//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: Equestria Unlimited: My Little Rumble // by steel soul //------------------------------// Ponyville… One will never find a place filled with so much kindness and camaraderie as this quant little town. Many mares, stallions, colts and fillies littered the dusty roads, each one going about their daily lives. The normally busy town ponies was especially active today due to not only the upcoming celebration, but also the exclusive appearance of their one and only ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle. It was on this amazing and happy day that the residence of Sweet Apple acres were busy upon their farm, the Apple family happily preparing the food for both tonight's and tomorrow's events. It was also the place that Rumble would start his royal duties of overseeing the perperations for the Sun Rising Celebration. “Wow." The young stallion mused as he stared at the miles and miles of apple trees littering the farm. "That a whole lot of apples in one place.” He smiled as looked around. "Still, a peaceful farm is just what I need to get Rainbow and her dang teasing out of my mind." He paused. "For the love of Cadence...I'm talking out loud again...Really need to put a hamper on-" “YEE-HAW!” Rumble's self ramblings were cut short as he covered both his ears with his hooves, the sound of the most manliest voice he had ever heard leaving a rather intense ringing within his most sensitive of hewing appendages. Rumble looked around as soon as he had fully recovered from the sound assault, his eyebrow rising as he bore witness to an orange-coated stallion in a stetson hat hitting an apple tree with a powerful buck of his hind legs, their dirty yellow mane tide into a messy but workable ponytail. Sweat perspired off the stallions coat, running its corse down his chiseled chest and work legs. To the stallion's right, Rumble could also see a gaggle of mares of all types, rather they be unicorn, earth pony or pegasus, admiring him from a distance, each one swooning by the display of strength the farm-stallion displayed. "Well..." Rumble sighed with a roll of his eyes. "lets get this over with…” The young stallion smiled widely, putting on his best friendly disposition as he neared the older one. After a light cough to clear his throat, the overseer spoke. “Hello, my name is Rumble, and I’m-“ Rumble barely had to to yelp as the stallion was upon him instantly. “Well,howdy there Rumble, name’s Applejack, proud member of the Apple family,” said the farm stallion as he shook his hoof vigorously. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acers! Now, What  can Ah do ya fer, Saltlick?” He crossed his front hooves and smiled warmly. It took some time for Rumble to recover from nearly being shaken out of existence. “I...I’ve have come to oversee the banquet the Apples have prepared for the Sun Rising Celebration.” He announced with as much formality and confidence he could muster after going though his earthquake like experience. “Y’all lucky ta come here first then, city slicker,” said Applejack. “Yer just in time fer the Apple family reunion! Come on and meet everypony!” He trotted over and wrung a rather large dinner bell with too much enthusiasm. “SOUP’S ON, EVERPONY!” Rumble chuckled nervously. “Oh...Hehe...No thanks,” he said trying to back away. “I just need you to tell what food you’re serving. You really don’t have to-” Applejack wrapped a hoof around the little stallion's shoulder, pulling him close. “That’s th’ great thing about our family,” Applejack said with pride. “Ah can both at once!” He took a deep breath. “We got Apple Cobbler, Apple Strudel, Caramel Apples, Apple Pie, Apple Cider, Apple Salad-” Applejack began, pointing to each pony as he spoke Rumble listened on and on to the stallion naming each and every last one of the ponies and food before him. Never, in all his life, had he known of so many ways to cook apples. It was both mind boggling, mind blowing to the young stallion if he was being truthful to himself. “And here we have little Applebloom, Big Macintosh, and finally, Granny Smith.” Applejack concluded as he gestured over to a sleeping elder mare. “Come on Granny Smith, we got company!” Granny Smith awoke from her nap to join the festivities mumbling something about disturbing her nap. “Ah think they like ya already, saltlick.” said Applejack. “I’d even say that yer already part of th’ family if I may be so bold! So, how ‘bout a little taste test?” Rumble gazed upon the mountain of food that was on the table, a sweat starting to from on his brow. “Well...I have some things to take care of. I don't think I have the time...” he confessed. The Apple family made an “Awww” of disappointment. The filly that was introduced to him as Applebloom, walked up to him, her eyes near shimmering with unshed tears. “Please stay for brunch.” she said with big, teary eyes. It was a look the Rumble was all to familiar with, what with a certain changeling princess using it to get her way most of the time. It was also a look that he had little to no defence for. “Fine..." Rumble relented with a deadpan look. "Guess a bite wouldn’t be too bad. What's the worse that can happen?” ~ “Never...Again…” Those were the words that Rumble had vowed to uphold for the rest of his life as he left the Apple farm that was named Sweet Apple Acres behind. Never, in his entire life, had he eaten so much food in one setting, dwarfed only by the fact that each and every morsel was apple based. He could almost feel his belly bulge as if it was ready to explode at a moments notice. “Ugh...I won’t be eating for a full week…” The gray pony said before sighing deeply. “Well in any case, the food was good and I’m sure the ponies of this town will love it, as long as its not stuffed down a ponies face. I just never knew there were so many kinds of apples in the world." Speaking of which…” He turned to look to his left, a deadpanned stare aimed at a very familiar yellow earth pony filly. “Why are you following me again...ah...Applebloom right?” The filly in question, a yellow earth pony filly with a bright pink scarf wrapped around her neck and a mane as pure red as an apple, smiled brightly as he acknowledged her. “Thats right Mister Rumble. Y’all are family now so ah thought it would be un family like to leave ya. This is y’all first time here in Ponyville ain’t it? Ah can show y’all around.” Rumble was about to shoo her off, but paused. He hated to admit it but he didn't know his way around town. He had spent the better half of his first hour in town asking for directions from to Sweet Apple Acres, many of the ponies having no idea either due to both them being out of town and themselves. Rumble sighed before smiling at the filly. “You have a point kiddo. Fine, i’ll let you tag along.” “YAY!” The little earth filly cheered, her voice raising more than a few decimals much to Rumble's chargen. “Where to first? You said you had to cheek on the Sun Rising Celebration right? Where are ya going next? Someplace cool?” Rumble pulled out the checklist his teacher had given him. "We need to check on how a pegasus named Scootaloo is doing at clearing the skies it seems." Applebloom craned her neck as she looked up to cloud filled sky, a frown coming on to her features. "Ah know her. She’s one of the local weather ponies here in Ponyville," she commented. “Wonder where she is…?” “Where ever it is, its obviously more important than following an order from the Queen.” Rumble huffed wight a roll of his eyes. Just then, as if his luck was answering his call, something hard, orange and fast slammed into his side. Both he and the object fell into a heap onto the dirt paths, only stopping after rolling for quite some time. The colt that was rammed into groaned as he tried to make sense of what just happened. “The Buck...What the hey just hit me…” Rumble mumbled, doing his best to lift up. Something, however, was preventing from from doing so. His hooves felt around the object, instantly filling the warmth it emanated from its own body. He blinked as he felt fur coarse though his hoof, both soft and toned, yet with just a bit of give to it. "The hey...? “Wow...aiming for second base already there dude?” Rumble's eyes opened, only to widen once he found out exactly what was sitting in front of his face, a mighty blush blasting across his face. A rather nice plot sat in front of him, the wind rustling each and every hair he could see. It wasn't a bad plot by any means. Nice and orange. Actually really well token care of. Must be an athlete of some sort. If he looked up further enough, a purple wheel with a lightning bolt shooting from it could be seen upon her flank. A magenta tail flicked him across his face, causing the stallion to look past the plot into diluted magenta eyes. “Pretty ballsy if you ask me...but I could do a lot worse, I guess.” The mare that sat on him giggled before blowing a bit of her magenta main out of her her eyes. It was then that Rumble’s brain went into overload mode at exactly what his situation was. On one hoof, a really cute mare about his age had landed on top of him in a position that could only be describe a Michael Neigh cliche, plus she was flirting with him. Thats always a good sign for a stallion. Flirting is always a good thing, is it not? On the other hoof however, there was a mare on top of him, and if a certain pony or two saw him in such a position, he would be utterly and royally screwed… He did the only thing sensible thing he could think to do. “Heh...ah...you don’t mind moving do ya?” Rumble asked with a awkward smile. The mare thought for a moment before smiling at him and mewling a “Naww," Escaped her mouth. Oh! And she gave a wiggle of her rear as an emphasis. Panic began to set within Rumble's heart, as well as his already red face becoming even redder then before. “I-I mean-buh-You-I-!” She began to shake with soft giggles before rolling off the stallion and began rolling on the ground, a deep and bellowing laugh escaping from her maw as she did so. “Oh Geez! You should see your face! Dear Cadence is it priceless! BAHH~HAHAHAHAH!” Rumble growled as he picked himself up, brushing the dust off his coat as he cast a glare towards the pegasus. “Ha-ha-ha…you're a riot. You Scootaloo I presume?” Scootaloo smiled as she picked herself up and puffed out her chest "The one and only." Scootaloo ruffled Applebloom's mane as she made her way to her. “And I see you're getting all the mares to fall for you.” “I’m his official royal assistant” Applebloom said, a little miffed that her mane was getting messed up. “And he’s here on royal business from the princess of Equestria herself.” “Official royal assistant is pushing it Kiddo.” Rumble corrected. "But she is right, Queen Twilight sent me to check on the Sun Rising preparations for tomorrow," He explained, "And the princess’s list says that you're supposed to be clearing the sky for said shindig." Scootaloo epped before she pawed at the ground, a sheepish smile on her muzzle, "That's right, ehehehe…” “So...why isn’t it?” Rumble said with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah, why ain’t it?” Applebloom mimicked. Scootaloo looked away. “I, ah...forgot…” Rumble deadpanned. “You forgot?” Scootaloo smiled as she looked at him. “I forgot.” “She always forgets.” Applebloom said shaking her head. Rumble was all but done with her. “And they trusted you to the task of clearing of the sky to you because why exactly?” “Cause I’m the best at what I do!” Scootaloo exclaimed proudly. “Except doing your job…” Rumble said looking away and towards the sky. “Bet I could even do a better job then you.” “Hey! Nopony is faster than me!  I could clear the sky in no time at all!” She retorted it. “And I could clear the sky faster than that!” Rumbled said with a smirk. “Oh yeah!” “Yeah!” Both ponies stood with their faces just inches away from each other before Rumble turned to Applebloom. He quickly took off his bag, dropping it into the hooves of the little filly. “Hold my stuff for a bit kiddo...I’m about to show a filly the fruits of royal training.” Scootaloo smirked as she began to stretch out her wings and body. “Yeah? Lets see how well your so called training can do against natural talent.” Rumble cracked his neck before crouching in a low position. “Ready?” Scootaloo pranced in place before acquiring the same position as the stallion. “Steady!” Applebloom raised her hooves in the air effectively tossing Rumbles things in the ail while at the same time yelling much enthusiasm, “GO!” ~ A beautifully designed carriage arrived at the edge of Ponyville. Its making was unlike anything seen within Equestria’s own carriages, even the ones that many of the fancy ponies owned. Its black coating did little to belittle its intricate composition. In fact it enhanced it twofold if anything. Two armor cladded equine like creatures shifted on their hooves as they surveyed the area, their large blue eyes taking in all the strange looks they were given, returning them in spades. Many of the ponies watched with a questioning stare. Others still kept a worried air about them at the sight of the strange ponies with holes in their legs. It was no doubt in any ponies mind that the strangely beautiful carriage was the thing on everypony’s mind. And then the door opened. All eyes turned to the carriage's occupant. Her long blue mane, while having oddly placed holes integrated within it, only helped enhanced the black pony’s beautiful elegance. Her catlike eyes looked too and fro before focusing straight ahead, widening at the sight of a little gray dot flying around in the clouds. Her wings fluttered and she smiled brightly, her small fangs shining lightly within the suns rays. “I found you, my little Rumble.”