//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Chance Meeting // Story: From Rumble With Love // by Locomotion //------------------------------// Apple Bloom carefully browsed through the list that lay in front of her, trying to work out her next big activity with her friends. It was never an easy job trying to work out what they hadn't tried yet, but as the self-appointed leader of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, it was something that had to be done no matter what. After all, the chief objective of the group was just that – to realise their destinies and gain their very own Cutie Marks. But even though she had been up at the clubhouse since breakfast, nothing so far had actually come to her. The group had first come into being a few years ago, thanks largely to a cute-ceañera that had been thrown for her snobbish schoolmate Diamond Tiara, the bane of Apple Bloom's life; she and her friend Silver Spoon, who mocked her to no end about being a so-called “blank-flank”, had goaded her and several other foals into coming along so that she could gloat about her new Cutie Mark. However, their derision was swiftly nipped in the bud when two other blank-flanks, who later introduced themselves as Sweetie-Belle and Scootaloo, came to Apple Bloom's defence and threw both fillies' rude remarks back in their faces. After that, the three of them became firm friends, and even joined together to seek out their Cutie Marks and the talents they signified, and although they constantly seemed to fail spectacularly, the group had gradually expanded beyond the three fillies to include a great many others who hadn't yet gained theirs. Her cousin Babs Seed had even started a Cutie Mark Crusaders branch in the city of Manehattan, and even now was trying to attract potential new members to the group. As Apple Bloom was reading through the list, a greyish purple unicorn filly with a blonde mane and tail entered the clubhouse. “Hi, Apple Bloom,” she called. Apple Bloom looked up briefly. “Oh, hey, Dinky,” she muttered absent-mindedly. Dinky Doo was one of the newer members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, having joined the group less than four months ago. She never seemed to spend that much time participating in their activities at first, but after Pipsqueak, a mottled colt from Trottingham, had joined the group a week or two later, she had become a lot more confident about attending on a regular basis – though not unlike Sweetie-Belle, she tended to be rather uncertain about their more dangerous activities. But right now, she was more concerned about what Apple Bloom was up to. “So what are we up to today?” she asked curiously. “Well, that's just it, Dinky – Ah dunno what,” admitted Apple Bloom. “Ah've been lookin' through the options fo' hours on end, an' there doesn't seem to be a thing we've already tried. It's as if we're a' destined ta be blank-flanks!” and she thumped a hoof hard against the floor in frustration. “Oh,” said Dinky, disappointed. “Does that mean our Crusaders meeting is off then?” “Not on mah watch!” insisted Apple Bloom defiantly. “We're gonna get our Cutie Marks yet – we just need ta work out how!” “Yes, but when?” protested Dinky. “The way we're going at the moment, several of us will have been dating before we actually get them.” Apple Bloom looked thoughtful. “Dating, huh?” She paused for a moment, mulling it over – and then her face lit up. “Of course! Why din' Ah think o' that before? We could get our Cutie Marks in dating! Dinky, yo' a genius!” Dinky blushed with pride. A quarter of an hour, all the other Crusaders turned up for their meeting. Aside from Apple Bloom, Dinky, Sweetie-Belle and Scootaloo, the other members of the group included Dinky's best friend Tootsie Flute, an aqua-coated unicorn filly with a purple mane and tail; a light grey Pegasus filly named Tornado Bolt; Noi, a rather naïve golden-furred Earth pony filly; and of course Pipsqueak, their newest member. As soon as they were all assembled, Apple Bloom called for their attention. “Okay, Crusaders,” she announced as soon as they had all quietened down, “Ah've been lookin' through the list of activities we haven't tried yet that might gain us our Cutie Marks. Ah haven't come across anything yet...” There was a noticeable air of disappointment among the other members. “...but,” continued Apple Bloom, “thanks to Dinky Doo, Ah've still managed ta work out a solution. Cutie Mark Crusaders, we're gonna try gettin' our Cutie Marks in...” She paused impressively. “...dating!” The other Crusaders chattered eagerly; but Scootaloo didn't look the least bit impressed. “That's the lousiest idea for a Cutie Mark I've ever heard!” she claimed huffily. “Me, get a Cutie Mark in dating? You guys are going way too soft in the head, thinking our special talent is something so namby-pamby.” Dinky looked hurt. “Well it seemed like a good idea at the time,” she murmured sadly. “Come on, Scootaloo,” chided Tootsie Flute, “everypony gets a fillyfriend or a coltfriend at some point in their lives. It may not necessarily gain us our Cutie Marks, but it's part of life.” “What, hanging out with some colt and acting all lovey-dovey and kissy-kissy and all that sappy garbage?!” retorted Scootaloo, puffing out her chest. “Don't make me laugh; you'd never catch me being so mushy in public!” Noi tilted her head. “I don't see anything mushy about it.” “Yeah, I think it's really sweet,” added Dinky. “I know because I've often seen Mommy hanging out with that brown stallion who calls himself 'the Doctor', and it always makes me feel...” “You would!” interrupted Scootaloo rudely. “You never seem to spend a second out of your Mom's company! Anyway, nopony's not gonna get me hooked up with some half-wit colt; it was bad enough when I had Spike trying to go out with me,” she added, ignoring the offended look on Pipsqueak's face. Sweetie-Belle narrowed her eyes and glared at Scootaloo. “Yeah, and even worse for my big sister,” she added sternly. “She still hasn't forgiven you yet, you know, Scoot.” “Well what's the big deal?! It's not as if I asked Spike to come out and...” “No, you're not understanding!” groaned Sweetie-Belle, frustrated. “You were the reason he nearly took his own life! You could have just let him down gently like the rest of us and bought Rarity some more time to express her own feelings to him – but you didn't! You just turned around and exploded in his face before storming off!” “Then maybe he should have thought of that before he tried going out with me!” argued Scootaloo coldly. Apple Bloom slapped a hoof to her face, exasperated. “Scootaloo, y'all are impossible!” she growled crossly. “Every time we suggest a way of gettin' our Cutie Marks, yo' never happy with it unless it's cool or sporty or involves puttin' our lives at risk!” “Yeah? Well you can't talk!” reproached Scootaloo. “You keep getting all crabby every time we fail to get our Cutie Marks! If you really think we're gonna get 'em in such yucky stuff as dating, you're outta your mind!” “Well at least Ah try an' find ways ta get our Cutie Marks! The way y'all are goin', Scoot, we've less chance at getting' 'em than y'all do at learnin' ta fly! Seriously, what is it with y'all an' Cutie Marks?!” Apple Bloom's angry words had a horrifically crushing effect on the orange Pegasus filly. Her own reply suddenly stuck in her throat as she realised just how right Apple Bloom was; after all this time, she should have learned how to use her wings properly just like the other Pegasi at her school, and yet the best she could normally manage was a few seconds' worth of hovering. The only instance where she had actually managed to take off was when she once jumped an overturned cart, but otherwise her flying skills left a lot to be desired, something she was extremely sensitive about. “Well don't just stand there!!” burst out Apple Bloom impatiently. “Say somethin', y'all!” But Scootaloo barely seemed to acknowledge Apple Bloom's demand. She was so hard hit by her remark about her flying skills that she was on the brink of tears. “You know what,” she muttered, trying hard not to cry in front of the other foals, “just forget it. I don't care about that stupid Cutie Mark anyway.” “What?!” Apple Bloom was taken aback. “Are you chicken or somethin'?” she exclaimed, not realising what she had just blurted out until too late. “I SAID FORGET IT!!!” stormed Scootaloo, unable to control herself any longer. “IF ALL YOU CAN BE BOTHERED TO DO ABOUT YOUR CUTIE MARKS IS TO TRY GETTING THEM IN SOMETHING AS SAPPY AS DATING, I DON'T WANT MINE! AND STOP CALLING ME CHICKEN!!!!” Sweetie-Belle was equally shocked to hear this. Gaining a Cutie Mark was the most important thing in the world to anypony, not just the Crusaders – and yet Scootaloo was saying she didn't want hers. “But...but Scootaloo...,” she began. “DON'T SPEAK TO ME!!” thundered Scootaloo, and ran out of the clubhouse, twin streams of tears practically pouring out of her eyes. Once she was out in the open, she grabbed her scooter and raced away towards the town, sobbing uncontrollably. It was bad enough that somepony should have brought up the subject of her inability to fly in the first place, but for that very same somepony to rub it in by comparing her to any kind of flightless bird – well, it may as well have been Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon making such a harsh remark. And to think that it had to come from one of her best friends too. “That Apple Bloom!” she cursed through gritted teeth. “Poking fun at my feeble wings like that! Try all you want, but don't come crying to me if you never get a Cutie Mark – you don't deserve one after what you said to me!” She looked down at the handlebars of her scooter, choking back further tears. “Still, she's probably right to laugh at me; I must be the worst flyer in all of Equestria.” Such was Scootaloo's distress that she forgot to look where she was going. Without warning, she bumped into something and was flung from her scooter, landing on a hillside only a few yards away. But instead of getting up and checking for broken bones or any other injury, she just buried her face in her forelegs and continued to cry her eyes out; today really wasn't her lucky day, she thought. “Oh my gosh! Are you okay?” Briefly looking up, Scootaloo noticed a light grey Pegasus colt standing next to her. By the looks of the bruise on his left elbow and his slightly dishevelled dark grey mane, this must be what she had inadvertently crashed into. His purple eyes were scanning her all over, presumably for any injuries that she may have sustained, but she couldn't care less. “Yeah, I'm fine!” she faltered sarcastically. “I'm a Pegasus who can't fly, and I've been knocked out of the air before I can even take off – no big deal.” The colt was most dismayed. “Can't you? Oh, that's terrible,” he sympathised. “I know, I know – I'm the most useless Pegasus who's ever lived,” muttered Scootaloo, still shedding tears. “You go ahead and make as much fun of me as you want; I don't care.” “Why would I want to do that?” objected the colt, taken aback. “Just because you can't fly – yet – doesn't mean you're useless. In fact, you were putting your wings to good use with that scooter of yours.” Now it was Scootaloo's turn to be surprised. “You really think so?” she asked, lifting her head and looking up at the colt in amazement. “Yeah,” replied the colt. “It took me a while to realise that us Pegasi could use our wings to propel ourselves like that, but from the speed you were doing, you looked as though you'd mastered it pretty well.” “You saw me coming? But why didn't you move out of the way?” The colt looked away, visibly embarrassed. “Sorry about that,” he apologised meekly, placing a hoof against the back of his head. “I was so preoccupied with how fast you were going and how distressed you seemed that I didn't realise you were coming my way until too late.” Scootaloo looked down at the ground. “Nah, my bad,” she replied gloomily. “I should have looked where I was going. I was just so angry with my friend Apple Bloom for...” “One of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” interrupted the colt. “Ah, you must be Scootaloo then.” “You know my name?” asked Scootaloo, bewildered. “I sure do. My classmates talk about you and Sweetie-Belle and Apple Bloom a lot – and particularly those cool stunts you do with your scooter. But yeah, what had Apple Bloom done to make you so upset?” “We got into an argument at the clubhouse because she wanted us to get our Cutie Marks in dating of all things,” explained Scootaloo, scrunching up her nose in disdain at the word “dating”, “and she made all sorts of remarks about me being useless at flying and so on – and I may have just stormed out of the clubhouse in the end.” The colt stared in disbelief. “She really made you that mad? But I thought you three were best friends!” “Well, yeah, we are, but sometimes those two do rather get up my nose,” confided Scootaloo unhappily. “It doesn't happen that often, but when it does, I just feel like I don't have any real friends at all,” and she brushed away another few tears from her eyes. Now that Scootaloo had explained why she was in such a low mood, the colt felt deeply sorry for her. Realising that what she really needed right now was some form of comfort, he rested a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “Scootaloo,” he offered softly, “would you like it if I became your friend? I promise I'll never say anything mean about your wings.” Scootaloo looked up again and gazed into the colt's eyes. Even though the earlier suggestion by Dinky and Apple Bloom that they get their Cutie Marks in dating still played on her mind, there nevertheless seemed to be something about him that made her feel warm and safe inside, something that she couldn't quite describe. It was as if she could tell him anything and he'd easily understand. “What's your name?” she asked in an uncharacteristically shy tone. “I'm Rumble.” “Yeah, er...thanks, Rumble,” replied Scootaloo, blushing slightly. She paused for a moment, and finally nodded; “Yes, I'd love to have you as a friend.”