Chapter 3: The Mountains
The married couple awoke by hoof steps. Rumble walked in with a tray. “Good morning, I made you breakfast.”
He made two glasses of juice and toast. He smiled as he saw how they enjoyed it. “That was delicious.” The young woman smiled at him.
“Thanks, ma- Vittoria. I learned it from my brother and friends.” He blushed.
Vittoria giggled. “We don’t mind it that you call us your parents. Besides, it helps to avoid suspicion.”
Ok, mommy.”
After getting ready for the day, Greta, Francesco, and their parents waited outside.
“Salute, Rumble. The boy greeted him.
” Salute!” Rumble greeted.
“May I introduce our parents? Our padre Federico and madre Elisa.” Greta pointed to them. Her mother had blonde hair and brown eyes, her husband had black hair and green eyes. “Hello, Rumble. Nice to meet you.” Their mother said to him.
“Nice to meet you too Mrs. uhh…” Rumble realized that he didn’t know their last name.
“Elisa and Federico this just fine.”
“Let’s go, shall we?” Luca asked. Vittoria had an Autostraad D90 as her car, while Federico used a red Stria Joia, the same car the police used. His wife had a green Stria Infimo S.
While they drove to Vista Dracon, Rumble commented, “A nice car.”
“Thanks. Voted number one luxury sedan by Medici Auto Monthly, the D90 is the preferred status symbol of the nation's wealthy, paring high-end performance and durability. I could afford it as I get paid well.” Rumble’s stepmother explained. It was dark blue.
“I’m just a private, but even the privates get paid well,” Marco said as Rumble enjoyed the view of forests, Mountains, and meadows.
At Vista Dracon, the Stria stopped next to a house where a white, rusty Stria Carera Standard that best days were long behind.
Greta used the doorbell. An elderly woman with white hair and blue eyes opened the door. “Greta, Francesco!”
“Granmadre!” Her grandchildren hugged her.
“What about me?”
“Granpadre!” They also gave their grandfather with grey hair and green eyes a hug.
“May we introduce our new friend Rumble to you?” Francesco asked, Rumble gave a weak smile as he was timid and nervous.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Rumble, that’s a nice costume.” The elderly man liked it.
“Thanks.” “Come in.” The elderly couple smiled warmly at him.
Inside, the children enjoyed the cookies, played together and talked about their hobbies while listening to music.
The adults smiled at the sight and talked to each other. “Everything alright here?”
“Si Elisa, but sometimes I can’t hear those propaganda monologues from the speakers anymore. Everything used to be much better when Dante was the president and not the general. Those D.R.M. guys have no respect to the older people.” Her mother told with disappointment.
“I know, madre. Tell us Vittoria, how did manage to make the costume so realistic? Besides, since when did you decide to adopt a child?”
Vittoria was biting her lip as she had to answer.
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Of course.”
“He’s not our son but from another word.”
“Come again?” The siblings’ mother asked confused, raising an eyebrow.
“She’s not lying,” Rumble told them his entire story. It took them all a few minutes to understand.
“Mio dio. You poor child. But you have our word; you will keep your secret.” Elisa hugged him tightly.
He gasped for air. “Too… tight…”
“Oh, sorry. But you’re just so cute!” She exclaimed with a smile after letting him go.
“I know.” The colt blushed in embarrassment.
“Madre, can we play outside?” Greta asked.
“Sure, just be careful around the cliffs.”
“Yes, mommy!” The girl replied.
The town was small but the view from the cliffs outside was beautiful.
“It’s amazing and the fresh air…” Rumble took a deep breath, “Is just beautiful.”
“You say it. The children here develop a healthy respect for heights at a young age. But the view from Cloudsdale must be much better.” Greta’s brother replied to the Pegasus.
“I don’t know if it’s possible, but I should show you it when I get home, Francesco.” Rumble looked at the Statue of the general. “I wonder how he got the money to build those in every town. Besides, how long does it take to build those?”
“Very long.” Greta shrugged.
“Why did you moved to the capital?”
“Well amico, we liked it here as it is very quiet but our parents had to move to find work. You’re actually our first and only friend we have so far.”
“In that case Francesco, let’s make sure our friendships last long.”
“You say it!” Greta was hugged him happy.
They watched the sunset. “A sunset always looks so beautiful.” She enjoyed every second of it, not noticing a quiet cracking sound.
“Do you hear something?” Francesco looked around.
“No, must been your imagination. But don’t you agree about the beauty of sunsets?”
“Yes, Sorore. Let’s go back inside.”
As they were about to go inside, a part of the cliffs cracked. “Rumble, watch out!”
Greta tried to warn him but it was too late. He screamed in terror as he tumbled down the hill. Francesco tried to grab his hoof but it happened to fast.
Greta watched in shock as her friend tried to use his wings but he rolled too fast that he wasn’t able to use them.
They wanted to call for help but they could only stare in shock as their friend rolled down the high hill, screaming.
It seemed like hours until the boy managed to break out of his shock.
“Vittoria, Marco, help!” Francesco yelled and they came faster than light.
“What’s wrong?” the soldier asked. He and his wife got instantly what happened after Greta pointed down still in shock with a trembling hand.
“Rumble!” Vittoria shouted in tears as the colt eventually came to a halt at the end of the cliffs, battered and bruised all over.
“Get your cousin; we must get to him at once!” Vittoria’s cousin was a pilot and had a Eubus Eagle on a landing pad nearby, while his wife was a former vet and now a medic, arrived in a Stria Switzo Ambulance.
The helicopter landed near the forest where the young pony was. Luca got out and checked him with the medic.
“Rumble, you’re alive!”
It’s a miracle! He thought as he saw that the colt was brushed, scraped and had several cuts all across his body. He was also covered in dust.
“My leg hurts.” He said holding crying, his left hind leg.
“Don’t worry kid, I’m a doctor. The medic examined his leg. “Good news, it isn’t broken. You were lucky that you survived this at all. Most people that fell off a cliff like that were dead or seriously injured.”
The commando patted the dust off him. For once, the D.R.M. did a good job and made sure that no onlookers were on the scene.
“Rumble!” With tears of joy, the young woman embraced him.
“I can you give you something against the pain.” The doctor gave him some painkillers. Vittoria held gently his hoof as it was a syringe.
Greta and Francesco had guilty looks on their faces. “Only a few scraps, cuts and bruises nothing serious.” The medic said and they sighed in relief.
“Thanks.” The colt thanked the doctor.
“Please, it’s my job. Besides, if you should get sick or it should get worse, just call me.” She gave Rumble a wink to let him know that she and her husband would also be quiet.
“Let’s go home,” Marco suggested. The radio had news on the trip home.
“Good news, archaeology enthusiasts! The CentCom Tower at Cima Leon has been restored to a tourist attraction featuring some of Medici’s historic ruins. Self-improvement’s our watchword here, we take it very seriously. Unlike the rights of vacationing celebrities. Vive Medici.”
Back home, Vittoria made a pizza for her “son” which he enjoyed with every bite. Then she brought him into bed.
“Goodnight, my dear. Madre loves you.” She hummed a lullaby.
They went to bed after that. “I was so relieved that he wasn’t dead or seriously injured.” She let out a sigh of relief.
“Yeah, me too. But for now, let’s get some rest.” Marco fell asleep with a sigh, also glad that Rumble was fine.