The school bell rang and it is time for dismissal, Rumble and the other foals stood up on their hooves and began making their way towards the exit. Rumble had enjoyed his first day of school, it was better than he expected, he made new friends in the first day of school. He couldn't wait to tell his brother about what happened, he is also looking forward to see the Wonderbolts perform in Cloudsdale.
Rumble walked besides his new friends Featherweight, Pipsqueak, and Button Mash. They all waited for their parents to pick them up, while Rumble waited for his brother to come by. "So Rumble, how are your parents like?" Featherweight asked with a curious look, as the others shared the same.
Rumble blinked, "They're back in Cloudsdale, I live with my brother here in Ponyville." he answered, then another thought came to Featherweight's mind, every time there is a pony who moves in to Ponyville, a particular pink, party pony usually greets them and plans out a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party for new ponies.
"Rumble, have you seen a pink earth-pony by any chance? Her mane and tail is all poof, and she is highly energetic. Does this mare is ring a bell to you?" he asks, Rumble shot up an eyebrow. He didn't answer, instead, he slowly shakes his head, having no idea what he's talking about.
Featherweight gave him a look of surprise, "Wow! I'm surprised you haven't met Pinkie Pie yet." he commented, then Rumble then gave him a look of curiosity.
"Who is 'Pinkie Pie'?" he simply asks, having no idea who he is talking about. Should he be worried? Did he miss something?
"You'll find out when you meet her," the colts began to snicker as Rumble just gave out a with a face filled with confusion and curiosity. "She is not like any pony you'd meet in Euquestria.
Who are they talking about? And who is Pinkie Pie? Am I missing out on something?
"Button!" maternal voice yelled through the schoolyard, Rumble and his friends darted their eyes to see a light tan colored mare with a long, brown mane tied up into a ponytail, who is walking towards the group. All the colts, except Rumble, smiled at her. She gestures Button for a hug which he accepted as they give a warm embrace.
"Hi Mrs. Mash!" called Pipsqueak.
"Hi there Pipsqueak, how are things going with you lately?" she then rubs her hoof against the back of his neck.
"I'm doing good, Mrs. Mash," the small, spotted colt replied.
The mare then darted her towards a gray colt, she gave him a warm smile, "Well, who are you? You're a new one, what's your name?" she asked. Rumble finds her voice to be comforting and calm, as if like talking to him like she is his mother.
"I'm Rumble," he replied, "Um, what is your name miss?" he asked politely with a questioning expression across his face.
"My name is Lovetap, but you can call me Mrs. Mash." she told to him, he nodded and Lovetap turned towards her son, "Button, I've made you french toast at the house, your favorite."
The brown colt's face beamed up in excitement, "Oh boy!" Lovetap smiles at her young colt's excitement, she turned to look at his friends and waves her hoof at them.
"Okay I guess its time for Button and I to go now, I hope I can see all of you sweet little colts at Friday night!" Lovetap
"Of course! Why wouldn't we come?" Pipsqueak exclaimed, the other colts agreed by nodding. Then the tan-mare began to walk away, followed by Button Mash who is waving his friends good-bye as they waved back.
A few minutes has passed since Button's mom arrived to pick him up from school, Rumble sees a gray-pegasus mare who he recognized very well has landed in the schoolyard. Rumble was confused, why did Flitter came to pick him up instead of Thunderlane? He shrugged it off, it must've not been much of a big deal.
"Flitter? What are you doing here?" he asked, Flitter sighed filled with disappointment.
"I don't think you're not going to like the news, I'll explain it to you on our way towards the house." she said, Rumble shot her a confused expression across his face. They took off into the air, Rumble could see the frown across Flitter's face. He wondered what just happened, did an accident happen or something?
"Rumble," she called out and he darted his eyes to her. She is hesitant on telling Rumble his brother's choice is, "Your brother decided that he doesn't want to take you to see the Wonderbolts perform in Cloudsdale." she hesitantly spoken, Rumble flinched with his eyes widened. Thunderlane had promised to him that he will take him to the show.
"What?! But why?" he asked, like she predicted, she can tell that Rumble is really unhappy about Thunderlane's decision.
"He just decided to be lazy again," she rolled her eyes in frustration, she then reached her hoof into her saddlebag and took out two tickets," He decided that I'm going to have to take you to the show."
A scowl has filled upon his face, and blowing through his nostrils, "But he promised me that he'll take me, he even said it himself! Ugh, I can't believe that lazy, big fat liar!" Flitter flinched as he raised his voice and hearing grunts of frustration from the young colt.
"Rumble, calm down please, it's not necessary to raise your voice. I know that you're upset, but I'm sorry." she said, Rumble shook his head without even looking towards her. Rumble is a pretty relaxed colt most of the time, and it take a lot to make him angry. But, for probably doing this for the 5th time in a row, Thunderlane breaking another one of Rumble's promises, has really made his temper go up. Rumble knew that being angry is not a solution, so he decides to close his eyes and takes a deep breath, and slowly exhales, his angry scowl quickly fading.
"No, Thunderlane should be the one who is apologizing, Flitter." he said as his voice starts to calm down, "I'm sorry, for yelling out at you. But this is like the millionth time he broke a promise, doesn't he care about me, or is he just being a selfish liar."
She gave a comforting smiled and put her forearm over his shoulder, "I know Rumble, but you can't deny that he loves you, he is a great stallion. My sister and I knew him since we were both teenage foals, back in high school, we get to meet back up with him in flight school. He's funny and really stupid most of the time." her smile has changed into an annoyed frown, "And at times, he can be a great big slacker, I can remember him being late almost every morning to school and always falling asleep when the teacher is giving a lesson about chemistry." she giggled, Rumble then looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"Flitter, do you like Thunderlane? Have you ever been thinking about dating him before?" he said, Flitter's eyes widely increased in size and flinched as he mentioned it. The thought and memory of her young-teenage self, dating Thunderlane back in high school made her cringe.
"Um, actually I have, but lets just say that things didn't work out between us. Besides, he's dating my sister, he is not really my type of stallion to date, anyway. He is just a good friend of mine, that's all." she replied, she quickly spotted her destination, which is the new home of Thunderlane and Rumble. She motioned her hoof to the gray-pegasus colt as she pointed down towards the house and he quickly nodded. They stopped flapping their wings and spread them out as wide as they can, they are now slowly gliding down towards the surface of Ponyville.
As they land gently in front of the house, Rumble looked upon the structure, somehow he is still disappointed about his new home. Nothing like the houses they have in Cloudsdale, but of course Ponyville is a smaller and a less cheaper town than Cloudsdale, heck, it is not quite nearly as big as the other big cities of Equestria, such as: Canterlot, Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Cloudsdale, and Manehattan. But he also keeps hearing that Ponyville also has some of the most friendliest ponies you can find in Equestria. This village also houses the Princess of Friendship, who has saved Equestria, with the help of her friends, from multiple foes who has targeted this wonderful land of all ponies.
Rumble knew that he is in for quite an adventure, but suddenly a voice suddenly broke his train of though, "Rumble, its no time for daydreaming right now." Flitter called, Rumble blushed in embarrassment, he walked along with Flitter towards the entrance. Flitter knocked the door, but there was no answer. "Thunderlane! Open up!" she knocked again, but there was still no response. "Crap, Cloudchaser and him better not be making out or something at this time." she thought to herself.
She peeked inside the windows of the living room, there seems to be nopony inside. She checked all the other windows inside, and there was still nopony present. She growled in frustration, "Is he not home right now? Damn it, he is probably with Cloudchaser right now."
She returned to the front entrance when she meet up back with Rumble, "Sorry Rumble, but your brother is not home at the moment."
"What? Where is he now?"
"I'm figuring that he is on a date with Cloudchaser or something I don't know, its 3:20 p.m., and the Wonderbolts' performance only starts in three hours." she complained, Rumble rolled his eyes about her complaint.
"Well we got plenty of time, but why did we come here for anyway since we're coming to the show?"
"We need the money, just incase if you would like to buy some souvenirs, or order some food incase we get hungry." she responded, Rumble seemed to almost forgot about the money. Well even though Thunderlane could be a slacker most of the time, he has a job that pays him a decent amount of bits since he works for the weather team. But its not the most high paying job in Equestria, so he figured that Thunderlane has been saving up the bits to buy at least two tickets to see the show, and for the extra stuff like food, souvenirs, or to buy some VIP passes to get to go meet some of the best fliers of the Wonderbolts in the backstage area. Such as: Soarin, Spitfire, Fleetfoot, Rainbow Dash, and etc.
"Oh sorry, I almost forgot about the money." he rubbed his head as he blushed in embarrassment, Flitter giggled.
"That's okay, Rumble. That's why we came here, but I guess we're going to have to wait for him when he gets back from his date." she said as she sat down with Rumble in the porch as they both watched the other ponies in Ponyville as they go about their lives.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Ponyville, an orchard filled with many Apple trees that hold some of the most delicious apples you could find in Equestria. In a treehouse where it is known to be the 'hideout' for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to make their plans and start their own shenanigans throughout Ponyville. or just try to find out ways to help certain ponies to gain their own cutie mark. Or you could just say it is simply their every day hangout for casual things as friends. Right now, they seem to be planning how to help out a certain 'gray-pegasus colt to gain his cutie mark.
"So, how could we help this Rumble feller' out? Do we have any ideas?" Applebloom ask as she is standing behind her own podium with a blank sheet of paper as she is holding a pencil in her mouth so she could list the possible things that Rumble could be good at to get his cutie mark. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle having their own seats.
An idea instantly came into Sweetie Belle's mind that she hopes her friends can agree with, "Maybe he is good at...baking cakes!" she shouted, Applebloom thought about it for a few seconds until she nodded in agreement and wrote it as 'Baking' in her checklist.
"Okay that is a good one." she commented, Scootaloo raised her hoof to get her attention, "Yes, Scootaloo?"
"Maybe he is good at doing cool stunts like I am, like with skateboards, scooters, and skating." Applebloom wrote 'Stunts' in her checklist, still not happy with only just two ideas in her checklist.
"Come on girls, we need more ideas."
"How about skydiving?" Scootaloo suggested, then Sweetie Belle raised her hoof as she comes up with another idea.
"What about designing clothes and outfits?" Applebloom quickly wrote these two subjects on her checklist. Maybe it could be possible for Rumble to work with Rarity in the Carousel Boutique. The orange filly raised her hoof for an idea, once again.
"Could he be good at dancing?"
"What about singing!"
"Rodeo!"
"Hoofball!"
"Could he be a doctor?"
Many ideas were being thrown out from both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, as Applebloom writing every single idea in her list until it fills up all the way. Applebloom smiled at the checklist, so many ideas and there is a high chance for Rumble to earn his cutie mark from one of these. "Alright girls, ah' think Rumble has a guarantee chance to earn his own cutie mark, ah' bet he will have such a good adventure with us, right crusaders?"
"Right!" they both shouted in unison filled with excitement and joy. Then unexpectedly, the crusaders jumped as they heard a loud scream outside, curiously wanting to know who it is, they peeked out in the window. Only to see a pink party pony who they recognized as Pinkie Pie as she is asking many random questions to two pegasi who they don't know. One was a stallion with a dark coat, and a silver Mohawk mane who seems to be very startled by Pinkie's unexpected appearance, and the mare having the same reaction towards the party pony. The crusaders seemed amused about two new ponies getting surprised by Pinkie, good thing that the window is open so they can here what is going on.
"Just tell me what you want! How much bits do you want so you could go away!" the stallion pleaded, Pinkie giggled like she just heard a joke.
"Heehee, no silly! You must be new here! But I know you!" she exclaimed in excitement, Thunderlane flinched, desperately trying to find a way to get out of this situation.
"You do?"
"Yes! Rainbow sometimes told me how you used to work with her until she became a wonderbolt!" she replied, Cloudchase took on a look of irritation as he eyelids start to twitch. Then Pinkie Pie then started to blurt out many random questions in a speed that they could not understand, "Sowhereareyoufromdoyouhaveanysiblingsdoyoulikepartiesanyfriendshowisyourlifelikedoyouhaveafamilydoyoulikecupcakesdoyoulikeicecreamdoyoulikemilkshakesdoyou..."
"Ahhhhh! Get away from me!" Thunderlane's scream sounded similar to a filly's scream, and then he turned around and started to make a run for it. And then, out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie hopped out from a random bush and landed right in his path, which makes come to a halt, "What!? But you were-b-but-but....HOW!?" turning his head back to the spot where he ran from which she is not there, and then in front of him which is where the pink party pony is now standing, who has formed a smile on her face that is large enough that nopony could muster. Little did Thunderlane know, there was three little fillies in the nearby clubhouse who were laughing their heads off as they were watching the scene between him and Pinkie, both Thunderlane and Pinkie seem to be completely oblivious from the young audience watching the scene like it was their favorite show.
"Oh, you mean how I suddenly jumped out of a bush in front of you!? Oh it was nothing, just a normal thing I usually do!" she exclaimed, Thunderlane's irritation has replaced his frightfulness as he quietly growled.
"Seriously! Do you have to scream every time you talk?" he argued, then Pinkie's frown quickly faded into a worried face expression once she starts to see his anger filling up in his face. She didn't really mean to annoy him and make him angry, this is how she greets new ponies in town, nothing harmful. Even Cloudchaser dropped her jaw at how Thunderlane responded to her. As soon as the Crusaders heard Thunderlane yelled back at Pinkie, their laughter almost instantly stopped as they gasped in shock. This was the first time anypony has yelled towards Pinkie.
"Aww...did I really upset you?"
"Yes, but you don't have to shout all the time, I think you've almost got me deaf." as he starts to caress his ears, until he flinched when he heard a strong country voice calling out from a distance.
"Hey! What's goin' on over here?!" a voice that sounded like a southern country mare, he turned his head towards that direction. He saw an orange mare wearing a cowboy hat and has a blonde mane and tail, and standing next to her was a large red stallion who looked liked he goes to the gym every 24/7. Thunderlane felt intimidated by the stallion, hope he didn't make them angry or something.
"Oh, hi Applejack! Hi Big Mac!" she waved her hoof , which are the speed of how a fly flaps its own wings, towards the farm ponies who are waling towards the scene.
"Hey Pinkie, can ya' tell me who shouted? "she looked towards the dark-Pegasus stallion who seemed very wary of Big Mac "Um, who is this feller right here, and doesn't he seem familiar?" she pointed towards him as she eyes at the stallion very carefully with suspicion.
"Oh, that is Thunderlane, I actually found him taking a walk with his marefriend in this place, and I actually dropped by to say hello. The guy seems cranky though." she explained, "And I actually wanted to throw a 'Welcome to Ponyville Party!' for him too." Applejack tried to think if she actually knows him, after a few moments of thinking, she actually gets it.
"Oh, ah' know who he is,-" the orange cowmare turned towards the dark stallion- "Didn't ya used ta' work with Rainbow Dash when she was in the weather team with ya?" she asked him politely.
"Uh, yeah I did, but can you please keep your Pink friend at a calm level, please? She was all over my face and started asking me SO many questions, that I could not even understand a word she was saying" he said, the cowmare places her hoof over her mouth as she tries to hold down a giggle, Thunderlane got curious and asked, "Hey, what is so funny?"
"Oh, don't worry 'bout her, she's just Pinkie being herself, you'll get used ta' her eventually." she explained, "And ah see that you seem a bit nervous 'bout mah big brother here," she pointed towards the red stallion who was quiet through out the whole conversation, "Ya' don't worry 'bout him neither, he's actually pretty shy and quiet, he doesn't have a temper. He's good with ya," she cracked a smile towards him. Thunderlane breather a heavy sigh of relief, looks like he don't have to go to the hospital after all.
"Ok thanks, I guess Cloudchaser and I are going to go home now, I guess." he said as he wrapped his arm around Clouchaser's neck as he began to walk away from the group.
"Say, do ya'll ponies would like to drop by to mah' house for a visit? We got some delicious apple pie that mah' granny is cookin' up." Applejack called out to them, Thunderlane thought for a second, until the party pony popped up right in the pegasus couple's faces.
"Yeah, that way we can throw a 'Welcome to Ponyville Party'!" Thunderlane flinched, he could've swore she was with Applejack, but he shook his head as he reminded himself that Pinkie is different from other ponies.
"Um, no thanks! But it was a pleasure to meet you, but I think my little brother is waiting for me at home, so gotta go! Bye!" he ran quickly as he pulled Cloudchaser's arm as she yelped and struggled to keep her hooves at balance.
"Ow! Be careful with my-Ahhh!" she was cut off as she got tripped by a tree stump and is now being dragged by her coltfriend, who didn't seem to struggle to pull her whole body. But then Pinkie Pie popped in front of Thunderlane's way and he instantly came to a halt while Cloudchaser tries to breath for air.
"Hey don't forget to show up to my 'Welcome to Ponyville Party'! I planned it very special just for you!"
"No thank you, not interested!" Thunderlane said as he tries to make a way around Pinkie but she sidestep to block him.
"Please, there is going to be cake, music, snacks, food, and so much more fun! You might even make new friends, I know I'm already your friend."
"I said no," he simply answered and makes another attempt to get out of here, but Pinkie keeps preventing him from leaving, this time, Pinkie has a pleading expression as she continues to beg.
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"Pleeeaaaaaasssssssee!?"
"Okay! Fine I'll go to your party, I just want peace and quiet right now." Thunderlane complained, Pinkie just squealed in excitement as she rapidly bounces up and down like some kind of bouncy ball.
"Yay! This is going to be so much fun! I'll see you tonight at the party!" she bounces away in joy and excitement as both Thunderlane and Cloudchaser continues to stare at he until she is out of their sight. And they both awkwardly stared at each other.
The orange farm pony followed by the large red stallion, walked up beside him and had a smug smile spread across her face, "Hey Thunderlane, ah' just want to give a heads up, ah' wouldn't make Pinkie angry if ah' we're ya', believe me you do NOT want to make her mad. Thunderlane just gave her a nervous smile as he walks away from the farm ponies as Cloudchaser waved goodbye.
Back with the Crusaders in the club who has watched the entire scene with that new stallion, which is one of the strangest and funniest things they have seen, all of them are exploding with laughter as they hold their stomachs and lying down on the floor. After a few minutes of laughing, Scootaloo thought about that stallion that Applejack and Pinkie have met, "Hey, I think that guy is Rumble's big brother," she said, Apple Bloom looked at her with curiosity.
"How do ya' know that?"
"Well, your sister did say that he used to work with Rainbow Dash when she was in the weather team, and Rumble told me that his brother worked for the weather team, and so I put two and two together, and I figured out that he is his brother. Not to mention that they've just move in to Ponyville so I guess that's kind of obvious."
"Oh, that makes sense," Sweetie Belle commented.
"Everything makes sense to ya', Sweetie Belle" Apple Bloom joked to have a few chuckles from Scootaloo and growl from Sweetie Belle. Once the laughter died down, Apple Bloom looked at the clock in the clubhouse and it read '5:30 P.M.' and then gazed at Scootaloo, "Say aren't ya' supposed to go to the Wonderbolts performance tonight at Cloudsdale in like an hour? Its only five thirty and doesn't it start at like six or seven o'clock?" Apple Bloom reminded, Scootaloo gasped in realization.
"Oh crap, I almost forgot! Thanks for reminding me girls! I'll see you both at school tomorrow! I have to go meet Rainbow Dash in town square in half in an hour. " she waved at her two best friends as she quickly grabbed her saddlebag and rushed out of the clubhouse.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom waved her good bye and good luck until she is out of their sight, "So what do you want to do now Apple Bloom?"
"Ah'm terribly sorry, Sweetie Belle but mah' sister told me to come back to the house for dinner at six, and ah' don't want to come back late or else she'll be worried sick." she stated as Sweetie Belle gave a simple nod.
"It's okay, I don't want to worry Rarity neither, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."
"You too, Sweetie Belle." they both exit the club house and said their goodbyes as Apple Bloom trotted towards the farm house, Sweetie Belle made way towards the exit of the orchard.