Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

by Solarip

The Clubhouse

The hooves of three foals clopped on the wooden ramp leading to a small house on a tree. As the saddlebags of the white filly thumped against her flank, Sweetie Belle looked towards Rumble. He glanced back, then turned to Apple Bloom. He turned his head and saw Scootaloo. They stopped in front of the oak door of the clubhouse. Seconds later, his attention went back to Sweetie. He stared at the white saddlebags hanging on her back. Why is she the only one wearing saddlebags?

"Hey Rumble!" Scootaloo called from behind him.

"Hm?" he asked as he turned to the orange filly who was still on his back.

"You're good at flying, right?" she asked.

"I guess so. Why?"

"Well, i-it's that I'm not really good at it a-and I really want to fly..." she stumbled on her words.

"C-can you teach me?" she continued.

"How to fly?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she nodded with enthusiasm.

Why can't she fly, anyway? I mean, she's not too heavy or anything. Hay, Snowflake shouldn't be able to fly! But he did, even though he has a huge body and small wings. I think, no, I know she can fly. Maybe she's doing it wrong. I think a little guidance might lift her up.

"Okay."

"Really?" she cried out.

Rumble nodded in agreement. As he did, her eyes grew wide and her cheeks turned red. She raised her forelegs high up, and then she wrapped it around his neck.

"Ohgoshthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" she yelled as she hugged him tightly. She rubbed her cheeks against his dark grey mane. She leaned closer until her belly was rested on his nape. Suddenly, a pair of wings popped open. These weren't Scootaloo's, but the colt under her. Rumble's eyes shrank and his cheeks were flushed red. The two other fillies were having mixed feelings at the sight, both in happiness and jealousy.

"I-I um, Scootaloo?"

"Hm?"

"Could you... um, y'know, let go of me?" Rumble stuttered.

"Nope!" she uttered gleefully.

"C'mon Scoots! Let go of him! Ya'll hoggin' Rumble!" Apple Bloom cried out.

"Yeah Scootaloo. Let go of hi— what did you just say?" Sweetie Belle yelled.

Rumble stared at Apple Bloom. She stared at the ground, trying to hide her eyes from him. A pure red blush grew on her face. How come I didn't notice how cute she is and what am I talking about?! Since when did I start seeing cute fillies? He saw the doorknob, and as he reached for it, he felt something warm. It's another hoof, isn't it? He saw a white hoof on his grasp. She gasped and pulled back as quick as she can.

"Rumble, you're our guest. Let us take care of this," Scootaloo said as she messed his mane with a hoof.

"Yeah. Besides, it's your first time at the clubhouse. We figured we should show you what we do," Apple Bloom explained.

Rumble turned his head to Apple Bloom, who had a face of courtesy. But as for Sweetie Belle, her face was completely flushed with red as she stared at her hoof, the one Rumble accidentally held. She was whispering, "Oh my stars, he held my hoof in public."

"Well, okay then."

"I knew you'd understand," Scootaloo said as she rested her chin on his mane.

"Well what're you waitin' for, Sweetie Belle? Get the firecrackers and the leaf blower!" Apple Bloom yelled.

Sweetie snapped out of her musings and galloped down the porch.

"I'll be right back!" Sweetie exclaimed as her voice faded into the apple trees.

Rumble sighed as he watched the white filly disappear. I just hope this goes well.

"Wow!" The light grey colt uttered when he saw the interior of what the fillies say as their 'headquarters'. He saw the walls made of pine, the ceiling and floor was made of Manehattan walnut. The rest was simple, not to be used as showcase though. Rather, it was simple as everything serves a purpose in whatever it is they do. There was a small turquoise table on the corner and a small teal trunk opposite it. He saw two windows adorned with pink and purple curtains that stood out most among everything inside. A small green picture frame was hanging beside one of the windows, and inside it was a photo of them in a camping trip. Beside it was a crudely drawn map of Ponyville stuck on the wall with adhesive tape.

Rumble stepped inside. His hooves rested on the pink carpet. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed suit. Scootaloo, who doesn't want to get off of Rumble, grinned widely as the colt was in awe. He went to the center and turned in a full circle to see everything inside, especially the exceptionally happy pair of fillies. However, with Scootaloo still on his back, she held him tightly so as to not fall off but as she did, her face went warmer and the blush on her face is a clear sign.

"Um, Scootaloo, you can get down if you want to," Rumble suggested.

"O-okay," she said as she climbed down from Rumble's back. She's really light. It kinda felt like she wasn't on me the whole time.

Scootaloo brought her head close to his ear and whispered, "Sorry." Rumble's ear perked up as he heard the filly's whisper. He turned to her, and saw a face nothing like her. Her head was pointed to the floor, but her widened eyes were staring at his own. Her hoof drew figures on the floorboards as her ears dropped. I thought she's the strong and fierce type.

"I-It's not like I want to be o-on your back or anything," she said as she looked away from him. Afterwards, she said softly, "Idiot."

Three foals: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Rumble, had confused looks towards the orange filly. I may not know her that much, but I know she's been acting strange. Scootaloo tried not to make eye contact with the colt in front of him. But as Rumble examined Scootaloo, he spotted a silver of red on her orange face. He also heard two fillies giggle gleefully behind him because of their friend's strange behavior. A moment of staring at the pegasus later, Rumble was suddenly reminded of his reason why he was in the clubhouse in the first place.

"Um, girls?"

The giggles faded and Scootaloo turned to him. The rest of the trio stepped inside and went by her side. They smiled innocently as they faced him. Three sets of eyes locked on his own, as if they can see through his soul.

"So, should we start our project? What is it anyway?" he asked.

Apple Bloom tapped her chin with a hoof as she tried to remember their teacher's instructions. Sweetie Belle opened her mouth, but no words came out as she couldn't remember. Scootaloo sighed and she rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof.

"Miss Cheerilee said to creatively present anything similar among us," Scootaloo droned.

"Aside from us being foals?" he added.

The fillies nodded in response. Seconds later, Sweetie's eyes shrank and gasped with a wide grin on her face.

"Idea!" she yelled in a sing-song tone.

"What is it, Sweetie?" a confused Rumble asked.

"We don't have our cutie marks!" she exclaimed joyfully.

"Yeah, haven't you noticed?" Scootaloo said sarcastically.

Jeez, what's her problem?

"No no. That's what we have in common." Apple Bloom explained.

Rumble turned and looked at her flank, and it was the same with the rest inside: blank. He sighed at the thought of not getting his mark early. What if I'm already grown up and I still don't have my mark? What will they think of me? A loser? A pony with no talent? I just don't want that to happen. I'll do anything just to get my mark. His head hanged low and her ears dropped. The fillies noticed his sudden change in mood, and exchanged concerned looks with each other.

A few minutes of whispering, the Cutie Mark Crusaders began to step closer to Rumble. One step, and another, and another, until they were mere inches away from him. As Rumble stared at the floorboards, he saw three pairs of hooves. He looked up and saw Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo with heartwarming smiles. They got closer, but he didn't move. Rather, he didn't want to move.

He blinked, and felt their forelegs wrapped around him. Sweetie was at his right side and Scootaloo on his left. Apple Bloom was in front of him, their cheeks gingerly pressing against each other. Rumble, on the other hand, had nothing to do. What can he do at this moment? Nothing. He just stood there as he was being hugged by three fillies at the same time. I-I don't know the odds of this happening to me? Sure this is my first time hanging out with fillies, but I didn't expect this! I'm not even ready for this!

Somehow, it feels really nice. It made me feel a little, no, a lot better. The company of good friends always make me feel better when I'm feeling down, but this is different. There's this warm feeling inside that I've been having ever since I became friends with Sweetie Belle.

Whatever it is, I don't want it to go away.