Rumble's Offbeat Yet Tender Romance

by Daemonabacus

A Brother with Advice

Rumble awoke in his bed, apprehensive of getting up in that tired sort of way one feels when you know you have a test waiting for you at school.

Laying flat on his bed and staring at the ceiling, Rumble recalled yesterday…

It was quite the headache.

So, first of all he still needed to tell Scootaloo to buzz-off and stop trying to ask him out. That was going to be awkward… and more worrying than that: how would her friends react? Rumble doubted they would give up easily. History was bound to repeat itself as the saying goes, so shenanigans are to be expected shortly after his rejection…and given the CMC’s history…

Rumble certainly didn’t want to get drugged with love potion; remember not to accept any apple juice if Apple Bloom offers it…

OK.

Rumble gulped.

Second, Cheerilee was a huge disappointment. How does she not see how silly cutie marks are? Why would she defend them? Doesn’t she understand J.D. Stalionger? She’s supposed to be an open minded teacher…

Rumble still needed to figure that out anyway. What was he going to do about his own cutie mark? It seemed inevitable that he would get one, so how would he escape it? Could he do anything about it besides feel trapped?

Another sting for his growing headache.

Oh, and then Tender Taps.

Tender Taps, Tender Taps. What was Rumble going to do about Tender Taps?

The first dance lesson had been… less than stellar. Sure, it gave him an even greater appreciation for Tender Tap’s talent than what he had before but…

Rumble recalled all the mis-steps, all the out-of-beat movements, and accidentally crashing into Tender Taps. He had a lot to learn and time was going to run out eventually.

What did Tender Taps think of him? Now that he had seen him dance?

Rumble told him that he would dance the part with him, that he would help him get his own dance recital…

But now, that didn’t seem likely…

Tender Taps was an amazing dancer, a phenomenal dancer. But Rumble, he had no chance keeping up with his talent, his grace and ability. He was a joke next to Tender Taps.

Tender Taps would have surely realized that by now.

How was he going to master the routine in only a week's time?

Get the other Student’s to join in??

Get approved by Miss Steps?!??

He promised Tender Taps that they would do this; he built his hopes up from nothing.

What if he couldn’t hold up his end of the deal?

Was he just setting up Tender Taps for a huge disappointment?

Rumble grumbled at himself and buried his face in the sheets, he couldn’t start doubting himself now, not after assuring himself that his lack of confidence would get the better of him again.

…

Rumble tried to think about why he was doing this and think positively.

But it was getting hard, he felt like a fraud.

A fraud who got Scootaloo’s hopes up because he didn’t dissuade her sooner,... a fraud student for disappointing his teacher,... even if she’s the one who’s wrong!,... and a fraud friend for filling Tender Taps’ head with hope and dreams that he wouldn’t be able to make come true.

Then, worst of all, a fraud to himself… for believing he could somehow escape getting a cutie mark if he just thought about it hard enough.

…

Rumble’s stomach then loudly grumbled and his feelings of hopelessness rapidly became a growing hunger.

Rumble tossed his covers and walked into the kitchen where Thunder Lane had been preparing breakfast; he was wearing his apron and chef's hat, which Rumble thought was a bit much when cooking alone.

“Hay buddy, sleep well?” Thunderlane asked as he mixed something in a bowl.

“Uh, yeah.” Rumble gathered silverware and dishes then sat down at the table, absentmindedly thinking about school, Scootaloo, dance lessons, cutie marks, all of his ‘problems’ really. With a dejected posture, drooped wings, and all the disdain a face could convey Rumble gave out a loud sigh; it was comedic really, for Thunderlane at least.

“Alright buddy, what’s got a cloud over your head now?” Thunderlane asked, not even needing to turn to see his brother to know he was in a mood, instead he poured what he mixed into a pan and it began sizzling.

Rumble was quiet for a moment and sighed again.

Thunderlane grabbed a spatula in his wings and flipped over the food, it was starting to smell quite nice, he asked again, “Did something happen at school?”

Rumble grumbled quietly, nodded, and signed again; though with Thunderlane’s back to him Rumble’s reply wasn’t very helpful.

“So,” Thunderlane asked, still cheerful, “Did you try any new flight tricks?...Finish that book Miss Cheerilee gave you?... Do any girls catch your eye?”, he was a bit more teasing with that last one.

Rumble groaned, eliciting a laugh from Thunderlane as he swept his spatula and delicately laid a fresh pancake onto Rumble’s plate. Then by adding some butter and syrup, Rumble’s glower gradually began to disappear.

Rumble, still very bitter, stabbed his food with a fork and chomped it in his mouth. His eyes suddenly widened and his frown disappeared entirely as he chewed ecstatically; this was a new recipe and Celestia was it good!

Rumble made “mmm” and “yum” sounds as he finished chewing; Thunderlane felt parent-like pride.

“Now you want to talk?” Thunderlane asked hopefully.

“Yeah, alright. But, uh, could I have another one please?”

“Sure thing kiddo,” Tunderlane smiled and turned to continue cooking, “so… girl problems?”

“No!... I’m just, trouble with school.”

“What sort of trouble?” Tunderlane asked dangerously.

“Relax, I didn’t do anything, that’s the CMC’s job. I’m helping out a student and I sort of made a promise that I’d help them… but now I’m not so sure we can pull through.”

“Huh, I didn’t know you helped out other kids, are you doing it for a TA thing?”

“No, just a friend”

“Well, that’s nice of you,” Thunderlane sat down with the finished pancakes and tossed one over to Rumble.

“Thanks,” Rumble replied before biting down.

Thuderlane gave himself a pancake and began eating, “...so why can’t you pull though?”

“Well, there’s going to be this dance at the end of the week for…Hearts and Hooves Day, and…”

Rumble looked up to Thunderlane’s smug grin and groaned in response, “It’s not for a girl.”

“I know buddy, go on,” Thunderlane bit on a pancake with a cheeky smirk.

“...and, I met a student who’s having trouble getting ready for it.”

“Oh, I see, you’re their wingmare!” Thunderlane teased, pointing with an accusing fork.

“Uh, do you want to hear the story or not?”

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry kiddo, it’s just this stuff is funny for an old colt like me. Luna, I don’t remember the last time I went to a dance with a pretty mare, must have been back in the 980’s.”

Rumble just looked at his brother funny, “What, I was young too before.”

“...Yeah, but it's a little weird…” Rumble eyed Thunderlane up and down, his face recoiled in disgust as a thought occurred to him, “Ew, I don’t know how to feel about this.”

Thunderlane chuckled a little, “yeah I guess it would be a little weird.”

“A-lot weird, can we move on, please?”

“Fine,” Thunderlane rolled his eyes, “So what’s so bad about this dance that it’s got you all worked up about it?”

“We have a week until the day of the dance and…I have to learn how to… dance by then.”

“But not for a girl right?”

Rumble just stared at him annoyed, though, Thnderlane could tell he was gradually losing confidence as Rumble was less and less able to look him in the eye. Realizing his mistake, Thuderlane relaxed in his chair as if this were no big deal and took another bite out of his breakfast. “That’s it? Kid, you got this in the bag!”

Rumble was surprised by his reaction, he tried to speak but nothing seemingly came out.

Thunderlane continued chewing, “Dancing *nom* comes from the heart kid, *nom* if your heart’s in the right place, mmm–it’ll all work out just fine.”

Rumble forced back a laugh and replied unamused, “That’s so corny.”

“Yeah, I guess it is…” Thunderlane nodded and pointed to himself, “...but it's true! Look, sometimes before the wonderbolts shows… when we have to do a new trick or something I know that's really hard, I get worried too.”

Rumble looked to Thunderlane with his full attention.

“It's hard to do something so complicated like flying or dancing as it is, then on top of that, you have the world watching you.” Thunderlane spread his wings to demonstrate, teetering around in his chair. “Examining your every move, there’s no way your mind can keep up with all that and stay cool under the pressure.”

“So,” Thunderlane closed his wings and pulled his hooves in towards his chest, “you let your heart do it instead.”

Thunderlane closed his eyes and physically relaxed, “Just relax and let your heart guide your movements, it doesn’t matter if you start a little clumsy, it’ll even out once you get in the zone… The next thing you know: you’re in another world. It's just you and the sky, everything goes by so quickly, you don’t want it to end but… next thing you know it's over and the crowd is cheering.”

“Really, just like that.”

“I swear by it, but you have to be in the zone. You need to trust you can do it, and it helps if you're doing it for the right reason, whatever that may be for you.”

Rumble stayed quiet for a moment, trying to understand. “Why do you do it? Flying I mean…”

“I fly because it’s what I love doing, the same with cooking.” Thunderlane placed a hoof on Rumble’s shoulder, “And because I have a little brother to impress.”

Rumble smiled.

“If you’re worried about this dance thing, just remember why you’re doing it. Do you have a good reason?”

Rumble thought about Tender Taps and the joyful feeling he got when he watched him dancing, “Yeah, I do.”

“Well, that’s the important thing, not the crowd, not the pressure.”

“Thanks, Thunderlane.”

“No problem buddy, remember if you ever want help or someone to talk to, I’m here.” Thderlane slid the plate of pancakes over to Rumble and got up to clean the kitchen, “Now finish eating so you can get to school.”

“Thanks dad, " Rumble said sarcastically.

Thunderlane chuckled, “Oh, and Rumble, I'm going to be moving some heavy rain clouds at an orchard today, it's a big job and I probably won’t be back till late. I’m going to make dinner and leave it in the fridge, ok.”

“O~k,” Rumble answered with a mouth full of syrup.

“So no friends, or girls over while I’m gone, alright?”

Rumble finished his bit with a cough, “Eww! Gross. The same goes for you! How do I know you're not the one trying to pull something? Mr. I don’t remember the last time I danced with a pretty girl? Blegh! I’m outta here!”

Before Thunderlane could reply, Rumble jumped out of his chair, flew into his room, swung on his saddlebag, and slammed the front door.

Thunderlane just shook his head like any bemused parent would.

They grow up so fast, he thought.

---

After cooking dinner, tidying up the house, and gathering his own saddlebags, Thunderlane was getting ready to leave himself. He made sure to pack dinner for himself, this particular weather job was going to be heavy and tedious and likely to work up an appetite.

He checked the directions Spitfire gave him via inbox:

Direction: Cherry Hill Ranch, Dodge Junction.

As requested by Cherry Jubilee, owner and chief manager of Cherry Hill Ranch, additional light-long showers are requested to meet watering quotas this year due to the ongoing drought. A small Wonderbolt squad or specialist should suffice to complete this task.

Assigned: Lieutenant Thunderlane

Thunderlane thought the route over in his head and returned the paper to his saddlebag. Exiting the house and closing the door with a smile he began his trip.

Comments

[Mix-up]

Fun chapters glade to see you around again. you still misspell Cheerily again. The dance practice was cute between the two and how they are sort of unaware about their feeling while the obsess over the specific aspect of their goat. Keep it up dude.

[Daemonabacus]

you still misspell Cheerily again

I need a cider.

Thanks for the kind words. Yeah I enjoy writing this when I do get around too it. I'll finish it eventually.

[That One Strange Fellow]

Cheerily

I know someone already pointed it out, but... Cheerilee.

Rumble’s stomach then loudly grumbled and his feelings of hopelessness rapidly became a growing hunger.

---

This line break isn't necessary.

...

Unless that last section provides context for a future chapter, it probably isn't necessary to know Thunderlane is going to Dodge Junction. The previous section had a finish already, so adding on that extra bit really doesn't add much to the story (it's not about Thunderlane, but Rumble and Taps, so maybe that last section could be about Rumble's final thoughts on his brother's teasing or something). Just something to keep in mind.

Looking forward to reading the next chapter! EDIT: Jeez, I just realized how repetitive my sign-off sounds.