//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: "Just Kiss Already!" And Other Rumbaloo Tales // by Candy-Sweets_12 //------------------------------// Thunderlane grunted as he pushed his younger brother. Rumble, who was sweating like mad, despite the late Winter weather, was digging his hooves deeply into the ground, forming a large mound of snow and dirt at his hooves. "On second thought, I can't do this, please don't make me do this!" Rumble pleaded. His older brother rolled his eyes and continued pushing. "No little bro, you're like, sixteen and you barely talk to anyone. Besides, didn't you say that you like this mare?" "....Well... yeah," Rumble said, "but I don't want to do this today!" "You said that yesterday, and the day before, and all last week. You need to talk to other ponies your age besides your friends Rumble. It's time you get out the house for a change." "But-" "Just take it like a stallion and deal with it. You're going to stay out here all day if you don't say anything to anyone." Thunderlane said, reaching their destination. "Just try not to act like a wuss." He said, dragging a stiff Rumble onto the bench. "I'm not a wuss!" Rumble yelled, turning redder as his brother flew away. "Stupid Thunderlane," he said, crossing his arms, he saw Scootaloo; the last pony he expected to see, who he just so happened to have a bit of a crush on since they first met. She looked away from Rainbow Dash, who she was talking with and saw Rumble. He froze up as she ran up to him. It was then that he decided that his luck seemed to hate him that day. Either that or it seemed to be benefitting Thunderlane more than him. "Hey Rumble!" She called out. Her cheeks were red from what he assumed to be the cold. Rainbow Dash flew away from the distance as she stopped in front of him. "What's up?" She smiled. Rumble unfroze his regular position and stared at the ground. becoming more interested with his scarf than the mare talking to him. "Oh, nothing, nothing at all." He assured her. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out or something." She explained. "You were?" Rumble asked. "Of course, we hung out all the time when we were a few years younger didn't we?" She said. "But, well, if you don't mind me asking, why aren't you with you're friends like you usually are?" Scootaloo sighed. "They're too busy messing about with their crushes or coltfriend in Sweetie Belle's case." She said with an annoyed roll of her eyes. Rumble couldn't help but think he heard the lonely tone in her voice. She sighed and folded her arms, prompting to sitting on the bench next to him. Ignoring the mound of snow and rocks on the ground that Rumble managed to dig up on his way there, she smiled at him. "I honestly don't have many plans today. All of my friends are either dating or busy. She sighed as she looked down. "Even Rainbow Dash." "...Well, I don't really have plans for today either. So maybe we can go do something?" Rumble suggested. Scootaloo smiled up at him. "I'd love that." The rest of the day was spent flying around Ponyville, looking for some place for the two to just hang out without being swarmed by lovey dovey couples. The park was out since Sweetie Belle and Button Mash were skating, (at least trying to anyway) on the frozen pond, and it looked like the cheesiest scene from a Hearth's Warming movie. Pipsqueak was with Apple Bloom in Sugar Cube Corner, and they too looked like they belonged in a Hearth's Warming movie. Everywhere around Ponyville there was lovey-dovey moments, it was all so sweet it felt sickening. "Bleh." Scootaloo said, sticking her tongue out and pretending to puke. "Maybe we should just go home." Rumble suggested, feeling uneasy with how everypony in town suddenly became a romantic. He felt like flying away, yet he didn't think Scootaloo would let him. Seeing that she could easily catch up with him and tackle him for as long as he could remember. "Fine." She sighed. "We'll just head for my house." The two stared at each other awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. Rumble looked to the ceiling and rubbed the back of his head, and Scootaloo looked down. Both had a nervous sweat from the silent tension. Eventually Scootaloo sighed. "I can't do this." She said. Rumble looked at her, confusion painting his face. "What do you mean?" He asked. She sighed. "Rainbow Dash set me up to this." "What?" "I mean she said I should come talk to you. Saying that I should 'speak with other ponies my age' I told her we were friends already, but she told me I should still do it." She said, mimicking her idol in an annoyed tone. She decided to leave out the conversation she had before meeting up with Rumble. "Really? 'cause Thunderlane made me go to that park bench. Insisting that I talk with other ponies 'within my age group'. I think that it's because he doesn't think I have a lot of friends." He said, leaving out that he was supposed to talk with her specifically and admit his feelings to the young mare. "Welp," Scootaloo said, popping her lips at the p. "I hope they're satisfied. We're sitting in my house all alone with nothing to talk about." "Yeah." Rumble agreed. "Unless you want to talk about our siblings/surrogate siblings." He said. "Well, Rainbow Dash is always talking about her oh, so perfect boyfriend. Scootaloo said, clapping her hooves together and cocking her head to the side at a ridiculous angle. Along with batting her eyes and making her voice go a tone higher. Rumble laughed. "Same here, only Thunderlane's always going on about how 'he and Blossomforth did this, or, how wonderful their little dates went, or even, how much her eyes seem to sparkle'. I like Blossom, but hearing my brother talk about her all the time is so annoying." "Couldn't have said it better myself." Scootaloo said. The two laughed at the memory. "Seems like all of our friends are in some relationship with someone else huh?" Scootaloo said, flopping down to her back and spreading her arms and wings out. "Yeah." Rumble agreed, doing the same. "Sweetie Belle's dating Button Mash," Scootaloo said. "Snails is dating Twist," Rumble said. "Apple Bloom is always hanging out with Pipsqueak," "And even my brother's friends have their own relationships." The two sighed in unison. "So what do we do?" Scootaloo asked. "They've got all of their time with each other, and it's like we're the only ponies living in town without a relationship. Even Spike is spending time out of town with that other dragon." "It sucks." Rumble agreed. "What exactly does it leave us to doing? My friends are talking all about their relationships instead of what we used to talk about and our future careers." Scootaloo continued. "Well...what would you like to be?" Scootaloo paused and stared at the ceiling as though there was actually something interesting about it. "I want to be known all over Equestria, and have the crowds cheer my name. I want to become something that'll make me and other ponies happy. I just don't know what exactly yet. Maybe I'll become a Wonderbolt. And amaze the crowds with Rainbow Dash by my side." "I guess that that means it's every pegasus' dream to become a Wonderbolt. I want to become one too." Rumble said aloud. "Hey, it'd be pretty cool to fly with you by my side. You're a pretty cool dude Rumble." She said, smiling at him. "T-thanks!" Rumble said. "But that still doesn't mean you're any good at snowball fights." She teased. "Hey! That was years ago and you know it." He replied. "That was like two and half years ago dude. That's not as long as it sounds." She chuckled. "Whatever." Rumble mumbled, causing the mare to laugh. "Classic Rumble. Always getting his butt kicked by a girl." She grinned. "I don't get my butt kicked by a girl!" Rumble claimed. "Really? 'Cause I remember tackling you and pinning you down a lot. I can literally count the amount of times you actually beat me with my hoof." She held out her hoof teasingly. Making Rumble blush red. "Okay, fine, you caught me. So I don't like to hit or tackle girls? It's kind of a terrible thing you know." "Fair point." Scootaloo shrugged. "But you're right, it was years ago." "A lot has happened in that time." Rumble said. "Yeah, with Rainbow Dash joining the Wonderbolt's, and everyone getting some romantic interest." Scootaloo said. "Something about the way you talk about your friends every few minutes makes me wonder-" "What exactly?" Scootaloo asked defensively. Looking up at him as he sat up. "I think that you're jealous." He teased. Now it was Scoot's turn to blush. "What?!" She said quickly, sitting up just then and blushing until the tips of her ears were red. "You are jealous aren't you?" Rumble pushed forward. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." Scootaloo said, trying to look annoyed as she turned away from him. "Admit it Scootaloo, you're jealous that you're friends all have coltfriends and you don't aren't you?" "No I'm not! Why would I be jealous of something dumb like that? Talking all lovey dovey with each other, hanging out all the time, talking to someone who gets you," She softened and her blush faded slightly. She hugged her arms close to her chest as she continued to look away. "having someone to talk to when you're angry, or who doesn't care about what you look like, being with someone else instead of bring alone." She sighed. "You're right, I'm crazy, stupid jealous of all of them. And I don't know why! I don't even like romance! Why do I feel so envious though?" "It's cause you're alone Scoots. It's okay to feel that way you know." Rumble said. "Remind me again why I'm telling you all off this? Some random colt I found on a park bench?" She added, failing at trying to stop the conversation. "You invited me here, and we've known each other since we were foals Scoot." Rumble said. "I know how it feels to be alone. In case you haven't noticed, we're kind of stuck in the same situation right now." "I know. But what do I do?" Losing whatever confidence he had gained, Rumble stuttered out a response."Well..we could...I don't know... um, is it hot in here?" Rumble said, looking down quickly as Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, not sure if he was going to say what she thought he was going to say. "Just spit it out, and quit stalling." "Maybe we could hang out together sometime?" Rumble said. Scootaloo whipped around, her eyes flew open as she stared at him in shock. Her prediction was correct, but she didn't think he'd actually say it. "Are you asking me out?" She questioned. "Uh, no- I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." "Actually, that sounds like fun." She smiled. "It does? I thought that you hated romance." "I do, but we're just hanging out right?" "Yeah, sure." Rumble said. "Cool. So what time?" "I'm free this Friday." "I can't. Rainbow Dash needs me to help her with something." "Whatever happened to being left alone all of the time?" "Just because it's all the time doesn't mean never. Is Thursday good?" "I can't, Thunderlane's dragging me to his friend's birthday party." "Then how about Saturday, is that good?" She asked. "It's perfect." "Good." I think it's about time you went home, it's like 8 right now." "See you Saturday." "See ya Romeo." She said. Rumble wasn't in the mood to put up with his brother's questions about coming home later than usual, so he ignored him and locked himself in his room for the rest of the night. 'What in Celestia's name did I get myself into?" He asked himself restlessly through the pillow. All the way on the other side of town, Scootaloo thought the exact same question. She sighed and wrapped her pillow around her head, restless for whatever reason than night. Though she knew the exact reason why. Rumble was in her thoughts as much as she was in his own. It was going to be a long night for the both of them.