Just Rumble

by Bronycommander


Chapter 1 Welcome to Medici

Chapter 1: Welcome to Medici

Marco Marino, a private of the Military was at his post at Guardia Libeccio I, a military outpost. It was raining but it didn’t bother him at all as he loved rain. The young man lived with his wife in Citate Di Ravello, the capital of Medici.

He had no problem to work for General Di Ravello, the ruler of the island, but still disliked his methods. “Hey, how’s going?” his best friend Luca Rossi, a Commando asked him. They both grow up together.

“Good. The sea air is gorgeous, don’t you think?”

“Si. How’s your wife?”

“Fine. She just wishes to be a mother after we found out that she was barren.” He let out a sigh.

“Then, why you don’t adopt?” Luca asked in return.

“We thought of that but we aren’t ready yet. And we also want to raise our child without fear and oppression, get what I mean?”

“Si. I heard that Rico Rodriguez has returned.”

“The famous race car driver?” Marco asked surprised.

“Yes.”

Both men were fans of him back then. One other soldier heard a strange noise. “What’s that?” he investigated it until it became clearer. For Marco, it sounded like a crying child. The soldier, however, said with a rude tone, “This is government property. I don’t want to kill you, but I will.”

“P-please don’t hurt me. I’m lost.” The child replied scared in English, behind a bush.

“You have two choices: Leave or die.” The soldier replied cold, apparently not caring about it or taking his job too seriously.

“Please, I just need to know where I am...How to get home...” The child cried more.

Unlike him, Marco was not rude like other soldiers, so he approached the bush and spoke in a calming tone, “Come out, I promise you will not be harmed.” Like many people of Medici, he was also fluent in English and other languages. The bush rustled.

All soldiers were confused as they saw a pony colt with purple tear-filled eyes, a black mane and tail and a grey coat. He hugged Marco’s legs for comfort.

It took the humans a few minutes to process this but then came up with the only explanation:

A child in a costume.

“Shh, it’s alright, I’ll help you. Here, take a sip.” He offered the colt his canteen.

“Thank you, sir.” At first, the soldier thought he was hallucinating, but as every other soldier was shaking his head, he knew that what he saw wasn’t his imagination.

“I know you all take your job seriously but you should think before saying that sentence to a lost child,” Marco said to his comrades, who nodded, then turned back to the boy with a smile. “What’s your name, little guy?”

“Rumble. And yours? Rumble asked politely.

“Private Marco Marino from the Medici Military.”

“M-Medici? Never heard of it.” Rumble stared at the soldier for a few seconds, then started to sob. “B-brother…”

The young soldier had sympathy with the young child, trying to comfort him. “Shh, it’s alright, come with me. You could get a cold in this rain.”

Rumble stopped to cry, smiling weakly. “Thank you, Mr. Marino.”

“Please, Marco is just fine. It’s a long ride, so try to sleep a bit until we arrive.”

Marco put him in the backseat of his Weimaraner W3 and put the seat belt on. It was one of the best and reliable cars in Medici.

“For your own safety.” Rumble just nodded and fell asleep. Before the soldier started the engine, he saw that Rumble had wings. A Pegasus? Fascinating.

“You can keep this a secret?” Marco asked. He knew that Luca could.

“Si, no problem, my friend.” His friend replied, the other soldiers nodded.

“Thanks, guys.”

While he was driving home, the radio played Torre Florim - Firestarter.

The trip was quiet but the rain stopped as Citate Di Ravello was in view. His wife was working as an office worker and was paid well like him.

At home, he spoke gently, “Wake up Rumble, we’re here.”

The colt let out a cute yawn. “We are? Wow…” He was lost for words as he saw the skyscrapers.

“Welcome to Citate Di Ravello, the capital of Medici and my home.” Marco opened the door and called out, “Vittoria, I’m home!”

“Welcome home.” His wife walked out of the kitchen. She was also young and had brown hair with green eyes. The woman looked confused at the colt, trying to understand, then smiled. “And you brought a guest. Who are you, my little guest?” She smiled at Rumble.

“Rumble Mrs. Marino.”

“That’s polite from you but Vittoria is just fine. Where did you found him?” She asked his husband curiously.

“I found him lost near the outpost I’m working. As I couldn’t live with me if I let him stuck in the rain, and you wished to be a mother, I brought him here.” Marco had sympathy for the young pony.

“Then, why you don’t get a towel and dry him while I make dinner?” Vittoria suggested.

“Yes, honey.”

“Thank you for that,” Rumble said as Marco dried him.

“No need, I always help those in need.” The private explained before his wife called out,

“Dinner is ready!” Marco helped him on the chair

Vittoria had made Spaghetti alla napoletana. Rumble enjoyed it.

“So Rumble, do you want to tell us about yourself?” She asked him, guilty that it could make him sadder.

“Well, I’m a Pegasus pony from Equestria. I live in a town called Ponyville. Pegasus ponies can fly and manipulate the weather. I can fly but only with the support of my big brother Thunderlane. He is also a Pegasus. He has golden eyes, a blue-gray mane, and a black coat. He has a lightning bolt from a cloud as Cutie Mark. It represents the special talent of a pony. I still haven’t got it but I don’t care. Our parents died when I was still a baby. We live together with Cloudchaser and her sister Flitter who are like sisters to me. They are also Pegasus ponies.

Equestria is a peaceful country and is ruled by Princess Celestia and Luna who controlling the sun and moon. Humans were only a myth, but after some incidents in the past, foals were separated from their families and landed in different universes were human took care of them until they returned home. The humans left their homes to live with the foals in Equestria. I landed here because two unicorns, Snails and Snips, were combining their magic in a teleport spell. They accidentally hit me as it got out of control and… here I am.” Rumble lowered his ears and let out a sigh.

“Sorry to hear that. But we will take care of you. We always wanted to be parents. I was pregnant, but our child, who was a boy, didn’t survive. He was dead before he was born. After that, we found out that I couldn’t have any more children.” The young wife told with a hint of sadness.

“That's...I'm so sorry....” The young colt felt sorry for them, his head lowered.

“I know but with you, my wish to be a mother came true.” Vittoria smiled at him.

Rumble’s ears perked up. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Oh thank you!” Rumble got from his chair and hugged both tightly with tears of joy.

“Should we tell you how we meet each other?” The private asked.

“Yes, please!” Rumble’s eyes sparkled.

“I still remember as it was yesterday…”


Marco was playing with his friend Luca when they were still children. They saw the new neighbors. What caught Marcos interest was their daughter.

“Hello, I’m Vittoria.” The girl greeted friendly.

“Hello, I’m Marco and this is my friend Luca.”

“I and my parents moved from Burgoletto here. I was born there but my parents came from Italy.” She explained.

“What a coincidence, our parents are also from Italy. Want to play with us?” Luca asked.

“Sure why not.” She said with a grin as her parents were chatting to each other.

It was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. In the evening, Marco and Luca were talking about tomorrow as they heard a cry for help. Following it, they saw how Vittoria was intimidated by some large boys. “P-please don’t hurt me.”

“Listen up, brat! You stay away from our territory or face the consequences.” One of them threatened her.

“Get a soldier or the D.R.M. while I distract them.” Marco ordered Luca, determined to defend his new friend.

“You’re sure, friend?” He asked unsurely.

“Si. Now get help.”

“Si.”

“Hey, leave the lady alone!” Marco shouted. His parents taught him to be respectful toward girls and woman.

“Who do you think you are? We push fresh meat around as we like.” The leader taunted but got a bleeding nose as Marco punched him hard.

“You dare?!” the leader shouted in anger as he tried to punch his younger opponent, who dodged it with ease. It didn’t take long until a captain of the D.R.M. arrived.

“Hey! Stop right now!” the boys obeyed. “Threating a lady is not nice. You come with me to the station until your parents arrive!” the boys were scared except for Marco as the captain spoke to him in a much calmer tone, “Well done. You should be a soldier or a member of us when you’re grown up.” The Captain sounded proud.

“Thanks sir, my daddy taught it to me as he is a soldier in the army.” He replied with pride before he helped his neighbor up. “You’re hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks.” She kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blush.

“I think she has a crush on you.” Luca commented.

“I think me too.”


“…after that, we dated and married when we were grown up.”

“That was awesome! But could you tell me more about Medici?” The Pegasus was curious

“But of course.”

They told him about the history of Medici, that it was an island off the coast of Italy, which was also the reason why many citizens were originally Italian as they founded it as part of immigration, about the general and which year it was.

“So, you live in a dictatorship?” The foal figured out.

“Yes, it happened years before we were born. I have no problem to work for the general, but I dislike his brutal methods. I stepped into the boots of my father to make him proud but he died before I could join them. Now I serve in the military to keep his honor alive. And my wife his spared from the general’s methods.” Marco explained.

“A lot of information’s.” Rumble let out a yawn.

“Looks like someone is tired. We have a guest room I’ll tuck you in.” The grey was too tired to protest as the female human picked him up.

The guest room was actually the room for their son before the incident but they made it into the guest room after it. The room had still the teddy bear they had bought back then.

Rumble hugged it tightly. “Thunderlane often tells me bedtime stories but the story how you met was like a bedtime story for me. Goodnight.” With a yawn, he fell asleep.

Vittoria kissed him on the forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

“He’s so a sweet boy.” Her husband’s heart melted at the sleeping boy.

“Indeed. How about we show him the city tomorrow? I’m sure he loves it.” Vittoria suggested.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Marco was not sure.

“You worry too much. Besides, it has time until tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

They both fell asleep in their bedroom to be ready for the next day.