//------------------------------// // Brawl // Story: Childhood Sweethearts // by Ribe_FireRain //------------------------------// School the next morning wasn't any different than any other school day for you and it involved the typical lectures and timelines during history lessons and literature. Though these particular topics was something you would normally care a great deal about and enjoy to learn what you can, your mind was too in the dumps and focused on Scootaloo. Nervously, you would glance at her occasionally and see that she was forcing herself to not look at you. Sometimes you would catch her looking at you out of the corner of your eye but she would just as quickly turn away the second you turned your own towards her. You could tell she was having mixed thoughts and feelings like you were. When you faced forward and Cheerilee wasn't looking, even both of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle would take worried momentary glaces at you and Scootaloo. After what happened at Sugarcube Corner, you noticed that the normally excitement-filled eyes of Sweetie had been replaced by pure guilt and she smiled sympathetically towards you. In the midst of all of this, another colt with a sleek grey coat and thundercloud cutie mark with a gelled back mane in a similar fashion to yours called Rumble seemed to take hint of Scootaloo's mood, too, his worried frown tracing from her to you like he could read both of your thoughts. You haven't known Rumble for long but you considered him as a friend and you have seen him occasionally hanging out with her when it was time for recess. By the way he talked to you when the topic was on the orange pegasus, you could easily tell from his tone that he secretly thought more of her than just his friend. A part of you tingled in jealousy at that. No matter, you managed to keep a straight face. ''Cerulean!'' You blinked and flinched at the voice of Cheerilee from the front of the classroom, her voice a firm shout and every set of eyes set on you. ''Please pay attention, you have a test on this tomorrow!'' She said with a stern expression and soft frown upon her lips. You swallowed awkwardly. ''S-Sorry, Miss.'' You apologized, embarrassed for being lost in thought so deeply. Cheerilee smiled softly and nodded before going back to going through the various drawings and points on the board. Moments passed and you pretended to listen to the lecture on the history of Ponyville and its founding as your thoughts seemed to block most of your concentration. Thankfully the bell rang and indicated it was time for recess. By the time everypony else had left the classroom to go play outside and mingle with each other, you realized that you were the last pony in the room. At the front, Cheerilee looked to you worriedly, noticing your glum expression and worried eyes. ''Cerulean? Are you alright?'' She asked, coming towards you desk and standing beside you. You sighed softly and lifted your head up to meet her eyes and your ears plopped back on your head. ''Miss Cheerilee? Can...can I ask you something?'' You asked wearily, to which she simply nodded, offering a supportive hoof to your shoulder. ''Of course, dear. Go ahead.'' She smiled. Nervously, you cleared your throat. ''H-How do you know if somepony l-likes you?'' She seemed to be taken aback by the question and she blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting the question. ''Do you mind if I asked you why?'' Cheerilee raised her brow slightly. ''It's because...because I'm worried that I hurt one of my friends and I'm afraid that she doesn't like me anymore. I don't know what to do!'' You said, planting your face into the desk with a dull thud. You avoided making contact with the teacher's eyes and when you eventually looked back up moments later, she forced you to make contact by gently putting her hoof under your chin and moving your head around so that you faced each other. She showed you a gentle smile and said, ''It's alright, Cerulean. If you're that worried about her, perhaps I could maybe talk to her for you at some point? If not, I would suggest that you try and talk to her. I'm sure it's nothing too bad.'' You smiled weakly and gave her a small hug before giving her your thanks. ''Run along now, I'm sure she may want to talk to you, too.'' She called to me as I left the classroom and in search of my friend. *** *** *** ''Hey, Cerulean!'' You heard a voice call mere seconds after you left the school house and entered the playground. Pausing, you looked to where it came from and saw none other than Rumble. He smiled friendly to you and came towards you. ''Oh, hey, Rumble.'' You replied, trying to block out your glum tone. ''What's up?'' ''I was about to ask you the same thing.'' He said coolly, motioning with his hoof at your eyes. Looking to where he was pointing, you wiped below your eyes and found your hoof to be slightly wet when you retracted it. Now he was frowning. ''What's got you so down?'' You sighed, not wanting to make such a big deal out of it. ''It's nothing, Rumble. Just had a bad week is all.'' You partially lied, hoping to find a switch in topic. ''Well, you know I'm here to talk if you need me, Cerulean.'' He smiled and you smiled back, bumping his hoof in thanks. ''So, wanna go talk to the others or maybe play some ball?'' He offered and your face began to light up. ''Yeah, sure. That'd be nice.'' With your newly found smile, you and Rumble made your way to the other side of the playground and to a set of benches where another colt and a filly were sitting and in conversation. Upon seeing the two of you walk over, they stopped and smiled and waved to the both of you. The colt had a slightly raggled soft, dark blue mane and a softer blue coat and golden eyes and a picture of a golden bow and arrow adorned his flank. Rumble waved back at him. ''Hey, Archer.'' He said, bumping his hoof before motioning to you with a hoof. ''This is Cerulean Blaze. He joined not long ago.'' You waved and shook Archer's hoof. ''Hey, Cerulean. Nice to meet you.'' He greeted you with a smile before motioning over to the other pony who had a light pink mane and an off-cherry coat with glistening amber eyes that were like glitter. Her cutie mark was of a red heart with a halo hovering above it. ''This is my sister, Halo Heart.'' She waved to me and I shook her hoof, too. ''So, do you two normally hang out here?'' I asked, hoping to get my mind on a different track of thought that wasn't something that caused distress. Archer nodded, giving a small shrug. ''Yeah, pretty much. There isn't really anything else to do around here, so we kinda just hang out here, I guess.'' ''How about you, Cerulean? I don't think I've seen you around town before. Did you move here recently?'' Halo asked you with curiosity tingling in those pretty eyes of hers. ''Yeah, I'm originally from Manehatten. I moved here with my mum a few days ago.'' I replied, happy that I had a chance to get out of my own thoughts and back to where I found tranquility. However, the mention of Manehatten seemed to lure her into an even bigger curiosity. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could have the chance, a new voice joined in from behind and slowly approaching. Turning, you saw a pink filly with a two tone white and light purple mane with a diamond tiara placed on top of it with a cutie mark to match. ''Well, well, well, what do we have here? Another blank flank?'' She said mockingly, her attention focused particularly on you and your ears plopped back on your head from the comment. It wasn't the first time you have been called names such as 'blank flank'. In your old school back in Manehatten, you were teased mercilessly for being one of the few only students without their mark and for being smarter than the rest of the students. Rumble stepped in front of you defensively, glaring purple daggers into the pink brute's sapphire blue eyes that were sharp as knives as they glared back at him. ''You leave him alone, Diamond Tiara!'' He shouted at her, not affecting her in the slightest bit. ''What are you going to do about it if I don't?'' She sneered. ''Why are you even hanging out with a blank flank, anyway? You all have your cutie marks and you should be hanging out with your own kind! You're just like those other losers! Oh, what are they called? The 'Cutie Mark Crusaders'?'' She snickered. At the mention of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, your ears perked up and you felt an anger start to boil your blood. You may not stand up for yourself at times, but when some pony makes an uncalled for comment on your friends, your anger begins to rise. ''What did you just say?'' You asked, taking the filly aback. ''E-Excuuuuse me?'' She said slowly, a shocked expression on her face at your backchat. ''I said, 'what did you just say?'.'' You repeated and she growled at you coldly. ''Oh, yes, of course! It's like a blank flank to stick up for his 'friends' who are totally as worthless as themselves! It must be embarrassing for you - being the only colt in their little club amongst a bunch of useless and talentless fillies!'' Now your blood was boiling. She had just insulted all of your friends in a single sentence and you were ready to make her regret that. However, from seeing your heated expression, Archer and Halo held you back before you could pounce on her. Rumble stepped closer to her, coming up to an inch or so from her muzzle. ''Leave Cerulean alone, Tiara! He's done nothing to you, and at least he has friends! Where is your puppet, Silver Spoon, anyway? Did she finally get sick of you commanding her like a dog and find some actual friends who don't manipulate her down to the bone?'' Rumble said defensively and coldly, seeing the anger seethe from the filly's eyes. She looked back at you for a moment and back to Rumble, looking like she wanted to say something to retort to his comment but held back. ''You'll regret that, Rumble!'' She glowered at him. ''Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some certain blank flanks to tease. Particularly a certain flightless pegasus.'' That was it! At hearing that insult, you let out a loud growl that made her cringe and you forced yourself from Halo and Archer's grip before you pounced on top of Diamond Tiara, pinning her to the ground after taking her by surprise. She looked fearfully into your eyes before you delivered a punch after the other into the filly's face, hitting her in the nose and causing it to bleed as she squirmed and thrashed around as pain coursed through her. ''Don't. You. EVER. Insult. Scootaloo. Or. Her. Friends. You. PLOTHEAD!'' You yelled at her with every punch you made, making her scream. From behind you, Rumble, Archer and Halo pried you from the pink filly by force and held you back, despite your screams of rage for the little ignorant and rude filly. She hurriedly got to her hooves and wiped her bloodied face and nose with a hoof, a few tears of pain escaping her eyes at the pain it caused to convulse through her body. She growled devilishly at you, her eyes stabbing into your own with equally matched hate. ''You are so going to pay for that, blank flank!'' All around the playground, the other students watched the scene before them in shock at what they had just witnessed. In the background, you could make out the three Crusaders, all watching with the rest of their schoolmates. You didn't look back at them, though. Coming through the crowd with an angered expression of her own was Miss Cheerilee, glowering at the two of you with a mix of a disappointment and shock. Glaring at Diamond Tiara and her bloodied nose, she gasped before looking over to you still being held by Rumble, Halo and Archer and her face looked like it was going to explode. ''You two, inside, now!''