//------------------------------//
// In The Air 
// Story: Montrose 
// by TLC 
//------------------------------//




You never know what to expect in the world at times. 

Nor where to expect it, that fact is scary to some. Others don't even flinch at that, making them seem strong or ignorant or too strong of will to let it affect them. 

Before that eye opening moment, Scootaloo was one of those ponies. Hooves always planted firmly into the dirt, stare strong, wings flared, ready for anything coming her way. She never would've expect a surprise attack from somewhere so close, from someone like him. She wasn't upset, to make that clear.

In fact she...to be honest, she didn't know what to think. 

On Rumble's side, his confidence was at it's peak from the moment he left Scootaloo and was down hill the second he got home. Now why do we feel this? Could it be that when the initial confession is made, all of the nerves boil over, but at the same time trigger a kind of chemical reaction in our brains. Does it vary on how it effects us? Can only some face it, truly display it-

Or run like a bat outta hell like Rumble did.

But even then, who is ever so confident when it comes to confessions and romance? Who hasn't felt as thought they are laying their very necks on the line to look their object of affections in the eyes and say the those three magic words? Who out there holds the calmest demeanor in this act?

No one, that's who.

I see you nodding your head, now stop it.

You silly, you.




"Scootaloo?"


...But you would think after such a display by the cobalt pegasus, that even Scootaloo would have some sort of, ya know, reaction...


"Squirt!"

...Well, so would Rainbow Dash, who's been puzzled by the statuesque filly since bringing her to her cloud home moments before.

"Scootaloo!" Dash shouted, sitting besides the filly on her couch in her cloud home's living room. "Come on, kid! Snap out of it!"

"Wha..?" Scootaloo slowly shook her head, turning to Rainbow with a look of genuine confusion. "What?"

"Sheesh, thought I lost ya!" Dash chuckled, playfully poking at Scootaloo's shoulder. "What's gotten into you lately?"

Scootaloo shook her head, blinking. "I...it's..." She looked up to Dash. "Rainbow, can I ask you something?"

Rainbow raised her eyebrow, then chuckling and sitting closer to the younger pegasus. "Of course, Squirt!" 

Scootaloo played with her hooves, her mind buzzing with the millions of questions she had. Honestly, her heart lept about her chest and screamed, waving about to her as a way of trying to grab her attention. But if she did for a split second, all she saw was the certain colt's face, his confident smile.

Even though if it was only for a second he actually was.

"Has anypony ever...um, told you that they liked you?" She dragged out, her eyes darting around the room to avoid her idol's stare.

Rainbow Dash's expression melted into a thoughtful one. "Well there was this one time at the flight academy..."

Scootaloo sat up, eager to hear her idol's experience. "Yeah? Tell me, tell me!"

"Dude was a dork, always teasing and taking my saddle bags, making me late for classes..."

The dots began to connect in Scootaloo's head, her mouth opening wider and wider.

"...Till one day-Wait, why?" Rainbow interrupted herself, giving Scootaloo a quizzical look.

Scootaloo shrunk away from Dash, pressing her back into the couch. "N-No reason."
Rainbow leaned in, a bigger grin from before. "Scootaloo...do you like somepony?"

Scootaloo turned away. "Yes-No!" She answered, unsure of her own words. No one-I mean, someone. No one you would know."

Rainbow raised a hoof to her chin, looking off into space. "Hmm...Is it that one colt with the camera?"

Scootaloo stuck out her tongue. "Who, Featherweight? Uck!"

"Snails? Snips?"

"Now, you're just naming the lame colts!" Scootaloo hopped off the couch and made her way across the living room into the kitchen, when Rainbow Dash smiled a devilish smile.

"Oh...Rumble?"

...In the distance, you could just barely make out the sound of the threshold that held up what was left of Scootaloo's calmness shattering.

Judging by the sudden stop in her walk and twitching of her wings, Rainbow laid back on her couch in victory. "Wow, Scoots! Way to go, always knew you had a thing for that kid anyway-"

The rainbow pegasus was silenced by two orange hooves, the blushing face of Scootaloo frantically staring. "Stop it, Dash! I don't-I do, but I..."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, then lifted the smaller pegasus off her chest and placed her on the couch cushion beside her. "Calm down, Squirt! It's okay."

Scootaloo slumped. "It is?"

"Look, I understand what you're going through." Rainbow said, crossing her hooves behind her head. "Everypony goes through this and it's about time you did too."

Scootaloo crossed her hooves looking up to Rainbow. "Well, what is it?"

Rainbow sighed, leaning back. "It's called love, Scootaloo. Ya see, when a colt and filly-or a filly and a filly, or even a colt and a colt..." Rainbow sat there, scratching her head. "...well, anyways. When a pony hangs around another pony who makes them really happy, they start to have special feelings for them..."



~*~*~



"Way to go, lil' bro!" Thunderlane exclaimed, holding up his hoof to Rumble, who sat beside him unamused. "Aw, don't leave me hangin'."

Rumble sighed. "Were you even listening? I just ran away!" He pouted, then felt his brother pull him into a side hug. 

"It's okay, Rumble. This happens more often then you know." Thunderlane told him

Rumble furrowed his brow. "It does?"

"Yes...well, it was the same when I was your age." Thunderlane winced. "Executed it the same way you just did, though not with the best of results."

Rumble gulped. "O-oh?"

"Yep." Thunder said, bitterly. He turned and saw the nervous look on his brother's face and sighed. "Rum, you have nothing to worry about. I'm sure things will go well, just don't runaway the next time you see her."

Thunderlane chuckled and got up off the bed. "Now I don't know about you, but I'm heading into town for some grub. You in?"

Rumble stared down at the cloud floor. "No, I'm good. You go ahead."

Thunderlane shrugged. "Suit yourself." And with that, flew out of the room, the gust he picked up shut the bedroom door behind him and leaving the younger pegasus alone with his thoughts.

With a heavy sigh, Rumble laid back with his hooves over his eyes. Did he have nothing to worry about? He still felt foolish, like an idiot.

It was stupid, he thought to himself. He rolled over on his bed, looking towards his bedside table to see a picture frame. In the picture frame were his friends, just a few colts from school. Also in the photo were Scootaloo and her friends, photo bombing in the center. Scoots stood beside him giving him a friend punch to his shoulder.

A smile formed on his face and all fears went away. 

"Everything will be fine..." He said finally, but even that statement held some doubt.