//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Snuggle // by TwizzleDragon //------------------------------// “Uhh... Hey Rumble... You uhh...” Scootaloo tried to speak, unable to form her question correctly. It had been a few weeks as she continued to build up her feelings for this friendly colt friend of hers. They had started hanging out a little bit more when the other crusaders were off doing their own things, always trying to enjoy little time together. Rumble didn’t have much to do, his family wasn’t a big work environment for him to bask in helping, nor his friends being around much outside of school. The two just seemed to meet one day, connecting by their lonesome. “Yeah?” Rumble asked, sitting down in the Crusader Clubhouse. They had used it since the start of their friendship, the others didn’t mind. He was such a nice pegasus, a great friend to Scootaloo too, much more kind than his brother, Thunderlane. Whenever the two went out he would walk with Scootaloo, never flying in front of her face, always staying down to the ground to make her feel less of an outcast. “Well... I was just wondering...” she froze, staring right out of the window frame and into the distance. She gave out a sigh, breathing heavily to calm her anxiety. She looked back towards Rumble, the colt she had taken a liking to for weeks. Her hair was messed up, uncombed for who knows when. “Do you...” Scootaloo stuttered, “do you like me?” Rumble’s face took the shape of confusion. “Of course I do, Scoots, you’re like my best friend in all of Ponyville!” Rumble got up from the corner, making his way towards Scootaloo. His body pushed against hers, making Scootaloo happy at his touch. “No I meant... do you like me more than a friend? I-i just... sort of like you a lot and-” Rumble sighed. “D-do you?” Rumble’s mouth opened, yet did not speak. He gulped down the words that could not form. “Scoot... I really like you and all but...” Scootaloo frowned, she looked down in rejection. Rumble took his hoof and lifted her head up. “Hey, don’t be like that. You’re the most amazing filly in all of Ponyville. I do like you alot. You’re really special to me, so special that I want to be friends for as long as possible. I don’t want to screw up with you ever. It’s not that I don’t want you... It’s that I want you too much.” Scootaloo gave a little smile. She hugged Rumble and loved him for the way he put it. “Thank you.” Scootaloo yawned as the tears started to form down her face. “Hey, you wanna race back to town?” Rumble asked in hopes the competition that had brought them together in the first place would cheer her up. “You know it!” Scootaloo bolted out of the clubhouse. “Hey, no fair!” Rumble yelled as he realized she had cheated with a head start. He took off after her, catching up quickly as she wasn’t very fast on her feet. They were coming close to the Apple Family Barn, just almost out of the orchards. And then she tripped. Scootaloo gave out a small scream in pain. Rumble kept sprinting towards her from just a bit away. He came over and sat down right next to her as she tried to be strong, even if it turned out to be bad. “Let me see it!” Rumble ordered Scootaloo, as she turned over to acknowledge the crimson stains. Scootaloo didn’t look away, she was biting down on her lip just a little bit, trying not to show any pain. The area of impact had just been a large scrap, deep enough to cause bleeding but nothing too serious. “Is it bad?” Scootaloo asked, just enjoying his comfort over the pain. “I-i think so. You’re bleeding. Can you walk?” Rumble stood up, looking down at the filly as she thought about the question. “Maybe...” Scootaloo stood up just fine, or she could have. She cried in pain but Rumble was there to help. He grabbed her and gently lifted her up to his back. “Come on, we’re almost there.” Rumble said as he gently carried the filly to the hospital. The evening had turned to night by the time Rumble and Scootaloo had reached their destination. It was surprisingly hot and dry out, especially for the nearing fall season. The weather ponies must’ve been lazy that night. Bugs flew around what was left of this night. Chirping and biting all things about. Rumble carefully set Scootaloo down so he could open the doors to the hospital. These giant doors intimidated the small colt, being not of height to reach the knob. He knocked on the door out of defeat and waited for help to come for his friend. “Hello?” came the voice of Nurse Redheart as she opened the door. She bared no quick witness to Scootaloo’s pain, taking only notice of the gray colt in front of her. “Are you alright, Rumble? It’s late and you look fine.” Rumble pointed to Scootaloo, still bleeding on the ground. “Oh my poor dear, what happened?” Nurse Redheart picked the filly up, carrying her into the hospital. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Rumble yelled as Scootaloo was taken into Redheart’s care. “So,” Redheart began, setting Scootaloo down on a mat where she could clean the wound. “What were you two up to that caused this?” “Oh uhh...” Scootaloo turned her head to the side. “N-nothing really... just racing back to town.” “Oh?” “Yes, ma’am.” Redheart pulled out some rubbing alcohol from the cupboards behind her. “Hold still, this is going to hurt for a second.” She poured it onto the scrap. Scootaloo lightly screamed, underestimating the pain. “Alright, it should be good. Let me wrap it before you go.” Redheart went back to the cupboards, grabbing some wrapping cloth. She tightly bandaged the cut and sent Scootaloo on her way.