid streets. He could hear the branches swaying in time and the joyful chirps of birds around him. He would hear these every morning that he got used to it. However, he never grew tired of it. Just listening to them brought a smile to his face. He would gladly close his eyes and let his mind fly, but he needs to know where he was going.

"You seem really happy today," Sweetie mused.

"It's a lovely day! Who wouldn't be?" the pegasus replied.

The foals continued to walk side-by-side through the cobblestone road. None of them talked, let alone broke the silence between them. They looked away from each other; Rumble continued to marvel at the beauty of nature. As for Sweetie, her reasons were unknown. They would pass by familiar ponies and friends of theirs. Most of the time, they would just ignore them. However, they weren't in a rush so they had the time to greet them. Sweetie would gladly say 'hello' to everyone, but it seemed that she had something in her mind. Rumble glanced at her, trying to read her emotions. Seconds later, she noticed his curious stare. The filly blushed furiously and turned away afterwards. Is she like this all the time?

After a full minute of pondering, he ignored it and continued to gaze at everything. He saw the Golden Oaks Library, which seemed empty. He searched for the princess inside, but what he found was her assistant sweeping the grounds. He waved at Spike, and the dragon waved back. Afterwards, his attention drifted to other places, like the enormous gingerbread house known as Sugarcube Corner. He saw the pink party pony by the entrance, who seemed to be carrying Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake on her back.

Minutes later, they found themselves at the front of the Sweet Apple Acres. Rumble looked at Sweetie who had a bright beam on her face. The wind blew towards them. Rumble took the chance and smelled the breeze. Apples, obviously. He looked up and saw a sign with an apple-shaped hole. He looked around in search for anyone of the Apple family. He spotted a yellow figure in the distance. That must be Apple Bloom.

The farm filly waved at the visitors. Sweetie Belle waved back, and then trotted her way towards her. Rumble followed suit while he continued to look at the apple trees surrounding them. The grass brushed against his hooves, which made him realize something. Why am I walking when I can fly?

Moments later, his question faded in the vast field of thoughts in his mind. He shrugged and turned his attention at the white filly in front. As he stared at the pink and purple tail swaying before him like a pendulum, his mind brought up another question.

"Sweetie Belle?" he called the unicorn, who turned her head to face Rumble.

"Hm?"

"Why does your tail sway much more than others do?" he asked, pointing at her tail.

Her pupils dilated, and then her cheeks turned pink. She slowed down until she was on his left side.

"Well, I don't know. I didn't even notice," she explained.

"Howdy!" a filly's voice came. That must be Apple Bloom.

The pair turned to the yellow pony. Sweetie waved at her best friend, in which she did as well. Rumble also waved at her, but Apple Bloom blushed lightly and turned away afterwards. Geez, is every filly like this?!

"Um, h-howdy, Rumble," Apple Bloom stuttered as she drew tiny ovals on the dirt.

A moment of silence ensued, only the sound of dancing branches were heard. From the direction of the huge red barn, a set of hoofsteps galloped towards the foals. Rumble looked around, to see an orange pony with a yellow mane and a cowboy hat on top of it. And she must be Applejack.

The farm pony neared her way fast. As soon as she was a few meters away from them, she hopped and stomped her hooves to the ground, resulting to a quick stop. She whipped her mane and crossed her forelegs, a modest smile on her face.

"Hi Applejack!" Sweetie yelled as she waved her hoof for the third time.

"Hi there, Sweetie Belle. And who's this lil fella here?" Applejack asked.

"I-I'm Rumble," he shyly said.

"Well howdy, Rumble. You must be that colt my sis here's been talkin' about." She gave a light nudge to Apple Bloom, who has cheeks redder than any of the apples in the orchard.

"You must be Apple Bloom's coltfriend!" she uttered. As if on unison, all the foals gave a surprised look at the orange mare. However, she still has a smile on her face, not realizing what she just said. Seconds later, her smile faded.

"Somethin' the matter?" Applejack asked.

"Apple Bloom's not my fillyfriend!" Rumble cried with his face flushed pure red.

"And he's not mah coltfriend yet!"

Her voice echoed throughout the farm. Seconds later, the wind stopped blowing, resulting to an eerie yet familiar silence. The ponies continued to stare at the yellow filly. Rumble realized what she just said, and it bothers him.

"Yet?" Rumble raised a brow.

Her eyes dilated and her bow flopped down as she realized what she said before. Seconds later, her face turned even redder. She's kinda cute when she's embarrassed. Sweetie Belle placed a hoof on her mouth, trying to either hide her blush or her laughter. Applejack, on the other hand, stared blankly at the trio of foals.

"Uh I no... maybe... not yet, but oh look! Ah think Bessie's gonna do a flip!" Apple Bloom yelled, pointing to a spot near the barn. The rest turned to see where she pointed, only to see nothing. Realizing that they couldn't see anything special, they turned back to her, but they couldn't see the earth filly in her place. They found her far away from them.

"Ah wasn't ready!" Apple Bloom cried out as she galloped away from the group.

"Ready for what?" Sweetie asked.

"I dunno," Applejack answered.

"Wait, who's Bessie?" Rumble asked.

"She's the family cow. She likes Apple Bloom really much, especially when she gives her a bath," Applejack explained.

"Should we go after her?" Rumble asked the alabaster unicorn beside him.

"I guess. She's even headed to the clubhouse, so there's no need to go look for her," she answered.

Rumble turned to Applejack and said, "Well, we should be going now."

"Well okay then, sugarcube. Don't run too far off the orchard."

"Don't worry, we won't," he said as they parted ways.

Sweetie and Rumble continued to walk on the trail, which seemed to be walked on every day. He could spot hoofprints on the dirt, both tiny as his and large like that of a stallion. I bet every day in the farm is tiring.

"Hey, Rumble?" the unicorn filly asked.

He turned his head, and saw a huge grin on her face.

"What do you think of Apple Bloom?"

"I think she's really silly," he said.

"Well, she's not always like that."

"I find it hard to believe," he finished flatly.

As they continued to make their way into the clubhouse, he followed Sweetie Belle since has no idea what their clubhouse looked like. He listened to the chirping of birds, the clucking of chickens and the clopping of three sets of hooves. Wait, three? Moments later, he felt something heavy on his back. It was as heavy as a filly, but lighter. He felt the figure lean on his head, and then he saw nothing but black even though he could still feel the dirt and hear the birds.

"Guess who?" a voice said in a sing song tone.

"Featherweight?"

"No."

"Archer?"

"Who?"

"Wait, Dinky?"

"You're not even close!"

Rumble could hear Sweetie Belle giggle loudly. He started to find for clues. He realized the voice was high-pitched, like that to a normal filly. Okay at least I know it's a she. What he knew next was the softness of the hooves covering his eyes.

"You have really soft hooves, and cold too," he uttered.

Rumble carried on with his search. He sniffed the air, and caught the smell of oranges. Wait, there are no oranges in Sweet Apple Acres. Orange, orange...

"Scootaloo?"

"Ding ding ding ding ding!" she yelled, mimicking the sound of a bell being struck repeatedly.

Seconds later, he could see again. He found himself in front of the clubhouse. He stopped and saw Apple Bloom still blushing with Sweetie on her side. Scootaloo, on the other hand, was still on his back. He wanted to get her off of him, but there's a side of him that doesn't. Let's just keep her there.

"Now that everypony's here, we should get star—"

"Hold it, Rumble! We need to give you a tour of the clubhouse before this project thing," Sweetie cut him off.

"But..."

He looked at the fillies, who seemed to have their widened eyes locked on his. I can't let them down. I don't want the one from last night happen again. Besides, the earlier we do it, the earlier we finish!

"Fine," he said in conclusion with a defeated sigh.

The Clubhouse

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 6: The Clubhouse

The hooves of three foals clopped on the wooden ramp leading to a small house on a tree. As the saddlebags of the white filly thumped against her flank, Sweetie Belle looked towards Rumble. He glanced back, then turned to Apple Bloom. He turned his head and saw Scootaloo. They stopped in front of the oak door of the clubhouse. Seconds later, his attention went back to Sweetie. He stared at the white saddlebags hanging on her back. Why is she the only one wearing saddlebags?

"Hey Rumble!" Scootaloo called from behind him.

"Hm?" he asked as he turned to the orange filly who was still on his back.

"You're good at flying, right?" she asked.

"I guess so. Why?"

"Well, i-it's that I'm not really good at it a-and I really want to fly..." she stumbled on her words.

"C-can you teach me?" she continued.

"How to fly?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she nodded with enthusiasm.

Why can't she fly, anyway? I mean, she's not too heavy or anything. Hay, Snowflake shouldn't be able to fly! But he did, even though he has a huge body and small wings. I think, no, I know she can fly. Maybe she's doing it wrong. I think a little guidance might lift her up.

"Okay."

"Really?" she cried out.

Rumble nodded in agreement. As he did, her eyes grew wide and her cheeks turned red. She raised her forelegs high up, and then she wrapped it around his neck.

"Ohgoshthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" she yelled as she hugged him tightly. She rubbed her cheeks against his dark grey mane. She leaned closer until her belly was rested on his nape. Suddenly, a pair of wings popped open. These weren't Scootaloo's, but the colt under her. Rumble's eyes shrank and his cheeks were flushed red. The two other fillies were having mixed feelings at the sight, both in happiness and jealousy.

"I-I um, Scootaloo?"

"Hm?"

"Could you... um, y'know, let go of me?" Rumble stuttered.

"Nope!" she uttered gleefully.

"C'mon Scoots! Let go of him! Ya'll hoggin' Rumble!" Apple Bloom cried out.

"Yeah Scootaloo. Let go of hi— what did you just say?" Sweetie Belle yelled.

Rumble stared at Apple Bloom. She stared at the ground, trying to hide her eyes from him. A pure red blush grew on her face. How come I didn't notice how cute she is and what am I talking about?! Since when did I start seeing cute fillies? He saw the doorknob, and as he reached for it, he felt something warm. It's another hoof, isn't it? He saw a white hoof on his grasp. She gasped and pulled back as quick as she can.

"Rumble, you're our guest. Let us take care of this," Scootaloo said as she messed his mane with a hoof.

"Yeah. Besides, it's your first time at the clubhouse. We figured we should show you what we do," Apple Bloom explained.

Rumble turned his head to Apple Bloom, who had a face of courtesy. But as for Sweetie Belle, her face was completely flushed with red as she stared at her hoof, the one Rumble accidentally held. She was whispering, "Oh my stars, he held my hoof in public."

"Well, okay then."

"I knew you'd understand," Scootaloo said as she rested her chin on his mane.

"Well what're you waitin' for, Sweetie Belle? Get the firecrackers and the leaf blower!" Apple Bloom yelled.

Sweetie snapped out of her musings and galloped down the porch.

"I'll be right back!" Sweetie exclaimed as her voice faded into the apple trees.

Rumble sighed as he watched the white filly disappear. I just hope this goes well.

* * * *

"Wow!" The light grey colt uttered when he saw the interior of what the fillies say as their 'headquarters'. He saw the walls made of pine, the ceiling and floor was made of Manehattan walnut. The rest was simple, not to be used as showcase though. Rather, it was simple as everything serves a purpose in whatever it is they do. There was a small turquoise table on the corner and a small teal trunk opposite it. He saw two windows adorned with pink and purple curtains that stood out most among everything inside. A small green picture frame was hanging beside one of the windows, and inside it was a photo of them in a camping trip. Beside it was a crudely drawn map of Ponyville stuck on the wall with adhesive tape.

Rumble stepped inside. His hooves rested on the pink carpet. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed suit. Scootaloo, who doesn't want to get off of Rumble, grinned widely as the colt was in awe. He went to the center and turned in a full circle to see everything inside, especially the exceptionally happy pair of fillies. However, with Scootaloo still on his back, she held him tightly so as to not fall off but as she did, her face went warmer and the blush on her face is a clear sign.

"Um, Scootaloo, you can get down if you want to," Rumble suggested.

"O-okay," she said as she climbed down from Rumble's back. She's really light. It kinda felt like she wasn't on me the whole time.

Scootaloo brought her head close to his ear and whispered, "Sorry." Rumble's ear perked up as he heard the filly's whisper. He turned to her, and saw a face nothing like her. Her head was pointed to the floor, but her widened eyes were staring at his own. Her hoof drew figures on the floorboards as her ears dropped. I thought she's the strong and fierce type.

"I-It's not like I want to be o-on your back or anything," she said as she looked away from him. Afterwards, she said softly, "Idiot."

Three foals: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Rumble, had confused looks towards the orange filly. I may not know her that much, but I know she's been acting strange. Scootaloo tried not to make eye contact with the colt in front of him. But as Rumble examined Scootaloo, he spotted a silver of red on her orange face. He also heard two fillies giggle gleefully behind him because of their friend's strange behavior. A moment of staring at the pegasus later, Rumble was suddenly reminded of his reason why he was in the clubhouse in the first place.

"Um, girls?"

The giggles faded and Scootaloo turned to him. The rest of the trio stepped inside and went by her side. They smiled innocently as they faced him. Three sets of eyes locked on his own, as if they can see through his soul.

"So, should we start our project? What is it anyway?" he asked.

Apple Bloom tapped her chin with a hoof as she tried to remember their teacher's instructions. Sweetie Belle opened her mouth, but no words came out as she couldn't remember. Scootaloo sighed and she rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof.

"Miss Cheerilee said to creatively present anything similar among us," Scootaloo droned.

"Aside from us being foals?" he added.

The fillies nodded in response. Seconds later, Sweetie's eyes shrank and gasped with a wide grin on her face.

"Idea!" she yelled in a sing-song tone.

"What is it, Sweetie?" a confused Rumble asked.

"We don't have our cutie marks!" she exclaimed joyfully.

"Yeah, haven't you noticed?" Scootaloo said sarcastically.

Jeez, what's her problem?

"No no. That's what we have in common." Apple Bloom explained.

Rumble turned and looked at her flank, and it was the same with the rest inside: blank. He sighed at the thought of not getting his mark early. What if I'm already grown up and I still don't have my mark? What will they think of me? A loser? A pony with no talent? I just don't want that to happen. I'll do anything just to get my mark. His head hanged low and her ears dropped. The fillies noticed his sudden change in mood, and exchanged concerned looks with each other.

A few minutes of whispering, the Cutie Mark Crusaders began to step closer to Rumble. One step, and another, and another, until they were mere inches away from him. As Rumble stared at the floorboards, he saw three pairs of hooves. He looked up and saw Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo with heartwarming smiles. They got closer, but he didn't move. Rather, he didn't want to move.

He blinked, and felt their forelegs wrapped around him. Sweetie was at his right side and Scootaloo on his left. Apple Bloom was in front of him, their cheeks gingerly pressing against each other. Rumble, on the other hand, had nothing to do. What can he do at this moment? Nothing. He just stood there as he was being hugged by three fillies at the same time. I-I don't know the odds of this happening to me? Sure this is my first time hanging out with fillies, but I didn't expect this! I'm not even ready for this!

Somehow, it feels really nice. It made me feel a little, no, a lot better. The company of good friends always make me feel better when I'm feeling down, but this is different. There's this warm feeling inside that I've been having ever since I became friends with Sweetie Belle.

Whatever it is, I don't want it to go away.

Tender Moments

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 7: Tender Moments

The bright and brilliant rays of the morning sun shone through the windows. Rumble was lying on the floorboards where the sunlight directly hit his stomach. He laid passive as he rested his head on the floor, his gaze on the ceiling. The sounds of hoofsteps and high-pitched voices struck his ears, but he didn't mind. It wasn't irritating, nor it was a nuisance. The fillies weren't even loud. Instead, they spoke with controlled volumes, whispering on some occasions.

He turned to look at the clock. "Nine o'clock," he said to himself.

He rested on hoof on his forehead, and the other on his chest. He raised his head to the fillies in front of him. The first that caught his eye was Apple Bloom's crimson tail. It was wagging left and right, which brushed the floor under her. Why is it wagging? Pencils, paper and eraser shavings were scattered around it. He slowly looked upwards, only to see her head facing him. Her eyes were fully locked on to Rumble; her cheeks were flushed in crimson. Below it was a feature that stands out the most: her warm and gentle smile. Rumble suddenly felt the heat in his face as he stared at her heart-warming smile.

Seconds later, Sweetie Belle tapped on her shoulder. Apple Bloom snapped out and whipped her head away from the light grey colt. Before he lowered his head, he saw Sweetie wave at him with a wide grin. He lazily raised his hoof and waved back. Afterwards, he placed the same hoof on his head and rested his head on the floor once again, hoping that he might find something to do or something to be busy about. Luckily, he found a question to keep him occupied.

Similar, similar. What's similar between three fillies and one colt? Well, besides being young and studying in the same and only school in Ponyville. Let's see here... Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are like three peas in a pod. They seem happy when they're together. They would go through quests of great dangers just so they can get their cutie marks. That's what they have in common, but what about for me? I mean, I became friends with them not so long ago. I don't even know half of what I should know about them. They should see me as a stranger, new to their usual quirks and shenanigans. I can't explain why, but they see me as a close friend of theirs. Someone they can trust and rely on so easily.

"Rumbly-wumbly," Sweetie Belle called.

"Rumbly- wumbly?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yup. That's what I call him."

Rumble lifted his hoof from his head in response. He squinted until his vision clears, and saw Sweetie Belle. Her muzzle was just inches away from his. However, he didn't flinch. Instead, he simply stared at the filly in front of him.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi! We're going out for a bit to get some supplies in town. I-Is it okay if you stay here?" she asked with hesitation.

He turned to his left and saw the other two fillies with their saddlebags on their backs. Scootaloo had her head turned away, but her eyes were locked on him. His attention turned back to Sweetie. She innocently stared at him as she waited for an answer.

"Sure. I'll stay right here," he said as he laid his hooves and head on the ground.

"Okay. See you later!" Sweetie said as the trio left, shutting the door behind them.

Seconds later, Rumble was left again with time to think. Staring at the same ceiling from before, his mind was filled with questions regarding the Cutie Mark Crusaders. From their likes and dislikes, to their personalities as a whole, he answered as many questions as he can. Unfortunately, he didn't know them much, so he hadn't answered much. Minutes later, he shrugged it off. Maybe I should ask them when they get back later.

His attention drifted to other little wonders. He noticed the warmth of sunlight on his belly and the breeze entering through the windows. The sounds of swaying branches, chirping birds, and the distant chatting of pegasi are music to his ears. The tranquil harmony around him caused Rumble to close his eyes. Soon enough, his mind wandered off as he drifted off to sleep.

* * * *

Rumble woke up from a peaceful nap on the floor which was given warmth by the sun. He opened his eyes, only to see the same ceiling he stared at before. He turned to see the clock, and a faint smile grew on his face. Realizing that he had slept for only half an hour, he closed his eyes, ready for another nap. Before he was about to nap again, he heard tiny breaths other than his. He quickly opened his eyes and scanned the room to see if nopony else was there. He was wrong. He looked beside him and saw a snoozing Scootaloo. Her left hoof rested on the floor, while her right hoof was on her chest.

She had an innocent smile. Rumble grinned widely without realizing. It's okay if she took a nap, too.

He rested his head back to the floor. He turned to his other side, but his were met with Apple Bloom's mane. He pulled his head back slightly. I think they saw me taking a nap when they got back, so they slept as well. His thought was cut off with a scent so sweet and familiar. It felt like he would want to smell it all day. He looked around, and saw nothing that caught his eye. The scent also disappeared. He sighed and lied back down facing the yellow filly. Seconds later, the delectable fragrance went back. I think it came from... Apple Bloom.

Since she was sound asleep, he didn't have anything to lose. He slowly leaned forward as he was making sure he didn't make a sound. He neared his muzzle to her crimson mane, and got a whiff as gentle as he could.

Apples and mangoes. Wait, are there even mangoes in the farm?

Rumble was lost in his reverie of fresh fruits as he continued to sniff her mane. Seconds had passed, then minutes. He held a hoof on her head as he rested his muzzle on her mane. Apple Bloom folded her hooves close to her chest, which Rumble ignored. He held her head closer to him. But what he didn't realized that his friend had already woken up.

"R-Rumble..."

He ignored her call, but Apple Bloom didn't mind. She placed a hoof on his chest. Rumble felt the gingerly touch. He stopped sniffing her a second later. He pulled his head back and looked down, only to see Apple Bloom. She had a bashful smile, her cheeks were as red as her mane, and her eyes looked up to him, pleading for more. She started to rub her hoof against his chest. The tingling sensation made Rumble blush furiously.

"S-Sorry for waking you up," Rumble whispered.

"I-It's o-okay. But um..." her voice faded.

"But?" he asked as held his face closer to hers. Apple Bloom pulled back slightly, her blush filled her face.

"I-It's just... could you, um, continue doing that?" she asked shyly.

"Doing what?"

She didn't say anything in response. Instead, she lowered her head until her mane was in front of his face. She held his chest with both hooves, and her muzzle touched his neck. Every breath she took tickled him, but he didn't mind.

I guess she wants it.

He rested his muzzle back on her mane and continued to be lost in her scent. He placed one hoof on her ear, and began to caress it unknowingly. Apple Bloom blushed even more and buried her head on his chest.

"It tickles," she whispered.

"Rumble?" a voice called.

He pulled his head back and raised his head in response. He looked for the source of the voice. He turned and saw Scootaloo with a look of annoyance. Her forelegs were crossed and her tailed swished in perfect rhythm. Did I do something wrong?

"H-Hi Scootaloo."

"Hmph," she uttered as she whipped her head and stared at a window, a pout on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he let go of Apple Bloom, who was completely lost in what he did.

She didn't say anything. Her eyes only turned to Rumble. He went closer to her, and as he did, her strong facade faded. She turned to him and looked at him with sad and pleading eyes.

"I-It's just..."

Rumble stopped when he was mere inches apart from her. She looked down and sighed.

"C-Can I... hug you?" she stuttered.

"What?" He was taken aback by her words. Is she serious?

A moment of eternity passed. Apple Bloom was still in her own world, Rumble calmed down a little, and Scootaloo looked up to him with adorable eyes. Seconds later, she raised both her hooves up as if she was about to hug him.

"Please?" she asked quietly.

Now this is a different Scootaloo. I don't want to let her down though.

"O-Oka—"

He was cut off by Scootaloo as she dove to him gleefully. Orange hooves were wrapped around him tightly. Once he was laid on his back, she nuzzled his chest passionately. Both were madly blushing, but they didn't mind.

Suddenly, a thought came to him. He held Scootaloo by the shoulder, which called her attention. She stopped and looked up to him.

"What's wrong?" Scootaloo asked.

"Where's Sweetie Belle?"

"Oh! She went to Rarity's and grabbed some stuff we need for the project," she explained.

"What is our project anyway?"

"Well we plan on making a huge painting about what we have in common," she explained further.

"Oh cool! What do we have in common anyway?" he asked.

Scootaloo tapped her chin with a hoof. Seconds later, she said, "You just have to find out."

He sighed in defeat. "Fine," he concluded.

"Now, can we get back to hugging?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Sure."

With that, she rested her head on his chest and continued to hug him tightly. Rumble turned to Apple Bloom, who snapped out of her daze. She got up and went closer to him. She lied down just beside him, her forehead gingerly touching his muzzle and her muzzle gingerly touching his forehead. Well, this is awkward.

Seconds later, she started to nuzzle him. The colt's face went redder than before. He wanted them to stop, but something inside him doesn't want to. With a shrug, he ignored his conscience and laid passive as two fillies continue to nuzzle or hug him. This gave him time to think.

I think I'm getting to know them quite well. Sweetie Belle obviously cares for me. The night the both of us had was a clear sign. Apple Bloom smells like apples and mangoes and she can be really adorable and awkward at times. But as for Scootaloo, I think she's cold, but she warms up to me occasionally.

I think the Cutie Mark Crusaders like me.

The Heavy Sleeper

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 8: The Heavy Sleeper

Rumble reveled in the sweetness of the two fillies with him. Scootaloo, the filly who used him as a bed, was fast asleep. Apple Bloom, on the other hand, was wide awake. She didn't move an inch, and Rumble noticed that she didn't want to. She wore a shy smile, and her blush remained. Moments later without thinking, he started to caress the orange filly's mane. The moment he did, she moaned in pleasure and a faint smile grew on her innocent an peaceful face.

"Oh Rumble..." Scootaloo unconsciously muttered.

Is she dreaming? Or did I wake her up? He rested a hoof on her cheek. No response. He brushed his hoof lightly on her. Still no response. Looks like she was dreaming... about me. One moment later, her head lazily turned. Rumble assumed that she was just trying to get comfortable. What he didn't realize was that her tongue was sticking out. He felt something out of place. He looked down and saw the purple-maned filly licking his hoof.

W-What's she d-doing?

He blushed furiously at the tingling sensation. It was not long before his face was filled in crimson. He pulled his hoof away, only to be pulled back afterwards. This time, she held his hoof and continued to passionately lick it. S-Stop...

"Scootaloo," he called out.

She didn't respond. He called her again, louder this time. P-Please stop. Apple Bloom noticed Scootaloo and her playful licking to his hoof. Her eyes dilated and stared at her for a few moments, and those moments gave her time to grow even redder.

"Um, Scootaloo?" she called, poking at her head. Her attention went back to Rumble, who was completely flushed in pure red. She noticed that he was at his weakest. Taking the chance, she leaned closer to him. She was hesitant at first, but when she thought to herself that this is her only chance, she mustered all the confidence she can. She closed her eyes, and pecked him on the lips.

Apple Bloom! You're not helping!

"W-Why'd you do that for?" he whispered, stumbling in his words.

She giggled in response. She placed a hoof on her lips, and hid herself behind her mane.

"I'm just messin' with you," she answered playfully.

Moments later, Apple Bloom turned around, facing away from him, and Scootaloo finally stopped licking him. Oh thank Luna! Rumble gave a sigh of relief as he tried to withdraw his hoof from her. He tugged lightly, but it seemed that she had a tight grip on it. He tugged again, but to no avail. Looking annoyed, Rumble yanked his hoof with great force, but he failed to remove it from the vise grip of an embrace. Is she stronger than Thunderlane?

After numerous attempts, he gave up and started to think of a plan. He tapped his free hoof on his chin as she stared deeply at the big red bow tied on Apple Bloom's crimson mane in front of him. He concentrated as hard as he could, trying to build a possible way of removing his appendage to the grasp of the orange filly. A moment later, he looked down to Scootaloo, who started to nuzzle it gently.

"Oh Rainbow Dash, teach me how to do that," she cooed unconsciously.

Wait, what? Rainbow Dash? I-Is she having a dream with Rainbow Dash?

His eyed dilated in surprise. Apple Bloom quickly turned to her. A smile grew on her face, and her smile turned to a fit of giggles. Heat suddenly filled his face, and he already knows he's blushing. He looked to Apple Bloom. She had gotten up on her hind legs and stretched her forelegs up in the air as a tiny yawn escaped from her. Seconds later, she reached a hoof to Rumble, gesturing him to get up as well. He raised his free hoof and held hers tight. She pulled him up with ease. considering the fact that earth ponies possess immense strength as pegasi possess light body structures.

He stood up, and pulled his hoof from Scootaloo, but to no avail. He pulled even stronger, stepping backwards as he did. It still didn't come off. Instead, Scootaloo was dragged along with him. Strangely enough, she was still sound asleep, smiling even. Wow, heavy sleeper. Apple Bloom walked opposite Rumble and bit her tail. With great force, she tugged her, sending her to the opposite side of the room. While in the air, Scootaloo opened her eyes. Surprisingly, she stretched her hooves in front of her, then her wings started to flutter. Her drowsy look was turned into that with excitement.

"I-I'm flying! Finally!" she yelled joyfully.

"No yer not! I thr—" Before Apple Bloom could finish, Scootaloo harshly met the wall with a loud thump. The rest flinched in her pain. Rumble could have sworn that the whole room shook from the impact she took from her face. She fell flat on the ground with a softer thump, but it still hurt. They flinched for the second time, and stared at Scootaloo for a short while, then their attention turned to each other. Rumble was holding his laughter, and so did Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo turned to face them, an irritated look on her face. Apple Bloom trotted towards the fellow Crusader. She reached out a hoof. Scootaloo grabbed it and stood up on all fours. She brushed her fur from the dust from the floor, cleared her throat, and looked at Rumble.

"S-Sorry you had to see that," she said.

"It's okay, Scootaloo," Rumble said in response as he tried to sustain his laughter.

"Yeah Scoots. It's not your fault," Apple Bloom added.

"Really?" Scootaloo whipped her head to Apple Bloom. She gazed at her with confusion, and sat down on the floor.

"Why was I in midair anyway?"

Rumble and Apple Bloom exchanged glances with each other. Should I tell her? He sighed, then walked closer to Scootaloo.

"Well, while you were asleep, you were... holding my hoof." Scootaloo blushed furiously. "You were acting out your dream. You probably thought my hoof was Rainbow Dash an—"

"Wait, how'd you know Rainbow Dash was in my dream?" she asked with suspicion.

"You were also sleep talking," Apple Bloom added.

"Y-Yeah, you were sleep talking. I tried to take it off, but I couldn't. Then you started to... um... lick my hoof," Rumble continued, blushing a little at the last part.

"What?! I-I was li-licking your hoof? I thought you were ice cream," she said.

"Did you dream about ice cream?"

"Well, yes. But I did taste something sweet," she said.

"My hooves aren't sweet," Rumble said flatly. "Anyway, after you licked my hoof. I stood up and tried to take my hoof off of your grip. Apple Bloom helped me, but it didn't work out the way we planned."

"So I woke up heading for that wall?" Scootaloo asked, pointing at the wall behind her.

"Yeah," Rumble and Apple Bloom said in unison.

Silence filled the room, save for the chirping of birds and the hollers of ponies nearby. Apple Bloom looked at him, and whispered, "Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure," he whispered.

The pair stared at Scootaloo, who seemed to be bothered at something. She rubbed her hooves together as her head hanged low. She looked to the floor as the wind entered the wide room and blew across her, causing her mane to sway ever so slightly. Why is she acting like this? Did that really hurt? She doesn't look to be in pain or anything. Rather, she kinda looked... sad. A few moments of awkward silence later, Scootaloo spoke up.

"Darn, I almost thought I was actually flying."

Apple Bloom looked down, the same way she did. Her bow flopped down, as if life had been drawn out of it. Her giggles that brightened the atmosphere in the room faded into nonexistence. Rumble stared through her brilliant gamboge eyes, and he knew what she felt. She was guilty for tossing her across the room.

"How could I learn to fly... if I can't even get myself off the ground without hurting myself?" Scootaloo asked in despair, as if hope was lost through her words. Her voice echoed across the room. Each second, the depressing aura surrounding the pegasus filly grew stronger. Come on, I don't want to see her like this. I want cheerful Scootaloo, not hopeless and depressed Scootaloo. Apple Bloom, say something. Rumble glanced at the yellow filly. She seemed like she couldn't do anything much to comfort her. Well, it's all up to me then.

Rumble looked to the melancholic pegasus. He sighed, and leaned closer to her. She didn't flinch, not much to his surprise though. I need to do this. He slowly placed a hoof on her soft shoulder. His hooves were shaking, as if he had an overdose of coffee. The weight and the warmth she felt caused her to look towards him. Rumble made the most heart-warming smile he could make. Seconds after, he swallowed a huge lump in his throat, and mustered all the confidence he could.

I want to do this.

He leaned forward, and wrapped her neck around his hooves. Her eyes widened as she felt the warmth of his fur brushing against her own. Her muzzle was just in front of his ear, which made her tiny breaths audible to him. However, his muzzle brushed against her frizzy purple mane. Every sway of her locks made his muzzle tickle, but he didn't mind. Scootaloo rested her head on his shoulder. Now her tiny breaths tickled his fur, but he didn't mind at all. She wrapped her hooves around his body, returning his favor.

"Now now, don't say that. Remember what I said that I'll help you out. I am absolutely, positively sure about that. I will do what I can so you can fly. Just promise me one thing: don't look down on yourself. Once you do, it'll be hard for you to look up to what you want to become," Rumble said caringly as he gently caressed her mane to calm her down.

Once again, the room was silent, save for the seemingly loud ticking of the clock. Nopony moved or said anything to break the silence. Nopony dared to. Apple Bloom simply stared at the floor, trying to show concern for her. Moments later, Scootaloo hugged him tighter and buried her muzzle into his shoulder, which tickled him a little.

"I promise."

Jealousy

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 9: Jealousy

"Come on, Rumble! We've gotta do this sooner or later."

The room was brightly lit by the late afternoon rays of the sun. The breeze entered through an open window and blew across the foals inside. Bunches of dark grey hair swayed along with the wind as he was pinned down by an orange filly. Apple Bloom sat beside her, a clueless look on her face.

"But, why now? I-Is it too early for that?" he stuttered, unsure if he was ready for what Scootaloo will do to him. He attempted to release himself from her, but her incredibly strong grip proved impossible.

"Maybe, but I can't stand it any longer. You definitely need it!" Scootaloo exclaimed, her voice echoing throughout the room.

"She's right, Rumble. But I can't do that. I don't even know how," Apple Bloom said with confidence.

"That's why I have to do it," Scootaloo said.

"W-Why can't I-I just do this by myself?" he asked nervously.

"You don't know how to do it right. Just let me show you," she replied.

Rumble had his head pressed to the ground as Scootaloo had her hooves on his back. She reached a hoof and held one of his wings. The soft touch of a powerful filly gave a tingle on his back. Rumble stiffened his body as he was mused by the new sensation. He stopped his thoughts and his words were completely lost in his mind. When she noticed the sudden reaction, she grinned and began to stroke his left wing softly. He felt another wave of tingling pleasure, and as she continued to brush her hoof against it, more and more were felt by the pinned pegasus.

"W-What are you d-doing?" he asked. He struggled to say anything else, as he was too busy with what she was doing with his wings.

"Honestly, I don't know. Are you okay?" she asked, confused with Rumble's sudden reactions.

What is this? Is this some sort of special massage for pegasi? How does she know this anyway?

"Does it hurt?" she asked shyly. Does it hurt? Hay, it feels amazing!

"Nope," he replied as his wings twitched from the light touch of her gentle hooves.

"Should I stop?"

Please don't.

"I-It's okay if you don't," he said. He turned to Scootaloo and smiled. Just the sight of his jubilant face caused her cheeks to heat up intensely. The same went for Apple Bloom, for she was staring at him the whole time, ignoring everything else around her. She placed a hoof on her chest and another on the floor. Soon after, she moved closer to the entranced Rumble. As she brushed herself on the floor inch by inch, the crimson on her cheeks intensified. Her movements were slow and silent, but she started to sweat.

Apple Bloom rested her head on the floor so that her muzzle would lightly touch Rumble's. Her hooves were just beside her cheeks which she was trying to hide. Her tail swished side to side and her ears twitched occasionally. She stared at him with widened eyes, as if she was trying to examine a small creature. Rumble did the same, but he was mesmerized at the sight.

"Hi," Apple Bloom whispered.

Instead of a response, he blushed madly at her adorableness. He tried to keep a straight face and hide his blush. However, two insanely cute fillies made it impossible. He tried to look away to other things, like desks and curtains, but the radiance from her shy smile and the pair of large brilliant amaranth eyes staring right at him made it seem like a harsh task. Her red bow swayed lightly from the breeze. Her mane did the same, and she didn't mind.

Soon enough, weird feelings started to creep in. The butterflies in his stomach started to flutter. His mind raced, and so did his heartbeat. He felt his heart slowly melting away from her charm, yet he refused to look away. The warmth that he felt as he stared deeply into her eyes grew.

Minutes had passed. Rumble completely ignored Scootaloo, who gave up playing with his wings. Instead, she lied down beside him, opposite Apple Bloom, who had her face flushed in crimson. Rumble leaned even closer, enough to feel the heat from her face. Not once did she pull her head back, nor push him away. She completely understood what he was doing, and she figured that she would do her part as well. She closed her eyes tightly and pursed her lips together. Rumble saw her gestures. There are times when she's incredibly adorable. This is one of them. Well, it looks like she's ready for a kiss. Should I? I haven't kissed a filly in the lips before. Should Apple Bloom be the first? I mean, I like her, but not only her.

Maybe a small one won't hurt.

With that, he leaned forward for the last time as he closed his eyes. Finally, their lips met. Rumble reveled in the softness of her lips, which made him blush once again. It's strangely soft for a farm filly like her. Suddenly, his wings quickly unfurled, which rubbed against Scootaloo's cheek. She flinched, but remained still as her eyelids started to drop once more. On the other hand, they remained still before Apple Bloom started to press her lips against his. The wetness of her lips made Rumble blush even redder. He quickly opened his eyes as he felt her hoof on his chest, although her eyes were still shut tight. She's so warm.

A small eternity had passed. Nopony didn't move. They didn't want to, for they have their own special moments. Unfortunately, they had to. Rumble was first to move, breaking away from the kiss. Apple Bloom leaned forward. She didn't want to let go. Not just yet. She opened her eyes, and frowned when she had realized that it was over. She smiled afterwards when she saw the warm smile in front of her. Rumble blushed as she stared at him. He looked away and rubbed the nape of his neck.

"So, um, h-how was it?" he stuttered.

Apple Bloom smiled and wrapped a hoof around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She rested her chin on his shoulder and said, "It was amazing."

"Oh w-was it th-then," a voice said, filled with sadness.

The three foals were surprised. They lifted their heads and saw a white figure in front of the door. The moment he saw her, his heart sank to the depths of the abyss. Sweetie Belle stood, trembling with tears flowing down her cheeks. Her mane was messy, just like her big sister in times of stress. Her saddlebags, packed with things, were hanging on her back. Her ears hung low as her lips shivered.

Oh no.

"R-Rumble... How could you..." Sweetie muttered softly.

He continued to stare at her. Apple Bloom released him and Scootaloo moved a little further from him. The three were nervous as Sweetie continued to stared at them. The longer she did, the more nervous they become. I must say something.

"W-Wait, this isn't what it looks like—"

"Oh sure. I'm sure it doesn't look like you three were cuddling on the floor," she said sarcastically. Those words pierced through his chest.

"We weren't," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said in unison.

"Then what?!" she shouted at them.

She's definitely mad. I've never seen her like this, not even to her friends. Is she... jealous?

All of them stood still as silence filled the room, save for the occasional sniffs of the unicorn filly. As each second passes, the ticking of the clock seemed to get louder. The air felt heavier than before. Rumble started to sweat bullets. He was so nervous and guilty that he couldn't even dare to stare at her.

"I-I'm sorry..." Rumble said.

The moment she heard this, her head hung low and her mane became a curtain to her melancholic face. He turned to look at her, and his heart sank even lower than the trenches of the ocean. He couldn't move. He didn't dare to.

What have I done?

Seconds later, she turned and walked away slowly. The clopping of her hooves echoed across the room until she was outside. What was left inside was deafening silence and a sunken heart. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo wouldn't even dare to go after her. They knew their best friend and fellow Crusader, and they know she just needed time alone. But Rumble didn't want to leave her alone. He wanted to run after her just to tell how sorry he was. He would cheer her up if he can.

If only he can do just those, then she might understand. Sadly, Rumble was frozen from the emotions battling in his head. He sat still as he blankly stared at the doorway where Sweetie Belle was. Soon enough, Apple Bloom laid a hoof on his back. His ear perked in response, then he felt her hoof brushing across his coat. He turned his head to face her. Even though the dead air weighed his heart down, her heart-warming smile lifted his own. Rumble smiled back.

How come she can still have that smile of hers even at terrible times like this?

"C'mon Rumble, cheer up." She looked through a window, and she saw the dark grey clouds covering the blue sky above. As she did, the room went dim and the wind turned cold.

"Maybe it's best if ya'll come to my house before it rains."

Apple Bloom reached another hoof towards him and placed it on his chest. "I hope you like apple pie."

He shifted his eyes to Scootaloo, who also had a smile on her face. He would like to come along and have a taste of apple pie, but something inside him said not to. He was thinking of going back to Carousel Boutique and talk to her.

"I think I'll pass. I have something to settle. Thanks anyway," he said as he got up on four hooves and walked outside.

"Okay then. Bye Rumble," Apple Bloom said.

"See you later," Scootaloo followed.

With that, he walked out of the clubhouse and into the apple orchard, hoping that he would get home without getting wet.

Here I come, Sweetie Belle.

Solitude

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 10: Solitude

Rumble ran as quickly as he can as the raindrops landed on his face. They were cold and annoying, but that didn't matter. Rumble had his thoughts wandering about one filly – Sweetie Belle. He looked straight, ignoring anything around him. Even the unnecessary things blocking him and his destination didn't matter. What mattered was Sweetie Belle. With the feeling of guilt and desperation crowding his mind, he lowered his head and galloped like a race horse.

He planned to get to Carousel Boutique as fast as possible, but the rain made it seem less and less achievable. Minute after minute, the rain grew stronger and the wind blew colder. Rumble looked up and saw the sky covered in dark clouds. Well I guess flying isn't gonna be an option. He turned back down and saw the cobblestone road under his hooves. Moments later, he began to see canopies and stalls on both sides. At a glance, he saw Carrot Top, a nice young mare who was struggling to walk on fours. He noticed that she saw him as well. They stared for a second then he turned his head forward and continued to run.

After running past a few stalls, he made it to one of the most popular landmarks and bakeries in Ponyville – Sugarcube Corner. He stopped under the entrance canopy and shook the water that got on his coat and mane. He peeked through the door to see the delicious pastries and baked goods the gingerbread house of a bakery has to offer. Rumble looked left and right, and only saw a dimly lit room devoid of goods. The tables were empty and the counter was blank. He looked further and saw a door on the furthest part of the room. It was ajar and a bright yellow light came off the opening. He saw a sign hanging on the doorknob and read, "EMPLOYEES ONLY".

Rumble looked down to the door and another sign was hanging by a thread bound on opposite sides of it and mounted through a nail. It says "CLOSED" in bold red letters. He felt disappointed after reading the sign, and he turned around to look at the streets. The rain poured heavily and the wind blew strong as the ponies struggling to get home were soaking wet. Luckily for Rumble, he was still dry. He watched the trees sway violently and the leaves blow away while he waited for the storm to calm down. He sat on the cold purple pavement. Looking down on his hooves, his mind trailed off to what was bothering him.

The emotions that were running in his mind were in discord. From guilt to angst, then to confusion. They shuffled endlessly and his mind couldn't pick one. His hooves tapped on the floor in a slow rhythm. He stared at them, and looked up afterwards. Still raining. As minutes passed, he grew impatient and anxious. Eventually, he listened to the sporadic rhythm of the heavy rain around him.

This soothed him a little when he closed his eyes and let each raindrop crash onto the surface. The soundscape was like the lullaby of the earth, a song to be worth listening to but ignored because most of the ponies don't like to get wet. Rumble trailed off as he was entranced by the sound of rain. He was reminded of the times when he played in the rain when he was little. He didn't have a care in the world, even if he was soaking wet, as long as he was having fun. He would even have his mother wrap him around a large towel and dry himself off while he drinks his favorite hot chocolate drink.

He remembered when he met his first and best friend, Featherweight. It was when Rumble went to the park with his parents. He played at the playground with his brother, Thunderlane, watching him. He was still in high school that time. Rumble was playing in the sandbox when Featherweight crashed in front of him. Some time later, they became best friends and never grew apart as pals for life.

Eventually, those good times went away as he grew up. He started to go to school, and responsibilities came along. Good times changed from simple pleasures to complicated desires. He is still young, so he still has a lot to live for. However, he feels like he has grown mature. He can stand up on his own, fight for what it is right, and be responsible for his actions. Right now, he has to do just that, for what he did was mostly his responsibility, apart from Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

"Right now, I have to be the colt to be there for Sweetie Belle," he said to himself as his train of nostalgia and thought ended.

He looked around him and didn't see anypony walking around. Obviously. How would anypony take a calm stroll when they can't even stand up straight in this weather. Newspapers and leaves were flying about in the mercy of the roaring wind. It was uncommon to have a storm grow like this in mere minutes. However, Rumble didn't care, because what was in his mind was the face of Sweetie Belle before she walked away.

How in Equestria can I explain this to her? She might not believe anything I say!

He rubbed his chin with a hoof as his train of thought continued. The raindrops of the wild storm would fall on him, but he didn't mind. He was simply waiting for it to calm so he can go to a place where there are walls and a roof, maybe with a depressing atmosphere.

What if I told her that we were just playing? Would she believe me? I mean, it's not the truth, but I gotta say something. Oh who am I kidding! She saw the whole thing! She watched me kiss Apple Bloom. How can I make her believe that I didn't kiss her?!

He threw a hoof to the ground. The thump was loud, but the rain was louder. His rage was merely muffled by the fierce heavy rain. He brought his hooves in front of his face. His left hoof was wet from the floor, while the other was still dry. He felt that his left was cold, while the other was not. He placed it on the floor again, and he didn't flinch. When he placed his right hoof on the wet floor, he felt the drop in temperature in an instant. He was surprised and pulled his hoof back.

Something struck him. His left hoof stepped onto the wet floor with ease. It wasn't afraid to face the chilly pavement. But when his right hoof did the same, hesitation came into play because of the freezing floor compared to his hoof. It felt like ice while it felt like cool water on his left. After minutes of contemplation, he decided to run for it. So much time was wasted, but I think I can still make it.

Rumble stood up on all fours. He could still feel the coldness in his flank. He shrugged it off and brushed his coat. With determination in his eyes, he raised his head, took a step forward, and began to walk in the heavy rain. His hooves clopped against the cobblestone road. His mane was drawn back even more and his coat was soaking wet. He was shivering form the cold, but he just had to bear it. He wanted to go to Sweetie Belle, and with the courage in him, he wouldn't let rain stop him from being there for her.

I'm Right Here for You

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: PolarisFlare

Chapter 11: I'm Right Here for You

Rumble was almost at Carousel Boutique. His hooves were sore and he was utterly soaking wet. From his mane up to his tail, rain water stuck with him. This made it feel like he gained a pound or so from the weight of the water. Nonetheless, it didn't matter for the grey pegasus. Luckily, the rain had stopped a few minutes ago. He was relieved when the rain ceased as he relaxed his shoulders, but still kept his pace.

He took a deep breath and continued to walk. He followed the path leading to the famed boutique. It wasn't that hard for him to know where it was, as he had been there for a lot of times, including those before he hadn't been friends with Sweetie Belle. He has the route memorized, though not the one coming from Sweet Apple Acres. But despite that, he still managed to find his way. To make things easier, he couldn't miss the spire of pink, purple and yellow that easily stands out of the tents surrounding it.

A few minutes later, his search had paid off when he saw the familiar orange flag atop the striped yellow cone, supported by small but neatly decorated poles. He looked downwards and saw the signature pony-shaped statues with a decorated pole each. Similar poles were also placed in such a way that all the poles were surrounding a cylindrical white room. The top part of the building resembles to a carousel, giving the shop its unique trademark.

As he neared the shop, he spotted a tree on the right of the entrance. I should just hide there first, to see if she's okay. Rumble flew as quietly as he can to stay out of sight behind the safety of a tree. He landed just behind a root growing out of it as he felt the grass on his hooves. Immediately, he leaned on the tree as if he was on a stakeout. He felt the bark brush against his coat, but he ignored it. He leaned his head forward to get a view of a window in the living room.

Nothing. The lights are out.

His head returned to lean on the tree and stared at the street in front of him and thought of where could the filly be. He looked up to see more windows. Luckily, Rumble saw another window, smaller than the one below. Maybe she's in her room. I could get on a branch to get a view of her bedroom. With that, he opened up his wings and began to hover just inches off the ground. Or maybe I can just fly up to her. That would be easier.

With a plan settled, he began to fly up to the bedroom window. It didn't take long before he got in front of it. He got closer, rested his forelegs on the window sill, and looked around the room with a concerned look on Rumble's face. What if she doesn't want to see me, let alone talk to me? He placed his hooves on the glass. It felt cold and a little wet. The sensation gave chills up his spine. Well that didn't help at all. He continued to examine the room. It was dark, as no lamps or candles were lit. He turned to the left and saw the pink bed. It was messy. The blanket was ruffled up, as if somepony had been there. He slowly flew to the right and leaned further to see a pony sleeping under it.

It was Sweetie Belle. She had covered herself up to her head with a thick white blanket. Her pink and purple mane was ruffled and messy. She sniffed involuntarily, as if she had cried a lot. Her muzzle stood out of the blanket and as she sniffed, the tiny bump seen on the blanket would twitch. He turned to press his ear against the glass, hoping that he would hear Sweetie Belle or anything inside. Moments of waiting after, he heard mumbles and whispers from the filly.

"I-I hate you s-so much..." she whispered, which trailed off to silent sniffs.

At that moment, Rumble's heart sank. He heard it loud and clear, albeit Sweetie said it as softly as she could. He did hear it though, and there is no denying that what he heard was true. His mind can't accept it, not even a little. He pulled his head away and stared at the filly again. Tears were welling up in his eyes, but he refuse to let those fall. I have to be strong for her. He flew and sat on the window sill, rested his body on the glass, and turned to stare at the sky. The overcast gave the day an atmosphere of loneliness and depression. This gave him a moment to calm down and think.

He took deep breaths, and he felt that his painful chest began to hurt less, although the pain's still there. As the seconds passed, the words that he had just heard moments ago echoed in his head.

"I hate you so much, Rumble..." her voice was heard in his thought and repeated over and over again as if it was a recording. As it repeats though, he noticed a few tiny details. There was little venom in her words, as if she said it in sadness. She hesitated to say it. She didn't mean it, but the picture of what she saw at the clubhouse was vivid enough to not forget about it made her say that. It was out of anger, which she vented out with those words. I understand if she feels this way. Even I would hate myself for it. Now she's so mad at me that she's so sad. The pain on his chest grew until it was unbearable. He bit his lip to resist himself from groaning.

He turned to the glass he had been leaning on to look at Sweetie Belle. He can still hear sniffs under the blanket. He rested a hoof on the glass, which he thought would help since it looked like he was touching her. Sadly, it didn't. He knew what to do to solve this, but doesn't know how to start. All he can think about now is...

Oh Sweetie, I'm so sorry.

He lightly pushed the window to see if it would open. Fortunately, the window where he wasn't leaning on swing slowly. He continued pushing the window until it was open enough for him to go through. He carefully flew up, then went inside. He tried to be as quiet as he can. Stealthy as he can be, a pegasus is always light on his hooves. The window frame brushed against his coat, which made the window open a little more. He ignored that and slowly landed on the light purple carpet under him. His landing was perfect, not a single sound, save for a few soft thumps.

He proceeded to turn to face the bed. Being light on his hooves, he slowly walked to the side, where the light from the window was in front on him. Luckily, he didn't get blinded as the light from the outside was dim and dull. He sat on the carpet, thinking of what would Rumble say or do. He raised a hoof to his forehead, only to find out that he was shaking when he didn't realize it.

Get it together, Rumble. Though I'm a little nervous to talk to her right now. What if she just shuts me out? What if she'll hate me more?

He pressed his hoof on his head a little harder as he tried to muster the courage that he could get and concentrate to the situation at present. He closed his eyes shut and furrowed his brow to try to calm himself down. But as the world vanished to darkness, he felt the pain in his chest grow. He felt the pain intensify, as if the world was distracting him from the pain that was true and deep. He suddenly felt weak and made his way to lean on the bed. The softness of the mattress eased the tension in his face and hoof, yet the pain in his chest remained.

He opened his eyes, then he saw a wooden bookshelf on the wall. There were a few books neatly placed, but that made the size of the shelf seem unnecessary. His eyes trailed upward, to see nothing else but the ceiling. There was nothing special in there, but he continued to stare.

I have to talk to her. No, I want to talk to her, to let her know what is true and nothing else.

He got up as quietly as he could, stood on all fours, then turned to look at Sweetie Belle. He wiped his cheeks and rubbed his eyes so as to hide his tears that were never there in the first place. He took a few steps forward to approach her bed. A few steps were all he needed.

For the sake of both of us.

Once his face was merely inches away from it, he got up on his two hind legs. His other two hooves reached up to the edge as it was a table or a shelf. He reached upward and took a peek at Sweetie Belle. She was still under the blanket, which made Rumble feel relieved and worried at the same time, athough the latter beats the former. He pressed on the bed as he effortlessly got himself up. With a small grin on his face, he quietly celebrated over his triumph, but then the smile on his face subsided when he turned to the filly.

He could hear his heart race. He started to sweat and swallowed a lump welling up in his throat. He nervously lifted his hoof, thinking that poking her would call her attention. Seconds later, with his hoof in mid-air, he decided to let her be and simply talk to her. After putting his hoof down, he leaned closer to Sweetie Belle. What should I say first? Should I say how sorry I am first? Or should I ask if she's okay? Ugh, Rumble, of course she's not okay. She'd been crying buckets and it's all because of me. I'm such an idiot. But now I can fix this, or at least try to. I better say something to her than not saying something at all.

He opened his mouth, ready to call her name.

"Swee—" he was cut off by the snoring of nopony else but the filly in front of her.

She... fell asleep? I didn't expect that, let alone notice it. She's adorable when she snores. I bet she'd look peaceful and cute. Wait, no no no no. Rumble, focus! Okay, she's asleep, that's kinda good. At least she had calmed down enough for her to snooze off, but I have to wake her up now. Well, I don't mind at all.

"Sweetie Belle," he whispered as he leaned closer to her.

No response.

He placed a hoof on her shoulder and began to shake her gently. Rumble called her again, still no response. He tapped her shoulder and called out her name for the third time. To his relief, a moan came out of Sweetie. His face began to turn red when he heard her. Oh Luna, she's so adorable! I wish I could... you know... give her a peck on the cheek. He stared at the filly, who seemed to have shifted to face Rumble. He blushed madly as he saw not only a glimpse of heaven, but also an opportunity to make his wish come true. She does look peaceful and cute.

Maybe I shouldn't kiss her, because I think she's still mad at me. Then again, I may never have another chance like this ever again. He leaned even closer to her face until he could feel the heat from Sweetie Belle. He stared at her cheeks, so soft and a little plump. He then looked down to see her lips, which made him think about kissing her on the lips instead. Rumble turned crimson when the thought came to his head.

I want to kiss her. It would probably make her feel better.

But as he was still thinking, Sweetie Belle's eyes slowly opened, which were met by Rumble's a moment later. At an instant, his whole body tensed up, he felt his heart skip a beat and his hooves run cold. He suddenly realized how close he was to her, which gave both their cheeks a pure pink color. Rumble pulled his head back as quick as he could, but the sudden movements made Sweetie Belle yelp in surprise. She pulled the covers up just until over her muzzle, such that her eyes can still stare at him.

Silence filled the room, Rumble had grown accustomed to the silence, but this doesn't help him at all. This silence encompassing the room is of awkwardness. Nervous about how the filly will react, Rumble sat in silence as he looked down to the blanket. On the other hand, Sweetie Belle frowned and continued to stare. Okay Rumble, this is it. You can do this. He took a deep breath, and turned to Sweetie Belle.

"S-Sweetie Belle?"

"Yeah?" she revealed her mouth, which was hiding under the white sheet.

"I-I um... I just want to say... I'm sorry," he stumbled between words but finished all the same.

Sweetie Belle didn't say anything. Rather, she just let Rumble explain himself. Her eyes locked on his own, and her ears were open to anything that Rumble would say.

"What you saw at the clubhouse is not what I planned or expected it to be. Honest. I mean, I just wanted to rest while I waited for you to come back, so I took a nap to get a little rest. But when I woke up, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were with me. They said that you went to get some supplies here," he explained. Sweetie Belle nodded in response.

"It's good to know that they weren't lying. So they told me that, then they did some... things," his voice faded.

"What kind of things?" Sweetie Belle asked with a straight face.

"Well um... should I tell you?" Rumble was nervous as he tapped his hooves. Should I tell her?

She sat in an upright position and nodded in response. Okay Rumble, just tell her the truth. It's all she wants. Although the truth may hurt her feelings, it's the right thing to say at this point.

Rumble sighed and said, "Apple Bloom was kinda rubbing my chest and—"

"She did what?!" Sweetie Belle shouted as she blushed instantly.

"Please, let me finish. After that, Scootaloo asked me if she can hug me, so I did, and—"

She did what?!" Sweetie Belle shouted for the second time, her hooves on her cheeks.

"Sweetie Belle!" he cried.

"What?"

"I know you're adorable and all, but save it for later. Right now, you have to listen to me," his words slipped right out of his mouth. It took seconds for him to realize what he just said. As a result, he managed to copy Sweetie Belle's redness.

"What did you just say?" Sweetie whispered.

"You're a-adorable?" he said hesitantly.

"I'm... adorable?" Her hoof pointed to her chest. Rumble nodded in response.

"Yeah. Anyway, we fell asleep after that. Then we woke up and woke Scootaloo up. We accidentally sent her flying when that happened. At least she was up. Scootaloo then kinda massaged my wings. I never knew my wings were sensitive. Then Apple Bloom and I um... kissed. Then that's when you came in and ran away," Rumble finished and placed his hooves on the bed.

"She did what?!" Sweetie Belle shouted for the third, and hopefully the last, time. Well at least she let me finish.

"I'm really sorry, Sweetie Belle. It's just that I wasn't thinking straight and I got in on the moment. I'm really sorry that I made you cry. I didn't mean to. I don't want to see an adorable filly cry, especially if that filly is you," Rumble explained, blushing afterwards.

"Oh." That was the only thing Sweetie Belle could say before blushing madly, so much that she looked down to hide her face from him. Her bangs flopped down as she tensed her shoulders. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, please help my heart. I pray I wouldn't need a pacemaker after this.

"Why are you apologizing about the kiss then?" she asked softly.

Silence filled the room in an atmosphere that made everything seemed to be still. It was only for a moment when the rustling of the trees outside seemed loud like that of a busy market. The two of them could even hear the rustling of the blanket every time the filly moved. Moments later, Rumble managed to have the courage to talk.

"Because I wanted to kiss you first," he lowered his head to hide his blush, the same as what Sweetie Belle did.

"W-Why?"

"Because... I realized that my heart was already set for you."

Moments after, the same silence enveloped the room. Rumble rubbed his elbow as Sweetie Belle turned to look straight at him. Although his gaze doesn't meet with hers, he could sense that she was staring at his mane. He glued his eyes at less important things, like the white fabric beneath him or the unbelievable softness of Sweetie's bed, to take his mind away from the feeling of awkwardness. The longer it stayed like this, the more nervous he became.

Did I say something wrong? Am I doing this at the wrong time? Oh Rumble, you are such an idiot. What will she feel now? She'll probably think that I'm only taking advantage of her and her friends. But it's not like that, not even in the slightest. What I feel about her is real, what I said to her is real. I hope she thinks I'm telling the truth.

On the other hand, Sweetie Belle sat there, frozen, as she played back what he said in her head. She was surprised at what she had just heard. She wouldn't expect those words to come out of his mouth, especially when he had just seen her cry and fall asleep. Nonetheless, she listened to everything that Rumble had said. She understood him, but still couldn't accept what happened. She's not angry, no, she was confused. She couldn't take it in, since she doesn't really know his reason and purpose.

She would just slap him in the face and let him leave, so she can have more time to think. But she didn't do it. What she had heard from him were crystal clear. His words were true and vivid. She felt it the moment she heard it. It was like honey: sweet and pure. When she heard it, her heart skipped a beat, not because she was afraid of it, but because she wanted to hear that from him. Although it left her confused, it didn't matter to her right now. What matters to her is the colt beside him, and only him.

She slowly slid closer to Rumble, which made him turn to look at her face. He expected a frown, but it was something sweeter. He saw a smile, something that he had missed so much, because it was her smile. Sweetie stopped sliding when she was an inch away from him. She turned her body until their sides made contact. The mere sensation of her body touching his own made his heart race. Instinctively, he leaned closer to her as his breathing became a little quicker. Sweetie Belle slowly wrapped a foreleg around his back, and leaned her head on his shoulders.

"S-Sweetie Belle..." Rumble stammered.

"Hmm?" she responded as she closed her eyes, taking in the feeling of his coat.

"Um... I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It's alright, Rumbly-wumbly," she cooed.

Rumble curved his lips to a soft smile. Knowing that she forgives him was enough to make him happy, but having her beside him again made him the happiest colt in Equestria. It's all he wanted. It's all he wished for. He turned to face Sweetie Belle, and he was greeted by the strands of hair that tickled his muzzle. He ignored that for now.

"I'm right here for you," Sweetie Belle whispered as she hugged him tight.

For the third time, the silence in the room grew. But this time, Rumble and Sweetie Belle was happy about it. They were enjoying each other's company at last. Sweetie Belle thought only of Rumble and his softness, as if the reason that made her run away and cry herself to sleep just vanished. Rumble was also happy, for he not only resolved a conflict between them, but also brought himself back to her heart.

"Sweetie Belle?" he called.

She didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to face him. Her eyes were lock on his own. She was ecstatic, yet acted gentle at the same time.

"I lo—" before he was finished, Sweetie Belle leaned towards him, and the filly's lips were met with his own. At that moment, he felt a spark inside him. It was sweeter than honey, but he expected that. He was called Sweetie Belle after all. It was just a play on words, but it didn't matter to Rumble. He always believed that she's really sweet. He was happy about it, ecstatic even. He wouldn't wait for the days to come that he will have the sweetest filly in his world by her side. He could just imagine the things they could do. But for now, he had to enjoy the present, and the present is oh so sweet.

For Sweetie Belle, this kiss was all that she imagined it would be. She had been dreaming, mostly daydreaming, about this kiss ever since she met Rumble. She was head over heels in love with him. Now her dream had come to reality, she didn't want it to end. But it had to, time doesn't freeze for them.

Sweetie Belle was the first to pull back. She opened her eyes and saw Rumble still frozen in her act. His eyes were closed was leaning forward. A second later, she covered her mouth with a hoof and giggled, which made Rumble open his eyes and bring back his sense of time back in his head. The first thing he saw was the glaring light of the sun. He scrunched his brow to fight it, but seconds later, he saw the gentle smile curved on her lips and a tear flowing on her eye. I guess she's just too happy. A moment of staring later, and he had heard the most beautiful thing a filly could say.

"I love you too, Rumble."