ACT ONE
All the rest of that day, Rumble was a real sourpuss.
When Rarity assigned partners in groups of two for her class assignment-- “I want you all to combine your crafts into one glorious, fashionable presentations. This will show how much friends can agree on things, despite any difference you may have.”
Rumble refused to pair up with anyone, even with those who gladly offered him partnership.
“Would you like to pair up with me?” asked Silverstream “I’m always anxious to make a new friend and learn about them.”
Rumble scoffed “No… thanks.” and proceeded to work on a collage by himself, much to Rarity’s concern. Then again, all the students were paired up and there wasn’t anyone left for him to pair up with. So she brushed it off.
“Gee, what’s with the new kid?” Gallus wondered.
“Eh, it’s only his first day.” said Smolder “We all were like him. Maybe he’ll fit in.”
But even during Fluttershy’s class of Kindness when she asked, “When you and your friend have had an argument, what do you think is something you can do to help mend the friendship.”
All the students raised their claws, hoofs, or whatever they had, except Rumble who seemed just as annoyed as ever.
Fluttershy decided to give the new student the chance, despite his not raising his hoof. “What do you think, Rumble?”
“I think they should just go their separate ways and not talk to each other again.”
Fluttershy felt shocked at such an answer, “But they’ll never be able to repair their friendship if they do that.”
“Exactly.” said Rumble.
“Yona not like that answer,” said Yona “Yona thinks friends should talk and find out where friends go wrong. Then maybe friends not be mad anymore.”
“Yes, that’s a very good answer, Yona.” said Fluttershy.
“Humph!” Rumble grunted and he continued to sulk, much to Fluttershy’s concern.
Starlight happened to be passing by down the halls, when she overheard and saw things through the open classroom door, and her suspicions about Rumble were mounting.
At Lunch, it was a beautiful day and all the students ate outside, but Rumble sat under the shade of a tree all by himself, finally showing a small bit of happiness. “Ahh, Privacy at last.” He sighed as he prepared to eat his sandwich in peace.
But the Young Six saw him eating all alone from their table.
“Look, he’s smiling now.” said Sandbar.
“That’s the most he’s smiled at all today.” added Ocellus.
Silverstream, being her natural giddy and optimistic self, took this as a good sign “Maybe he’s finally warming up. Maybe he’s finally going to open up to us all.”
“Yona not think so.” said Yona “Yona thinking something wrong with Rumble.”
“Gee, what was your first clue.” grumbled Gallus.
Smolder, having two cupcakes in her lunch, decided to give one to Rumble, as a chance to try and start over with him and make him feel welcome. “I’m going in.”
She walked over to the tree, “Hey there, Rumble. What’s shakin’?”
Rumble’s happy features immediately changed to sneering again with her presence. “I’m fine, thank you.”
Smolder felt uneasy already by his tone, yet she offered him her cupcake.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m offered you a cupcake.” replied Smolder.
“Why?”
Smolder was losing her patience “Look, I’m trying to be nice to you. Why are you giving me that attitude?”
The bell rang, lunch period was over. So rather than answer her, Rumble walked off.
Smolder clenched her fist squashing the cupcake in annoyance. Even some of her friends were starting to feel that Rumble was becoming irritable, except for Silverstream and Yona. They still felt he would come round.
The only class Rumble seemed to get the most out of was P.E with Rainbow Dash. “Okay gang, it’s obstacle course day, just like they train us in the Wonderbolts.”
She had a perfect course set up, two ways. She had an aerial course for flyers, and ground course for non-flyers.
Basic wall-jumping, hoop leaping, whatever there was…
When it came to Rumble’s turn to take the course, he took his place at the start line and looked really focussed at the course.
“And… GO!!” shouted Rainbow, and Rumble took off, soaring through the hoops, curving perfectly around columns and swinging sandbags like a pro.
“Wow! Look at him go.” said Gallus.
“I’m not surprised,” said Sandbar “He’s the brother of Thunderlane. Maybe he taught him all that.”
Many of the students began to exchange chats about how cool Thunderlane was, which Rumble overheard and distracted him, causing him to crash right into a pole and knock it clean over to the ground.
“Rumble!” cried Rainbow, and she and some of the students dashed over as he got to his feet.
“Are you okay?” asked Silverstream.
“I’m fine!” Rumble snapped at her.
Silver winced, and Rainbow was livid. “She just asked if you were okay. There’s no need to snap.”
Rumble didn’t seem to care and walked off to sit on the stands, cross-armed and miserable.
“Yona change mind.” Grumbled Yona “Me no like Rumble now.”
A lot of the students seemed to agreed, even Rainbow Dash was inclined to agreed, but as a professor at the school, she had to encourage the students, “He’s probably just having an off day. I threw way bigger fits when I screwed up on the training courses.
Just give him time.”
Finally, school was out, and Rumble walked off with his backpack. He was one of many students who didn’t stay at the school. He lived in Ponyville and his home wasn’t too far anyway.
“Finally, this day is over.” he grumbled “Now I can get back to what really matters.”
As he walked along, a small paper fell out of his backpack.
Sandbar noticed and rushed over to pick it up. He saw that it was a crayon colored picture of Rumble and a couple of other ponies, and it was marked “Rumble, Age 4.”
“Hey, Rumble…” he called “You dropped this.”
Rumble, still sour as ever, took the paper from him and. “Thanks.” he said in a gruff tone.
Sandbar finally lost it, “Rumble, what is wrong with you?” he asked “You’ve been grumpy and mean all day.”
“You noticed that.” said Rumble.
The rest of the Young Six huddled close to Sandbar.
“We’re serious, Rumble.” said Smolder “We’ve all tried to be nice to you, and you just brushed us off like we’re molt sores.”
“Hey, don’t talk to him that way.” said Silverstream. The rest of the gang couldn’t believe she was still willing to be friendly with Rumble.
“Look, Rumble… I know it’s frustrating to come to a new school, and learn about friendship and all that.”
“I’m NOT frustrated. I’m annoyed that I’m even here at this stupid school to begin with.”
Many students nearby gasped when they heard “Stupid School” even Silver felt shocked. “This school isn’t stupid.” she said now sounding strict “It’s a great place to learn about friendship, and how to open up to others.
I’m sure you’ll fit in just like the rest of us did.”
Rumble sneered at her canting and told her outright, “Actually, I don’t want to open up to others, and I don’t want to fit in with any of you either… because I DON’T WANT TO HAVE FRIENDS!!”
Every single student in the area gasped in horror!