All Hail Prince Rumble!

by Stratocaster

Puberty?

The lone bell at the Ponyville schoolhouse rung heralding another ended weekend and resumed learning. Fillies and colts gathered around outside the entrance, some discussing weekend plans and others how they would possibly survive another school day. At some point, Cheerilee would call them in to begin her lesson, but for now the energetic foals got in some freedom in the adjacent playground. The leaders of the Cutie Mark Crusaders strolled up the path to the schoolhouse together.

"So I just heard that one o' my cousins got her cutie mark yesterday!" said Apple Bloom.

"Alright!" replied Scootaloo. "Which cousin was it?"

"It was Apple...Crisp?" Apple Bloom took a moment to recall. "No no, it was Apple Tart I think. No that's not right. Apple Cinnamon? Is there an Apple Cinnamon? I feel like that's one o' dem."

"Well do you remember what the cutie mark was?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Do ya even need to ask?" sighed Apple Bloom.

"Hey girls!" The three fillies looked back to see one of their newest initiates bounding up the path.

"Well heya, Rumble!" said Scootaloo as he approached. "We were starting to think you weren't showing up today. You're usually flying here pretty early."

"Eh, don't really feel like flying today for some reason." Rumble scratched his mane. "Anyway, I just want to say I hope there's still no hard feelings about yesterday. I kinda made a stink of things in the camp."

"Aw shucks, don't beat yerself up over it." Apple Bloom shrugged. "Everypony's got their own way of finding their lot in life."

"And that food you and your brother made was delightful!" added Sweetie Belle. "We can't hate you for that."

"Heh heh, thanks." Rumble tilted his head sort of limply.

"You okay, Rumble?" asked Scootaloo. "You look like you're about to faint."

"I'm fine." Rumble shook off his daze. "I just woke up with this splitting headache and I don't know why. I didn't do anything real strenuous last night. And my brother wasn't even clattering around in the kitchen this time. Ugh, I am so not up for school today."

"Well if you're feeling dizzy," said Sweetie Belle. "I'm sure Miss Cheerilee won't catch you sleeping through class this time."

"Yeah, I can only hope." Rumble murmured. "Let's just get this over with."

With another ring of the bell, the foals groaned as they reluctantly left the playground and herded into the tiny schoolhouse. They found their desks as Cheerilee prepared her lesson on the chalkboard, some of the early birds readily opening their notebooks for exhilarating learning. Some, including Rumble, hung their heads drearily over their desks and awaited a long, dull day.

"Good morning, class!" announced Cheerilee. "Today we'll be taking a look at some basic science."

"Wait what?!" Sweetie Belle raised her hoof. "Miss Cheerilee, you were just starting to teach us about the history of Canterlot last class! I know this is an elementary school, but why does the school board make us learn something completely different every day?"

"Oh ho Sweetie Belle, I am the school board!" Cheerilee carried on. "Now, to start off our lesson we'll be learning about the physics of sound waves."

"Ugh, I hate science." Rumble sulked to himself, feeling heavier in the head by the second. "Maybe this will go by quick."

"Every sound creates a pulsing wave through the air." Cheerilee continued. "And these waves bounce off of any surface in their way. Let's demonstrate with this cooking pot." She then began to bang a metal pot with a matching spoon.

Rumble reeled in his seat as the obnoxious clatter reverberated throughout the classroom and through his aching head. He covered his drooped ears and grimaced with disdain for his eccentric teacher's lessons.

"See, we can hear the sound waves from that." Cheerilee said. "But the pattern of sound is a little less detectable from a more high-pitched sound. Like this whistle!"

The ensuing screech of the whistle hit Rumble like a piercing needle. "You've gotta be kidding me!" he hissed to himself.

After a few more excruciating noises, Cheerilee procured a boombox. "Now we shall see how sound waves travel through condensing technology like this. As an example, here's some techno pop."

As soon as she pressed the play button, Rumble's headache soared to the point where he felt as if his eyes would burst out of their sockets. He let his head plop to the surface of his desk and slammed his hoof on it repeatedly.

"Is something the matter, Rumble?" asked Cheerilee after turning off the loud music.

"Uh...nothing at all, ma'am." Rumble answered dizzily. "Just light-headed, I guess.

The quirky teacher walked over to his desk and put a hoof on his forehead. "Oh my, you seem to be running a fever. You should head to the nurse right away."

"...We have a nurse?" replied Rumble. "This school is just one room."

"Go on, young man." Cheerilee insisted. "No sick students in this classroom."

"Uh, Miss Cheerilee?" Scootaloo raised her hoof. "I just remembered I've come down with a case of hay fever!"

"Scootaloo, you've come down with a case of baloney." Cheerilee glowered.

Struggling to get to his hooves, Rumble stood up and took his excusing from class with relief, much to the envy of his friends. But as he exited the schoolhouse, he had no idea where to head next after just hearing about Cheerilee employing a nurse. Lo and behold, there was a building close to the right of the schoolhouse that had a similar design. A red cross hung over the doorway.

"Well shut me up, we do have a nurse's office." Rumble said. "And yet our swing set is just wooden planks on rope."

With his dizziness increasing, Rumble slowly made his way across the path, shielding his eyes from the sun as not to exasperate his condition. He had no clue what to expect when he entered the small office several yards away. But he certainly did not expect a familiar face working inside.

"Ah, hello Rumble!" greeted Nurse Redheart. "How are you feeling today?"

"Nurse Redheart?" queried Rumble. "You work for the school now?"

"Well only part time." She replied. "I don't mind it, but I just don't have the patients! Ha ha ha ha...I'm really sorry. Anyway, is something wrong?"

"Yeah, I think I'm coming down with a fever." Rumble said. "My head has been killing me all morning."

"Then have a seat, dear." She gestured. "I'll fetch some ice and a thermometer."

Rumble sat on the medical bench and waited before the nurse handed him an ice bag. But even as he held the refreshing cold to his head, the pain did not diminish. It felt as if something was pulsing and throbbing right in the center of his forehead. He had the impression that this sudden fever would never go away.
Nurse Redheart placed a glass thermometer in his mouth and waited a minute for the red liquid to rise inside. However, the instrument was not telling her what she expected.

"That's strange." She said. "Your temperature is normal yet I can feel you're burning up."

"You sure that thing isn't broken?" groaned Rumble.

Nurse Redheart then put a stethoscope up to his chest and listened carefully. "And your pulse doesn't seem to be speeding up. I'm not seeing any signs of a fever."

"Well then what's wrong with me, Nurse?" asked Rumble, getting impatient. "I can feel it getting worse!"

"Hmm, well if ice isn't helping," said the nurse. "Then I guess it's time to resort to shock therapy."

"What?!"

"Hee hee, I'm kidding!" grinned Nurse Redheart. "Just a little nurse's joke."

"Okay now it's officially a migraine." Rumble glared.

"Don't worry, I'll find some painkillers you can take." Nurse Redheart turned to search through her cabinet.

At that point, Rumble was losing his composure. "Please, Nurse, I think something...really bad is...ohhhh..." With that, he began lying on the floor and clutching his head in agony.

"Rumble? Rumble! Oh goodness!" Nurse Redheart rushed over and knelt down to him. "Rumble are you okay? Can you tell me what's going on?"

It was impossible for Rumble to speak. The pain in the colt's forehead was drawing away his full attention. He writhed on the floor and moaned loudly as the throbbing seemed to burst from his skull.

"Rumble, please hang on!" came Nurse Redheart, unsure of how to help the poor foal. But then, in one instant, her worry all but disappeared.

POP!

"...Hey! It stopped!" beamed Rumble. "My head doesn't hurt anymore! I feeling much better!"

Nurse Redheart stared in frozen bewilderment. All she could let out of her mouth was a quivering hedging noise.

"Huh, I don't know what just happened, Nurse," Rumble said happily. "But whatever it was is gone now! Must of been one heck of a pang I guess."

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"Well, thanks anyway, Nurse Redheart!" continued Rumble. "Oh man, does this mean I have to go back to class?"

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"...I'll take that as a no!" Rumble gleamed and trotted out. "Seeya, Nurse!"

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

Finally relieved of his mysterious migraine, Rumble stretched his little wings and took to the air, deciding to play hooky for the rest of the school day. "Schoooooool's out...for...Rumble!" he sang as he sped above the Ponyville countryside. Just then, his brief moment of bliss was interrupted when he flew straight into the head of another flying pony, causing both of them to plummet to the ground after the collision. Rumble raised his head, feeling wooziness coming back to it. He then turned to see who it was he rammed into. "Oh gosh! Sorry about that, Miss Twilight!"

The purple princess shook off her daze and stood up. "Rumble? Shouldn't you be in school right now?" she looked at him quizzically.

Rumble stammered nervously. "I uh, I started feeling achy and I got excused from class. Oooooh my head, it's killing me!" He feigned and rubbed his temples.

"Well then please watch where you're going in the air." Twilight sighed. "You nearly took my eye out with your horn!"

"I'm really sorry, I just...my what?" Rumble raised a brow.

"Your horn! You almost got me with your..." Twilight paused and let the creeping realization wash over her.

"Pfff, okay Miss Twilight," chuckled Rumble sarcastically. "I'll be more careful with my 'horn'. You have a weird sense of humor for a princess, ya know. I'll just be on my way then." He then walked off down the dirt road, hoping not raise any suspicion from the adult pony. But he did not get far as Twilight quickly sped after and held him up by the sides.

"Rumble!" she blurted.

"Ah! What?! I said I was sorry!" exclaimed Rumble.

"You have a horn on your head! Like a unicorn's!" Twilight nearly shrieked in his face.

Rumble scoffed again as he brought his hoof to his forehead. "What are you talking about, Miss Twilight? Why would I have a- AAHHH! What is that?! What am I feeling?!"

"Here, look!" Twilight then manifested a magic mirror in her aura.

Rumble looked at his reflection and was immediately astounded. Surely enough, a small bony horn protruded from the center of his forehead. It was merely three inches long and not even close to being sharp enough to make a point. But a horn it was nonetheless. "Wha...this...this isn't real...It can't be!" he stammered. "This is some kind of trick!"

"Rumble, you said you were suffering head pain before, right?" asked Twilight.

"Well I was, but now it's gone and I just lied to get out of school." Rumble said, no longer caring. "Wait, you don't think that it was because of-"

"Yes I do!" said Twilight. "You must have just grown that horn a few moments ago! Do you know what this means, Rumble?"

"I'm going to die?" Rumble quivered.

"You're an alicorn!" Twilight beamed. "A male alicorn! I don't believe it!"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Rumble stepped back a bit. "You think I suddenly became...like you? Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"What other explanation is there?" replied Twilight. "I never knew I was an alicorn until I grew these wings. The same thing must have happened to you with that horn! Tell me, Rumble, did you have any big life-changing epiphany lately?"

"Well now that you mention it, I do feel a bit gassy after oat burgers." Rumble said sheepishly.

"No I mean a sudden realization!" said Twilight. "Some important life lesson that brings out the best in you, and for some reason extra body parts?"

"No I don't think..." Rumble paused. "Actually, I did learn something in the Cutie Mark Crusader day camp. I realized that I don't have to let my cutie mark decide who I am and that I can achieve anything I want."

"That's it!" came Twilight. "It's that realization must have brought out the magic in you that makes you an alicorn! It's so simple!"

"...No it's not! What the actual hay are you talking about?!" burst Rumble.

"Look, Rumble, I know this must be quite scary for you." Twilight explained. "I still don't know much about alicorn transformations. That is, considering I'm the only pony I know that it's happened to. But I think I get you some help in figuring this out. I'm taking you to see Princess Celestia and Princess Luna right away."

"What?! In Canterlot?!" retorted Rumble. "But I've never been there! What am I supposed to tell my brother?! What am I supposed to tell anypony?!"

"I'm sure Thunderlane and your friends will understand in due time." Twilight said. "For now, we have to see if this transformation is legitimate. Looks like you'll get to be excused from school after all, Rumble."

"Not like this!" Rumble exclaimed and frantically ran down the road. "NOT LIKE THIS!"

"Rumble where are you going?!" Twilight called after. "The princesses need to know about this!"

Already with a head start, Rumble sped away from Twilight into town. This day was turning out to be a hectic cycle of surprises too much for the young colt to take. He took every measure to avoid passing ponies as he raced through the streets of Ponyville, as they would surely wonder what he was up to. Some even did a double take as they saw him zip by, unsure of whether he had actually grown a horn or not.
Eventually, he returned to the small house he shared with his older brother, Thunderlane, hoping he would have it to himself that day. Before anypony else could catch a glimpse of him, Rumble slammed the front door behind him, panting after his long run.

"Hey little brother, is that you?!"

"Gah!" Rumble yelped at the sound of his brother calling from the kitchen in back.

"How come you're not in school?" came Thunderlane again. "You're not trying to play hooky again, are you?"

"Uh, no!" Rumble called back. "I uh, I got excused 'cause I'm coming down with a fever. My head is really-" He then gasped, remembering his new forehead protrusion. Thinking quickly, he grabbed a scarf from the coat rack next to him and wrapped it around his head.

"Ah, sorry to hear about that." Thunderlane said, walking into the living room to see his little brother. "Need a drink or anything?"

"No no, I'm fine!" Rumble froze after hastily tying the scarf over his tiny horn.

"Well then why are you wearing my old Hearth's Warming scarf on your head?" asked Thunderlane, suspicious.

"Oh, this?" Rumble grinned sheepishly. "Heh heh, um, I-I'm trying to go for a fashion cutie mark with some of the Crusaders! Yeah, looks good, right?"

"Bro, that thing already looks tacky on anypony's neck." Thunderlane said flatly. "And if you're running a fever, that can't be good for your temperature. Why don't I get you some ice?"

"No really, Thunderlane, I'm okay!" replied Rumble as he hurried up the stairs. "I just need to get some sleep. I'm sure I feel better soon! No need to come into my room for any reason! Goodnight! I mean, day! Or whatever!" He said, until slamming the door to the bathroom.

"Hmm, maybe he had a little too much fun at that camp." Thunderlane pondered to himself. "Eh, he'll feel better once he tries my stuffed jalapenos!"

Upstairs, Rumble yanked off the ugly scarf, climbed a stool and stared into the mirror with disbelief. He poked at the stumpy horn, still hoping it was just an illusion. But it felt as real as the wings on his sides. Rumble opened the mirror cabinet, growing more and more frantic.

"This can't be real!" he told himself. "This just cannot be real!"

Rummaging through the cabinet, he procured a hoof file and again looked at his reflection with a deep breath. Rumble slowly began rubbing the file against the horn, thinking somehow that it would easily disappear. But after just a few seconds of filing, pain suddenly tinged down into his head.

"Youch!" he exclaimed and threw the file aside. "Oh man, it IS real! This thing is a part of me! But...why?!"

A knock came at the door. "Rumble? You okay in there, little bro?"

"Nothing! I mean, uh, fine! Er, yes!" stammered Rumble. "I'm just, uh, brushing my teeth!"

"Aw come on," said Thunderlane from outside. "You don't want to try some of my food?"

"I'm not hungry!" called Rumble, running the faucet to sound busy. "Just leave me alone, Thunderlane, I'm really not feeling well!...Really."

"Eh, alright." Thunderlane replied. "But can you at least hurry it up in there? I tried some of that chili I made earlier and it is not sitting well!"

"Uh, sure!" Rumble scrambled to refasten the scarf to his head, turn off the faucet and open the door. He tried strolling by his brother swiftly without drawing attention to his forehead.

"Oh for crying out loud." Thunderlane instantly swiped his scarf off the colt, before staring down at him in shock.

A bead of sweat dripped down Rumble's cheek as he froze and looked up at his suspecting brother.

"...Boy you really are out of it today." Thunderlane said after a cold pause. "You didn't even notice somepony put this fake horn on you."

"Oh! Uh, yeah!" Rumble chuckled. "I-I knew that was there! Heh heh heh, kind of a fantasy game we do at school sometimes, ya know? I uh...pretend to...be a unicorn...heh heh..."

"Huh, I know I said you could do anything," said Thunderlane. "But maybe that's a bit of a stretch. Let me see that."

He then quickly reached down and grabbed the horn, yanking backward hoping to pull if off. Instead, he managed to hurl his little brother over his shoulder and into the shower curtain in the bathroom. Thunderlane looked back and gasped before rushing in to see if Rumble wasn't hurt. Fortunately, the colt was only tangled in the dislodged curtain and lying in the bathtub, shaking off the velocity of being thrown by his athletic brother. But as he lay there in a heap, Rumble realized that his briefly held secret may have been exposed.

"That's...not a fake horn, is it?" Thunderlane queried.

"Uh, Thunderlane, I can explain!" Rumble quivered. "Oh who am I kidding, no I can't."

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Thunderlane started out of the bathroom and downstairs, but not before shooting Rumble a look of both concern and confusion. With his mind still hung up on the anomaly on his brother's head, Thunderlane answered the door.

"Thunderlane!" greeted Twilight. "Did your brother come home? There's something super important about him that we need to discuss."

Having realized the dire level of the situation now that Twilight was here, Thunderlane narrowed his eyes and called harshly. "RUMBLE!"

After a few moments, the younger brother sheepishly descended the stairs, looking much like a puppy that had just wet the carpet.

"You wanna tell me what the Discord is going on with you?" demanded Thunderlane. "And it better be the truth!"

"I really can't say!" Rumble said nervously, rubbing his shoulder.

"There's nothing to worry about, Thunderlane." Twilight explained. "But your brother has just recently grew that horn. And I suspect that he's just begun to awaken his powers as an alicorn."

Thunderlane stared at the purple mage in bafflement. "...How is that not something to worry about?!"

"Well, what I mean is I don't think it's a bad thing!" replied Twilight with a shrug.

"You're saying my brother is an alicorn?!" blurted Thunderlane. "How am I supposed to believe that?!"

"That's pretty much what I've been saying." Rumble said weakly.

"Relax, Thunderlane," said Twilight. "I just want to take Rumble to see Princess Celestia in Canterlot. If anything, she and Princess Luna will know what to make of this. If he truly is an alicorn, then only they can say what's in store for him."

"But I don't wanna go to Canterlot!" griped Rumble. "I don't wanna be an alicorn! You're not just gonna let me go, are you Thunderlane?"

The older pegasus said nothing at first. In just a few short moments, he was being forced to accept that his own brother was being turned into a slightly different, but extremely rare type of pony. At this point, Thunderlane gave up on trying to wrap his head around the reality.

"Rumble," he said. "I can't explain what's happening any more than you can. But if the princesses can confirm if you really are...you know, then I think that's the best bet. If you want, I'll even come with you and Twilight."

"But-but...do you realize how insane this sounds?!" frowned Rumble.

"Yes, I do." Thunderlane said. "But the proof is right there clear as day."

"Cheer up, Rumble," smiled Twilight. "You'll see it's not so bad having a horn. I mean, I wouldn't know what it's like not to have one. But I'm sure you'll grow attached to it! Uh, so to speak."

Rumble drooped and looked up at his new appendage. "I really wish this thing was just a weird growth."

"Hmm...how extraordinary..." Princess Celestia pondered as she stared close and intently at Rumble, encasing him in her magical aura.

With a seemingly permanent frown, Rumble sat in the middle of the castle throne room as the rulers of Equestria examined him like an anomaly of nature. It was rather intimidating for the small colt to be scrutinized by the towering goddesses in an unfamiliar place like Canterlot Castle. It did nothing to diminish the shock of suddenly growing a horn, which he still suspected was just a trick of some unknown curse.

Celestia stepped back after craning her neck down to him. "Very extraordinary indeed." She said, recalling her sparkling aura.

"Do you mean it's actually fake, Princess?" asked Rumble with a last shred of hope.

"No the horn is most definitely real without a hint of a doubt." Celestia replied. "And of course that would definitely make you an alicorn, young Rumble. But it's not every day when one is found."

"Verily this is a miracle!" beamed Princess Luna, standing beside Rumble across from her sister. "Another alicorn discovered in their youth! Fair Rumble, thou must feel just as Princess Twilight felt when her wings doth appeared!"

"You mean scared and confused and like I'm turning into a monster?" whimpered Rumble.

"Not really," said Twilight matter-of-factly as she stood next to Thunderlane. "I pretty much just accepted it and sang a song."

"No offense, Your Majesties," Thunderlane chimed in. "But I just can't really accept this. How can Rumble just suddenly turn into an alicorn?"

"The fact is, Thunderlane," said Celestia. "Rumble has always been an alicorn. But like with Twilight and Cadence, his full form would not have appeared until later during his youth. It seems though that Rumble is an early bloomer. This revelation he had concerning his eventual cutie mark must have awakened the missing part of him, that is, his natural magic. I can sense a weak aura emanating from him."

"But I don't know any magic!" retorted Rumble.

"Thou has never had a chance to." Luna told him. "For thou has never felt this power within until now."

"Just as I had felt my magic double in strength when my transformation happened." Twilight added. "I must say, Rumble, your situation is actually helping me learn more about myself."

"Oh I'm real glad about that, Miss Twilight!" Rumble glared.

"This is getting heavy." Thunderlane shook his head. "I mean, I thought alicorns were only female."

"That is what makes this so extraordinary." Celestia grinned. "In a court full of princesses, it appears that we are in the midst of a prince."

"...Say what?" came Rumble.

"Rejoice, Rumble!" exclaimed Luna, preparing her royal voice. "For thou hath been ushered forth as the first ever PRINCE OF EQUESTRIA!!!"

Thunderlane immediately fainted on the throne room floor, either from the shocking news or the sheer decibels of the moon princess's projected shout.

"Um, Princesses?" spoke Twilight. "Is that really set in stone? Can't Rumble just be an alicorn without being royalty?"

"It is a law of the ancients, Twilight." Celestia explained. "With a power like ours, Rumble must assume the utmost responsibility. He has been given a rare gift and so deserves royal praise. You must feel a great sense of pride, Rumble, now that you...Rumble?"

"No no no no no no no no no no NO!!!" shouted Rumble as he zoomed through the air out of the throne room and down the corridor. But just as quickly, he was apprehended in midair, surrounded again by Celestia's aura. He was levitated back into the large room and plopped on the gilded throne in the center.

"There is no need for panic, little stallion," said Celestia calmly. "This is a proud undertaking for you, especially at such a young age. And you will be treated with absolute comfort and respect."

"But I don't know anything about being a prince!" exclaimed Rumble. "I don't even know what I'm really good at yet! Does the term 'blank flank' mean nothing to you?!"

"He kind of has a point, Princess Celestia." Twilight added. "If Cadence is the Princess of Love, and I'm the Princess of Friendship, then what does that make Rumble the prince of? Don't you at least think it's a little early to be calling the shots?"

"NONSENSE, dear Twilight!" came Luna. "We must seize this opportunity post haste! Rumble shall be schooled in the ways of an Equestrian ruler. And yea, he shall discover his true potential!"

"Of course," said Celestia. "Rumble shall receive the finest education as a prince, and find what he is truly good at in the process. And I have a strong feeling that his talent will benefit all of Equestria. But we will not find out unless he sees for himself. Rumble, what say you? Shall we give your role as prince a trial run?" she asked with a wink.

Rumble darted his eyes between the three princesses, being bombarded with yet more surprises. He felt as if he was being thrown into a trap from which he could not escape. The very thought of being Equestrian royalty was daunting enough without having to be too young to even hold a part-time job. Every little voice in his mind was screaming for him to get out.
But the mention of realizing his potential struck seemed to strike a chord with him. After all, he had wanted to prove that he was good at something for as long as he followed in his brother's shadow. And the lesson he learned from the Cutie Mark Crusader day camp made him feel, for the first time, that he could truly achieve anything. Perhaps this would be the calling he had looked for. Perhaps this would bring out what made him Rumble.

With a moment's deliberation, he finally answered. "I guess I'll do it."

"SUPERB!" blared Luna, who had unnoticeably darted out of the room for a moment. "I hath already gathered the citizens of Canterlot to officially welcome our new addition to the Equestrian monarchy!"

Twilight looked at her strange blue mentor. "Huh? When did you-"

"Come, little one!" Luna then grabbed Rumble in her own aura and hurried out through the corridor.

Rumble gawked as he was carried, in a blur, to the outdoor balcony that overlooked the front courtyard. On the cobblestone below, hundreds of ponyfolk crowded in front of the castle to witness a momentous occasion in Equestrian history. They cheered with elation at the very sight of the little gray colt being held up and exhibited like a sacred treasure. The sound and sight were almost too much for Rumble to take. Shortly, Celestia joined her sister, levitating a small purple silk cape and a crown of silver and sapphire.

"Citizens of Equestria!" she announced to the crowd. "I give you your first prince of all ponies! May he reign long in a an era of peace and prosperity!" She then placed the cape and crown upon the suspended colt, both being too big for him. "All hail Prince Rumble!"

"ALL HAIL PRINCE RUMBLE!!!" the ponies cheered and whooped with praise for their new royal heir.

Rumble continued to stare in anxiety, wishing very dearly that he was back in school asleep at his desk.