Sweetie Belle walked through the carousel boutique's front door. She set down her pink, and purple saddlebag on Rarity's fainting chair. "Emerald! I'm home!" Sweetie called, "Were you a good girl for Uncle Fancy Pants?"
A white and green unicorn came running down the stairs, and hugged Sweetie. "Mother! Aren't I always?" She said poking her hoof at the ground with a fake smile.
"What did you do?" Sweetie asked her filly, "Was it as bad as last time?"
"Wow, one small prank and your set for life!" Emerald said, "No, mother, it was not as bad as pouring syrup in Aunt Rarity's hair."
"Then what did you do?" Sweetie asked, with one of her eyebrows raised.
Emerald took a deep breath, and started talking really fast, while hopping around, describing everything she didn't with her body. "I accidentally broke one of Aunt Rarity's mannequins, I'm sorry mother! Uncle Fancy asked me to get him a colored pencil from Aunt Rarity's pencil can. I went to get that, but Opal thought that the pencil was a toy so she attacked it like she normally does. I tried to get it back, but I ended up tripping over a bulk of fabric, hitting a mannequin, and making it fall over. I watched it fall, and break in half. Oh, mother, do you think Aunt Rarity will forgive me?" She finished panting, and holding on to her moms leg.
"Well," Sweetie said, lifting her hoof up, and walking towards the stairs. "Let me go take a look at her studio first."
Sweetie Belle started to trot up stairs, as she saw Fancy Pants, Her sisters husband, peek around the corner.
He walked down the stairs a bit. "That is highly un-necessary!" Fancy said, defending Emerald, as he came down to the bottom of the stairs., "I saw the whole thing, and I put Opal in time out!"
"Are you mad mommy?" Emerald asked, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.
Sweetie looked at Emerald, then Fancy. She looked at Emerald and said, "No, I'm not mad. I understand that it was a mistake, and it wasn't your fault. And to answer your question from earlier, yes, Aunt Rarity will forgive you." She gave Emerald a hug, and started to trot up the stairs.
"Forgive me for what?" a voice said as Rarity stepped in through the front door, carrying groceries.
Emerald ran up to Rarity, and grabbed the groceries from her hooves, running to the kitchen with them. "Oh, Auntie Rarity!" Emerald said, reaching up to the egg bowl, and dropping it on the floor, cracking three eggs. "Oh, please for give me! I accidentally knocked over one of your mannequins, and it broke. I'm sorry Aunty, truly I am! I understand if you don't want me in your studio again." She said wiping up the egg mess with a scarf that was hanging on the wall.
Rarity Levitated the scarf from Emeralds mouth, and put it in the dirty clothes. She took a damp rag, and quickly cleaned up the mess herself.
"So, you broke one of my mannequins... You know that isn't a big deal, I have plenty in my workroom! Now go get yourself cleaned up." Rarity said, lifting one of her hooves in disgust, looking at Emeralds curly mane sopping with egg yolks.
"Thank you Aunt Rarity! I'll be right back!" Emerald said, trotting over to the bathroom sink, and cleaning out her mane.
Rarity chuckled, and looked over to Sweetie, "Oh, Sweetie Belle, a stallion in a horrid cape is at the door. He is asking for you."
"Really?" Sweetie asked, with an excited expression on her face. "Who could be asking for me?"
"Why don't you go find out? I can't tell who it is because of the ugly hood over his head" Rarity said. Trotting upstairs to her workroom, to clean up the mannequin mess.
"Alright, I will!" Sweetie said, "Emerald, be good. And no, you may not have waffles for dinner."
"Aww!" Emerald moaned, as she came out of the bathroom, and started walking towards the kitchen.
As Sweetie got her scarf, she heard Emerald say, "Uncle Fancy, can you make me some waffles for dinner?"
"What did your mother say?" Fancy Pants said, flipping a hay burger.
"Fine. No waffles tonight." Emerald sighed.
Sweetie chuckled at how much her daughter liked waffles. It sure didn't come from her! She got to the door-way, and was surprised at who was there.
"Rumble? Rumble Lane? Is that really you?" Sweetie asked, not believing her eyes.
"Yes, it is. Did you miss me? Because I missed you!" Rumble exclaimed, pulling a hood off of his head.
"Oh, Rumble!" Sweetie exclaimed before rushing over to kiss, and hug him. "Why didn't you visit? Emerald needed you!" She said with a stern look on her face.
Rumble, ashamed, said, "I know, I am truly sorry! But, I was needed in Saddle Arabia. My mother lived there, and my dad died, so I had to go help her take care of her needs. But my mom recently died so I figured. I could sell the place, and come see my marefriend and filly. Do you think she will still-" he got interrupted by a high pitched voice coming from inside.
"Daddy?" Emerald looked at the figure standing in the door way, with a confused expression on her face.
"Love me..." Rumble trailed off, "Emerald?"
"Daddy!" Emerald said not believing her eyes.
Emerald ran to her father, hugging him with all of her might. Sweetie watched the two, smiled, and joined them.
"Daddy?" Emerald asked, "Where did you and Uncle Thunder Lane go? Why did you take so long to come back?"
"That, my little filly," Rumble said, "Is a story for another time. I want to get to know my little filly since I didn't get to see you grow up so big!"
"What?" Emerald gasped, "I'm not big, I'm little!"
"Oh really?" Rumble teased, "Well I thought you were big, because the last time I saw you were this small!" Rumble lifts his hoof a few inches off the floor to make a point.
"So, what plans did you two have for today?" Rumble asked, "If it involves crusading, Sweetie, I think I'll stick with Emerald."
"Oh," Sweetie said, "We don't do crusading anymore. However, I do need to go to town hall before I go home. We moved into the old clubhouse and made it a real home... Would you like to come?"
"Of coarse I do!" Rumble said, "I don't want to miss any more time with my little filly and marefriend."
"Yay!" Emerald shouted, "Daddy's coming with us! Daddy's coming with us!"
"What's all this noise down- Rumble?" Rarity said as she came down the stairs, "Rumble Lane..."
Rarity glared at Rumble, turned, and went back upstairs.
Rumble looked down at the ground, and sighed. "I guess I wont be easily forgiven for leaving. Well, if I'm not welcome here, we might as well go. You ready?"
"Oh, yes," Sweetie said, "Let me get my saddle bag and then we can go. Emerald, get yours too!"
"Yes mommy!" The filly said as she hopped up the stairs to get her bag.
Rumble said under his breath, "Well, at least she remembered me-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
There was a scream from up the stairs and Rumble immediately recognized that it was Emerald.
"Emerald?!" He said as he started up the stairs. When he got to the top, he notice that she was just sitting at a doorway, shaking. When he approached the filly, he spoke softly. "Honey, what happened?"
"I just saw Aunt Rarity... She looked like a monster! She was yelling something to Uncle Fancy which made it worse." Emerald cried.
"It's ok honey!" Rumble said, "Come on, it's time to go."
"Ok, daddy," Emerald said as she held on to Rumble, "Daddy?"
"Yes honey?"
"I love you."
"... I love you too." Rumble said, as he squeezed out a happy tear.
After they left the town hall, they headed to Sweet Apple Acres. Emerald would skip in circles around them while they would walk along. When they got there, Rumble was amazed at how small it was.
"Wow, this is..." He stared at the tree house previously used for crusading.
"Small?" Sweetie finished, "I know. But I have been saving up for an apartment, but have had not much luck." She started to walk up the creaky stairs, and the other two followed behind her.
"What about Rarity?" Rumble asked, "Couldn't she help?"
"She has offered to let us stay at her place." Sweetie answered, "But I don't want to be in her way. Plus, I don't want Emerald to see her, when Rarity is in that freaky, stressed state when thinks she is going to be late bringing in an order. You saw how Emerald reacted earlier!"
"I see, maybe now that I'm back I can help!" Rumble proposed, "It wouldn't be that hard. The weather team pays amazingly! Enough that you could have a home in no time!"
"Rumble," Sweetie said, "I don't want to be a party-pooper, but I don't want to take your money! You are the one who earns it, you should be the one to keep it."
Rumble just looked at Sweetie, wishing she would take help from some-pony. As they sat there, watching Emerald play, they heard someone yelling.
"Sweetie! Sweetie!"
"That sounds like Apple Bloom!" Sweetie said as she started to worry, "She never yells on the way here! I wonder what could be wrong!" Apple Bloom came running up the steps in to the tree house.
"Sweetie! Ah came to warn- Rumble?" Apple Bloom said as she rushed in, "What are you doing- Oh, pony-feathers. Rumble, I wouldn't be here right now!"
"Why?" Rumble asked, "What's wrong?"
"Ah could be giving you the long story, but I shall give you the short instead considering they are on their way right now." Apple Bloom said, "Sweetie Belle's parents are at Sweet Apple Acres, asking where her house is, so they can visit."
"What?!" Sweetie screamed, "But, but, Apple Bloom, what did you tell them?!"
"Ah gave my apple's honor to granny, that I wouldn't tell a lie again," Apple Bloom said, "So ah told them where the clubhouse was. However, I told them how to get here the long way. They could be here in five minutes! Rumble, you need to go!"
"Alright!" Rumble said, "I'm guessing that they still never forgave me for leaving?"
"Nope!" Sweetie said, "Not one bit. Dad said that if he ever saw you again, he would skin you alive in town square."
"Oi!" Rumble said, starting for the door "Then I better get going! Sweetie, I'll see you and Emerald-"
"You hoo! Oh Sweetie Belle!" A voice in the orchard yelled.
"Later..." Rumble finished, "I'm dead."
"Sweetie, darling!" Pearl said as she came through the door, "How are you-"
"Rumble?!" Magnum said from the doorway. "What are YOU doing here?"
"I um... came for a visit?" Rumble said, backing off a few inches.
"Honey, we talked about this." Pearl said, "Try to keep calm."
"Calm? Calm!" Magnum raged, "This brat left our daughter, and grand-daughter alone for ten years, and is trying to get back in the family?! Why I oughta!"
At this point Apple Bloom ran to cover Emerald's ears. She got there just in time too. After Magnum had raged on Rumble, causing him to shake with fear. Apple Bloom released her hold on Emeralds ears, but she didn't leave her.
"Sir," Rumble said shakily, "May I explain why I left?"
"Make it snappy!" Magnum said, stretching his forelegs, as if he was about to fight a 10,000 pound stallion.
As Rumble told the story of how he had to leave, the hatred on Magnums face began to lift.
"Well, son," Magnum said, "I guess I need to apologize. I was just upset that some-pony would just leave our family. May I have a private word with you?"
"Um, I guess so," Rumble said, "Sweetie, I will be right back."
"Okay," Sweetie said, "Dad, can you try not to kill him?"
"What?!" Rumble squeaked.
"Don't worry, Sweetie," Magnum reassured her, "I wont."
As they headed out, Emerald just watched until her grandma came over to her, and gave her a hug.
"Son," Magnum started, "I need to ask you something. Something that I need you to answer truthfully."
"Yes sir?" Rumble confirmed, "Shoot."
"Are going to marry my daughter, or not?" Magnum said catching him off guard.
"Sir?" Rumble squeaked.
"Look, I can see that you love my daughter, and you also want her to be happy." Magnum said, "So I am giving you the permission to marry her if you wish."
"Sir," Rumble said, not believing his ears, "I don't know what to- Thank you Magnum, I will take care of your daughter and grand-daughter, and protect them with my life!"
"Good lad," Magnum said, "Now go, get a ring. I'll arrange a dinner date."
"You mean I need to ask tonight?" Rumble asked.
"Yep!" Magnum said, "She has waited ten years for you to come back. Why keep her waiting? Now go on, I'll just say you had to leave for weather duty."
"Yes sir," Rumble said, "Oh, and sir!"
"Yes?"
"Thanks... Dad!" Rumble teased, before he flew off.
Later that night, when the entire family was at the fanciest restaurant in Pony-Ville, Crem-da-la Mare, they all were intrigued with the stories Rumble told.
"And after that, he just, how shall we put it, blew up!" Rumble said as he finished a story.
"How did he do that daddy?" Emerald asked.
"I'll tell you later," Rumble said, setting down a glass of cider.
"Well Rumble," Magnum said, "What do you plan on doing now that you're back in town?"
"Well, Thunder Lane is going to move to Cloudsdale. He is planning on getting back together with Rainbow again, so that leaves me to take care of the house. So I am here to stay!"
"Yay!" Emerald cheered.
"Well," Rarity said, "Let me raise a toast! To Sweeties future cousin!"
Everyone started to toast when Sweetie Belle let what Rarity just said sink in.
"Oh, my..." She said, "Sweet Celestia! Rarity was that supposed to be a joke?" Sweetie Belle said, looking down at Rarity's abdomen.
At this point the entire table was looking at Sweetie.
"No." Rarity said, "It is not a joke!"
"What did I miss," Pearl said, as she came back from getting a glass of water.
"Yeah, I would like to know that too!" Magnum agreed.
"Oh mother!" Sweetie said, "It's nothing. All Rarity said was lets raise a toast to my future cousin!"
"Oh!" Pearl said, "I guess that's nothing to get excited ab- WHAT?!"
"Yes mother!" Rarity said, "It's true! I'm pregnant!"
Everyone congratulated Rarity, and Fancy, and the happiness lasted even after they all headed home.
"Sweetie," Magnum said, "Can Emerald stay at our house tonight? She never has by herself before."
"Oh!" Emerald said, "Can I mommy? Please?"
"I don't see why not!" Sweetie said, "Mother, I ask that you don't serve waffles for breakfast no matter how much she begs."
"Aww!" Emerald sighed.
As Rumble walked Sweetie home, they chatted about what had happened in the past ten years.
"So," Sweetie asked, "What will you do with that house all by yourself?"
"Well I was hoping you and Emerald would share it with me." Rumble said catching her off guard.
"What?" Sweetie said surprised.
"Sweetie," Rumble said nervously, "I want you to marry me!"
Sweetie had her hooves over her mouth as Rumble got down on two hooves, and brought out the ring.
"So what do you say?" Rumble asked, a bead of sweat dripping down his face. "Sweetie Belle, will you marry me?"
"YES!" Sweetie gasped, "Yes, a thousand times, yes!" She started crying happily, and hugged him, around his neck.
Rumble slid the ring on her horn, and kissed her passionately. As Sweetie thought to herself, "Wow, I can't wait to tell the girls. This did end up being a really great day!"
THE END