Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

by Solarip

The Heavy Sleeper

Rumble reveled in the sweetness of the two fillies with him. Scootaloo, the filly who used him as a bed, was fast asleep. Apple Bloom, on the other hand, was wide awake. She didn't move an inch, and Rumble noticed that she didn't want to. She wore a shy smile, and her blush remained. Moments later without thinking, he started to caress the orange filly's mane. The moment he did, she moaned in pleasure and a faint smile grew on her innocent an peaceful face.

"Oh Rumble..." Scootaloo unconsciously muttered.

Is she dreaming? Or did I wake her up? He rested a hoof on her cheek. No response. He brushed his hoof lightly on her. Still no response. Looks like she was dreaming... about me. One moment later, her head lazily turned. Rumble assumed that she was just trying to get comfortable. What he didn't realize was that her tongue was sticking out. He felt something out of place. He looked down and saw the purple-maned filly licking his hoof.

W-What's she d-doing?

He blushed furiously at the tingling sensation. It was not long before his face was filled in crimson. He pulled his hoof away, only to be pulled back afterwards. This time, she held his hoof and continued to passionately lick it. S-Stop...

"Scootaloo," he called out.

She didn't respond. He called her again, louder this time. P-Please stop. Apple Bloom noticed Scootaloo and her playful licking to his hoof. Her eyes dilated and stared at her for a few moments, and those moments gave her time to grow even redder.

"Um, Scootaloo?" she called, poking at her head. Her attention went back to Rumble, who was completely flushed in pure red. She noticed that he was at his weakest. Taking the chance, she leaned closer to him. She was hesitant at first, but when she thought to herself that this is her only chance, she mustered all the confidence she can. She closed her eyes, and pecked him on the lips.

Apple Bloom! You're not helping!

"W-Why'd you do that for?" he whispered, stumbling in his words.

She giggled in response. She placed a hoof on her lips, and hid herself behind her mane.

"I'm just messin' with you," she answered playfully.

Moments later, Apple Bloom turned around, facing away from him, and Scootaloo finally stopped licking him. Oh thank Luna! Rumble gave a sigh of relief as he tried to withdraw his hoof from her. He tugged lightly, but it seemed that she had a tight grip on it. He tugged again, but to no avail. Looking annoyed, Rumble yanked his hoof with great force, but he failed to remove it from the vise grip of an embrace. Is she stronger than Thunderlane?

After numerous attempts, he gave up and started to think of a plan. He tapped his free hoof on his chin as she stared deeply at the big red bow tied on Apple Bloom's crimson mane in front of him. He concentrated as hard as he could, trying to build a possible way of removing his appendage to the grasp of the orange filly. A moment later, he looked down to Scootaloo, who started to nuzzle it gently.

"Oh Rainbow Dash, teach me how to do that," she cooed unconsciously.

Wait, what? Rainbow Dash? I-Is she having a dream with Rainbow Dash?

His eyed dilated in surprise. Apple Bloom quickly turned to her. A smile grew on her face, and her smile turned to a fit of giggles. Heat suddenly filled his face, and he already knows he's blushing. He looked to Apple Bloom. She had gotten up on her hind legs and stretched her forelegs up in the air as a tiny yawn escaped from her. Seconds later, she reached a hoof to Rumble, gesturing him to get up as well. He raised his free hoof and held hers tight. She pulled him up with ease. considering the fact that earth ponies possess immense strength as pegasi possess light body structures.

He stood up, and pulled his hoof from Scootaloo, but to no avail. He pulled even stronger, stepping backwards as he did. It still didn't come off. Instead, Scootaloo was dragged along with him. Strangely enough, she was still sound asleep, smiling even. Wow, heavy sleeper. Apple Bloom walked opposite Rumble and bit her tail. With great force, she tugged her, sending her to the opposite side of the room. While in the air, Scootaloo opened her eyes. Surprisingly, she stretched her hooves in front of her, then her wings started to flutter. Her drowsy look was turned into that with excitement.

"I-I'm flying! Finally!" she yelled joyfully.

"No yer not! I thr—" Before Apple Bloom could finish, Scootaloo harshly met the wall with a loud thump. The rest flinched in her pain. Rumble could have sworn that the whole room shook from the impact she took from her face. She fell flat on the ground with a softer thump, but it still hurt. They flinched for the second time, and stared at Scootaloo for a short while, then their attention turned to each other. Rumble was holding his laughter, and so did Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo turned to face them, an irritated look on her face. Apple Bloom trotted towards the fellow Crusader. She reached out a hoof. Scootaloo grabbed it and stood up on all fours. She brushed her fur from the dust from the floor, cleared her throat, and looked at Rumble.

"S-Sorry you had to see that," she said.

"It's okay, Scootaloo," Rumble said in response as he tried to sustain his laughter.

"Yeah Scoots. It's not your fault," Apple Bloom added.

"Really?" Scootaloo whipped her head to Apple Bloom. She gazed at her with confusion, and sat down on the floor.

"Why was I in midair anyway?"

Rumble and Apple Bloom exchanged glances with each other. Should I tell her? He sighed, then walked closer to Scootaloo.

"Well, while you were asleep, you were... holding my hoof." Scootaloo blushed furiously. "You were acting out your dream. You probably thought my hoof was Rainbow Dash an—"

"Wait, how'd you know Rainbow Dash was in my dream?" she asked with suspicion.

"You were also sleep talking," Apple Bloom added.

"Y-Yeah, you were sleep talking. I tried to take it off, but I couldn't. Then you started to... um... lick my hoof," Rumble continued, blushing a little at the last part.

"What?! I-I was li-licking your hoof? I thought you were ice cream," she said.

"Did you dream about ice cream?"

"Well, yes. But I did taste something sweet," she said.

"My hooves aren't sweet," Rumble said flatly. "Anyway, after you licked my hoof. I stood up and tried to take my hoof off of your grip. Apple Bloom helped me, but it didn't work out the way we planned."

"So I woke up heading for that wall?" Scootaloo asked, pointing at the wall behind her.

"Yeah," Rumble and Apple Bloom said in unison.

Silence filled the room, save for the chirping of birds and the hollers of ponies nearby. Apple Bloom looked at him, and whispered, "Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure," he whispered.

The pair stared at Scootaloo, who seemed to be bothered at something. She rubbed her hooves together as her head hanged low. She looked to the floor as the wind entered the wide room and blew across her, causing her mane to sway ever so slightly. Why is she acting like this? Did that really hurt? She doesn't look to be in pain or anything. Rather, she kinda looked... sad. A few moments of awkward silence later, Scootaloo spoke up.

"Darn, I almost thought I was actually flying."

Apple Bloom looked down, the same way she did. Her bow flopped down, as if life had been drawn out of it. Her giggles that brightened the atmosphere in the room faded into nonexistence. Rumble stared through her brilliant gamboge eyes, and he knew what she felt. She was guilty for tossing her across the room.

"How could I learn to fly... if I can't even get myself off the ground without hurting myself?" Scootaloo asked in despair, as if hope was lost through her words. Her voice echoed across the room. Each second, the depressing aura surrounding the pegasus filly grew stronger. Come on, I don't want to see her like this. I want cheerful Scootaloo, not hopeless and depressed Scootaloo. Apple Bloom, say something. Rumble glanced at the yellow filly. She seemed like she couldn't do anything much to comfort her. Well, it's all up to me then.

Rumble looked to the melancholic pegasus. He sighed, and leaned closer to her. She didn't flinch, not much to his surprise though. I need to do this. He slowly placed a hoof on her soft shoulder. His hooves were shaking, as if he had an overdose of coffee. The weight and the warmth she felt caused her to look towards him. Rumble made the most heart-warming smile he could make. Seconds after, he swallowed a huge lump in his throat, and mustered all the confidence he could.

I want to do this.

He leaned forward, and wrapped her neck around his hooves. Her eyes widened as she felt the warmth of his fur brushing against her own. Her muzzle was just in front of his ear, which made her tiny breaths audible to him. However, his muzzle brushed against her frizzy purple mane. Every sway of her locks made his muzzle tickle, but he didn't mind. Scootaloo rested her head on his shoulder. Now her tiny breaths tickled his fur, but he didn't mind at all. She wrapped her hooves around his body, returning his favor.

"Now now, don't say that. Remember what I said that I'll help you out. I am absolutely, positively sure about that. I will do what I can so you can fly. Just promise me one thing: don't look down on yourself. Once you do, it'll be hard for you to look up to what you want to become," Rumble said caringly as he gently caressed her mane to calm her down.

Once again, the room was silent, save for the seemingly loud ticking of the clock. Nopony moved or said anything to break the silence. Nopony dared to. Apple Bloom simply stared at the floor, trying to show concern for her. Moments later, Scootaloo hugged him tighter and buried her muzzle into his shoulder, which tickled him a little.

"I promise."