New Revelations

by Phantom Shadow

Chapter 29: Bridges

The morning had turned into afternoon by the time Rumble arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. His first stop when he got there was the main barn, where he was immediately greeted by Big Macintosh who was pushing a barrel full of apples from the front of the house to the back.

"Excuse me," Rumble called out, catching his attention as he drew near. "Sorry to bother you, but is Apple Bloom here? I need to talk to her right away."

Big Mac nodded and was about to answer when Granny Smith, who was trotting by, answered for him.

"Apple Bloom, ya say?" she said. "She's over at that there clubhouse of yers. Poor thing's been there all mornin'. Said somethin' 'bout wantin' ta be alone fer a while. Somethin's botherin' her mighty fierce. She won't tell us what it is, but anypony can see it written on her face clear as day."

"R-Really?" Rumble asked as he lowered his head, but not his gaze.

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh answered solemnly with a nod.

"Darn tootin'," Granny added. "Ah ain't seen her like this in a long time. She might be worse now than she was before the festival started."

Their responses caused a knot to form in Rumble's stomach. He didn't know which was worse: the fact that she was taking what happened really hard, or that it was his fault she was the way she was.

Regaining his focus, Rumble asked, "Do you think I can see her? I need to talk to her about...something really important. It...It might even cheer her up...I hope."

Granny Smith tapped the bottom of her chin as she looked up at the sky in thought. Then, she looked at the colt and said, "Ah suppose so. Just don't be surprised if she asks ya ta leave her be."

"Okay, thanks," said Rumble as he smiled nervously before trotting off towards the clubhouse; thankfully, he was able to remember how to get there on his own. When his back was turned to them, he let out a depressive sigh and rubbed his eyes with a hoof as regret began filling his heart, making it hurt physically as well as emotionally.

Regaining his focus, he continued his trotting as he began running through what he was going to say once he got there. Truth be told, he knew what he wanted to say; he just didn't know if he could bring himself to go through with it. He took out the folded note from beneath his wing, stopping his trot for a moment as he opened the paper and read it to himself in an attempt to regain some confidence that what he was going to do wasn't a big mistake. When he reached the end of the note, he slowly folded it back up as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths to calm his nerves.

As he tucked it back in its resting place, Rumble took out the other item that was there: the small box. Holding it in his hoof, he stared at it for several moments, the words Sweetie Belle told him about it repeating in his head over and over again. The guilt began creating a nauseating feeling to arise from the pit of his stomach, forcing him to put the box away and squeeze his eyes shut.

No turning back, he thought as he opened his eyes and looked ahead. I have to do this. I have to.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, he continued trotting forward. Despite having the strength to press on, it did little to ease the burden in his heart. It didn't help when, before he knew it, Rumble stood in front of the clubhouse. He stood and stared at it for only a split second before nodding and making his way up the ramp.

When he got to the doorway, he didn't have to look far to find the filly in question. Apple Bloom stood by the window furthest away from him, her back facing him as she rested her head on her arms that were atop the window sill. Although he couldn't see it, something told him that her face either had a look of distraught or was completely expressionless. No matter which one she had, it made his heart start to hurt, as if it was literally starting to break.

Knowing very well she knew he was there, he softly inhaled before saying calmly, "Hey, Abby."

Her head shifting ever so slightly, Apple Bloom responded in a near-sarcastic tone, "If yer lookin' fer Sweetie Belle, she ain't here."

Rumble cringed at her tone; clearly she was very annoyed with him. Going against his thoughts screaming at him to leave and call the whole thing off, he said, "Actually, I...I came to talk...to you."

"Lemme guess," she replied. "Ya wanna talk ta me ta get more information 'bout her, right?"

Before he could say anything, she immediately interjected. By the way her voice shifted from bitter and sarcastic to shaky and low, he could tell she was trying her best not to break down. "Well, ya better go ta somepony else. Ah wanna be left alone."

Waves of sadness beginning to wash over him, Rumble couldn't prevent his voice from cracking when he said, "Abby...please...just let me..."

"Rumble, please," Apple Bloom interrupted, her voice beginning to break like his. "There ain't nothin' ta talk 'bout, alright? Will ya just..."

"No, Apple Bloom," he interrupted this time, raising his voice as much as he could. "If you don't wanna talk to me, that's fine. All I'm asking is for you to hear me out...please."

Apple Bloom fell silent as she appeared to bury her head in her arms like she was trying to hide her face from him. As he slowly trotted up to her, Rumble could hear her muffled sobbing. It pained him to see her this way, especially when it was all from his doing.

Stopping in the middle of the room, he took out the folded note and said, "I...I found your note, Apple Bloom...the one you left on my seat in class."

Rumble watched as she lifted her head at his statement. It was only when she turned her head to face him from the side did he conclude that it caught her attention. Tears began welling up as he watched her tear-filled eye first look at him before looking at the note he was holding.

Quickly, she turned her head away and said in a hushed whisper, "So what?"

Wiping his eyes clear for a moment, he said, "Apple Bloom...I am so, so sorry. I...I didn't know...I mean, I should have known. I...I want to..."

Rumble stopped his gibberish as he sat on his haunches and looked at the ground, his eyes shifting back and forth as he tried to make the right words come out. With all his thoughts mashing together, making it difficult for him to find the right words, he closed his eyes and hung his head in defeat.

"I know saying this won't matter, especially after everything that's happened," he spoke softly. "But...I really am sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry if I just...used you to get information about Sweetie Belle. I'm sorry for lying to you and for ignoring you and your feelings. You practically told me straight out and...and I was too stupid to realize it."

Opening his eyes and lifting his head a little bit, Rumble watched as Apple Bloom slowly turned her head to look at him, the tears that were once in her eyes now streaming down her cheeks.

Despite feeling his heart breaking down even more than before at the sight of her like this, he continued. "If it makes you feel any better, I was lied to, too. I was made to believe that Sweetie Belle felt the same way I did...so was Thunderlane. I know it doesn't make it right, but..."

"Whaddaya mean?" Apple Bloom asked, cutting him off.

Swallowing another lump in his throat, Rumble answered, "Rarity lied to all of us: me, Thunderlane, Sweetie Belle, everypony. You have to believe me when I say that...if I was told the truth about her and Scootaloo from the start..."

He stopped talking before looking down in defeat again. With every word he spoke, the guiltier it made him feel. With nothing left to say, Rumble slowly stood up, trotted up to Apple Bloom and held her in an embrace. Astonished by his sudden gesture, Apple Bloom just stood there for a moment with a confused look on her face.

Before she could say or do anything, Rumble said softly, "I'm so sorry you got caught in the middle of all this. I hope that, someday, you'll forgive me for the pain I've caused you."

Again, Apple Bloom had no time to respond before he planted a small kiss on her cheek, making her start to turn a bright pink. He released his embrace before taking the note out from beneath his wing and putting it on top of a wooden box that was near the window. Then, he slowly turned and began trotting towards the doorway.

As he trotted away, she turned and looked at the small piece of paper before looking back at him. She didn't know if it was from what he had said or how he acted, but in that moment, it felt like all the contempt she felt for him had dissipated. All that remained was an overwhelming feeling of guilt and sadness; like her, Rumble was a victim in all of this, too. As all her thoughts seemed to fall into place, she finally found her voice as she called out to him.

"Rumble," she said, stopping him in his tracks. He turned and faced her, only to see that she quickly trotted up to him. Then, it was his turn to be taken off guard as the filly wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder in an attempt to prevent herself from crying uncontrollably.

"Of course ah forgive you," she said after a while, her voice so soft that her accent was almost nonexistent. "Ah'm so sorry. Ah had no idea you were bein' lied to as well."

"It's okay," Rumble responded in a reassuring tone as he rubbed a hoof on her back. "You have nothing to be sorry for. None of this was your fault."

"That's not true, Rumble. Ah'm just as much ta blame as..."

"No, you're not," he interrupted. "You practically told it to my face that you...liked me. I was just too stupid to notice..."

It was her turn to interrupt. "Ya weren't stupid, Rumble. Ah should have just told ya instead of hintin' the whole time."

The two of them fell silent as they remained in each other's arms for what felt like hours, despite it being only a few minutes. Reluctantly, they released their embrace and looked in each other's eyes. Rumble gave a small smile out of the corner of his mouth, making Apple Bloom follow suit.

After a moment or two had passed, Apple Bloom asked, "So...does this mean that...you...you wanna be my...ya know?"

Rumble felt his cheeks starting to heat up as his he looked into her hopeful eyes and her small flicker of a smile. She didn't have to ask the whole question for him to understand what she was asking. The answer to the question was on the tip of his tongue, but something told him to wait until a little later to tell her; there was something else that was a bit more important that needed to be said first.

"Abby," he said softly. "If it's alright with you...I wanted to talk to you and the others about...something first. If you don't mind, do you think you can get them?"

Apple Bloom's enthusiasm seemed to diminish a bit as she said, "Oh, uh, sure."

With that, she trotted passed him and left the clubhouse. When he was alone, Rumble began letting out deep breaths to calm his rapid heartbeat. He closed his eyes before unfurling his wing and taking out the small box that was given to him. Slowly, he opened the box and stared at what was inside: the necklace that he had given to Sweetie Belle. As he looked upon it intently, Rumble began recollecting about Apple Bloom and how she had been ever since he came to Ponyville.

He thought about how she acted around him, how she felt about him, what she said to him, how she went through so many hoops and hurdles trying to get him to realize how much she cared about him. Then, Rumble began thinking about his feelings for her and all the things they had been through.

My mind is made up, he thought as he slowly closed the box and put it back underneath his wing. It has to be done. This is for the best...for everypony.

Nodding once to himself, Rumble trotted towards the doorway and sat on the top of the ramp, waiting for the others to arrive.

---

Approximately forty-five minutes had passed before Rumble saw the three fillies quickly galloping towards him. When they were a few yards away, he let out a small sigh through his nostrils as he got up and trotted inside the clubhouse. By the time he got to the wooden box on the far end, the three fillies entered.

"Hey, Rumble," Sweetie Belle immediately greeted him. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, Apple Bloom said you wanted to talk to us," Scootaloo added. "Is everything alright?"

Apple Bloom didn't have to say a word; the confused and worried look on her face spoke volumes to him.

Softly clearing his throat, Rumble said, "Well...the reason I asked for you all to come is because I wanted to talk to you all about something important."

The three of them exchanged baffled glances at each other before looking back at him with their full attention. Looking from one to another and back, Rumble's thoughts escaped his mind, making him temporarily forget what he wanted to say. Thankfully, it lasted for just a split second.

"I...I don't know how else to put this," he said as he made small circles on the ground with a hoof. "I guess...just saying it would be best.

With one last sigh, he mustered all the strength in his heart and said, "I don't want to be a 'Cutie Mark Crusader' anymore."

"WHAT!?" all three fillies exclaimed in unison, making him stumble back a little. If he wasn't mistaken, he could have sworn Apple Bloom was the loudest of the three.

Regaining his balance, he continued. "I've been thinking long and hard about this and...well...I think that doing this is for the best."

"But, why?" asked Sweetie Belle, her voice slightly cracking.

Rumble looked down at the ground, closed his eyes softly and softly exhaled. Then, he looked up at them and said, "You three have been the best friends a pony could ask for. You've all been there for me ever since Thunderlane and I moved here. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done."

Him stopping for just a second was enough for Scootaloo to prompt, "But...?"

"The truth is..." he continued, his voice insecure. "I'm...I'm just...not comfortable, that's all."

"Comfortable with what?" Apple Bloom asked, her heart starting to pound harder than ever. "Is it the clubhouse? We can change it if ya want!"

"No, no," Rumble responded. "It has nothing to do with that."

Apparently, it fell on deaf ears as Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and muttered through gritted teeth, "Ah told ya we shoulda put yer sister's couch in here."

Before she could respond, Rumble interrupted by exclaiming, "It's not that!"

Fortunately, his outburst stopped Apple Bloom and regained all of their attention. Inhaling deeply, he said with the utmost confidence he could muster, "I'm not comfortable...being around Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."

Then, he squeezed his eyes shut and squatted down to the ground; it was like he was bracing himself for them to yell at him or something. However, the three of them just stood there with shocked looks on their faces.

After several minutes of silence, Scootaloo finally asked defensively, "We make you uncomfortable? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm sorry," Rumble said apologetically. "Please don't be mad at me."

"We're not mad at you," Sweetie Belle said as Apple Bloom jabbed Scootaloo hard on the side for her snide remark. "We're just...having trouble understanding why you're uncomfortable being with us."

Confident they weren't going to pounce on him or anything, Rumble slowly stood up straight and explained. "I know it sounds mean, and I'm really sorry if I offended you, but...it's just how I feel. You two are...together and all...and I don't mind, honest! It's just...I don't feel right, that's all. I...I hope you three understand."

Awkward silence fell upon them as the three of them looked at one another, hoping that somepony would say something first. They didn't know why, but something about what he had said hit them harder than they anticipated.

After some time had passed, Rumble hung his head, trotted passed them and said somberly, "I understand. I'll...I'll see myself out. Thanks for everything."

Immediately, Sweetie Belle said, "Rumble, wait."

He stopped and looked at them, a regretful look on his face.

"You didn't offend us," she said. "Right, girls?"

"Right," Apple Bloom said.

"Not at all," Scootaloo added. "Sorry for snapping at you like that. It was just...sudden, that's all."

"Really?" Rumble asked. "I mean, you're not mad."

"Of course not," Sweetie Belle answered. "We understand completely. We wouldn't want you to stay if you didn't want to."

He smiled softly at them and said, "Thank you...for understanding, that is. I guess...I'll see you around."

"Yeah...I guess," Sweetie responded. "See you around, Rumble."

"Later, Rumble," said Scootaloo. "If you ever wanna join again...you're always welcome to."

Rumble smiled and nodded as he began trotting out of the clubhouse. He made it to the bottom of the ramp when he heard the sounds of somepony beginning to follow him. Rumble didn't need to turn around to know who it was; just as expected, Apple Bloom had followed him.

"Rumble, wait a sec," Apple Bloom called out as she caught up to him. "If yer leavin' us...does…does that mean...ya don't wanna be..."

He turned to her with a saddened look on his face, making her stop talking instantaneously. Biting his lower lip, Rumble said, "Abby...I really like you...a lot. I know that...you want to be my 'special somepony', but..."

"But...?" she prompted as her voice began cracking and a torrent of sadness washed over her.

"I...I don't think now is the best time for us to be each other's...'special somepony'."

Small droplets of tears escaping from the corners of her eyes, she asked, "W-Whaddaya mean?"

His own eyes welling up, Rumble quickly said, "It's not that I don't want to be. I just...we just..."

He lowered his head and sighed again. "Abby, we barely know each other and...to be honest...right now...I don't want us to jump into this before we're ready. Going through all of this Sweetie Belle taught me that."

Apple Bloom sat on her haunches, scratched the back of one leg with the opposing hoof and simply said, "Oh."

"I'm sorry, Abby," he said softly. "Maybe someday we can be together. For now, if it's all the same to you, maybe we can start slowly...maybe as friends?"

As she looked into his lavender eyes, she felt a wave of comfort wash over her; it was as if she was able to see them further down the road being with one another, just like the first dream she had of him all those weeks ago. She didn't know which thought it was that did it, but one of them made a soft smile form on her face.

Then, she trotted up to him and wrapped her arms around him in one last embrace. As she held him close, she whispered in his ear, "Deal."

After holding one another for a bit, the two of them released one another. Then, Apple Bloom asked, "Do ya...wanna hang out or somethin'?"

"Maybe later," Rumble said. "I have to get home. I have to talk to Thunderlane. There's...one last thing I need to do."

"Okay," Apple Bloom replied with a smile. "I guess...I'll see you around?"

Returning a smile, Rumble said, "You bet. See you around, Apple Bloom."

With that, the two of them smiled at one another and began trotting in different directions. As Apple Bloom trotted up the ramp, she wiped her eyes clear of any remaining tears that lingered within them. Then, she let a content sigh escape through her nostrils as she entered the clubhouse, a soft smile on her face.

"What was that all about?" Sweetie Belle asked, a knowing smile on her face.

"Nothin'," Apple Bloom playfully answered. "Just...talkin', that's all."

Cutting to the chase, Sweetie asked, "So, did he ask you to be..."

She was interrupted by Apple Bloom putting a hoof on her mouth. Letting out a small laugh, she said, "Cool yer jets, Sweetie Belle. One hoof-step atta time!"

Removing her hoof from her mouth, the two of them shared a small laugh, leaving Scootaloo to look at them like they had two heads.

"You two gonna fill me in, or what?" she asked as she rose an eyebrow.

"Don't worry yerself 'bout it," Apple Bloom answered as he patted the top of her head, making the top of her mane rest flatly on her head.

Readjusting her mane, Scootaloo asked, "Does this have to do with your crush for Rumble?"

Sweetie Belle let out a small giggle as she rested her head on her shoulder. "Something like that," she said as she nudged her head on her neck.

Scootaloo just rolled her eyes and smiled. Then, she asked, "So, is everything good between you two?"

Apple Bloom trotted to the window and stared at the magnificence of the crystal clear skies. Letting out one last romantic sigh, she answered, "Never better, Scootaloo. Never better."

---

Rumble trotted through the door of their room at the inn, a small smile plastered on his face as he saw Thunderlane going through the mail that must have just arrived. Closing the door behind him, he said, "Hey, Thunder."

"What's up?" he responded as he put down the envelopes to hug his brother. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Rumble replied. "Much better. How are you doing?"

Thunderlane let out a sigh before answering, "I'll admit that I've been better, but I'll be fine. I'm just glad to hear that you're doing better."

"Sorry to hear that," he said. "Like you said, it'll get better, right?"

Thunderlane nodded as he let out a small chuckle. As the colt began trotting towards his bedroom, he asked, "If you don't mind me asking, where did you run off to?"

Rumble stopped in his tracks and said nervously, "I...went to talk to Sweetie Belle and the others about...what happened last night."

The smile on Thunderlane's face faded. "Is that so? I hope everything's alright between you guys."

Turning to face him, Rumble said, "I...I left their group today."

"What?" Thunderlane exclaimed. "Why?"

"I'm...just not comfortable being with them. I just...need some space, I guess."

His voice becoming serious, Thunderlane responded, "I understand, Rumble. I just hope you remember what Dad said about burning your bridges."

"Yes, I remember," Rumble said. "I explained it to them and they understood how I felt."

"So, you're still friends with them?"

Rumble nodded. "I'm not burning my bridges. I guess...I'm building new ones."

Thunderlane smiled again and said, "Good for you, buddy."

A moment of silence went by as Thunderlane began going through the mail again. All the while, Rumble stood where he was, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. He knew what he wanted to say, but he found it hard to start the conversation. It didn't take long for him to rely on the direct approach.

"Thunderlane," he said softly. "Can I talk to you about what you said earlier, about staying in Ponyville?"

Putting the envelopes down, Thunderlane answered, "Of course."

"Well, I've been thinking about it a lot and, if it's alright, I would like to stay in Ponyville."

Thunderlane slowly nodded. "I don't mind, but are you sure it's what you want?"

"Yes," Rumble responded. "Is it what you want?"

Hesitating for just a moment, Thunderlane said, "I don't mind if you don't. I'll just have to let Mom and Dad know."

"Thanks, Thunderlane."

"No need to thank me, buddy. That's what brothers are for."

Rumble smiled and nodded as he began trotting towards his room again. As he entered his room and closed the door, he could have sworn he heard Thunderlane say, "Ponyville Pegasi...has a nice ring to it."

Rolling his eyes and smiling, Rumble immediately trotted over to his dresser. Opening the top drawer, he unfurled his wing and took the small box out from underneath it. Putting it in the drawer, he stared at it for several seconds before he smiled and let out a contented sigh.

One day, Abby, he thought as he closed the drawer. One day.

Before he could do anything else, he heard Thunderlane excitedly call him into the kitchen. Quickly, he galloped into the kitchen to see that Thunderlane was holding a pink piece of paper with small bits of confetti falling from it. What caught his attention was the ecstatic look on his face as he read over what it said.

"What is it, Thunder?" Rumble asked as he cocked his head to one side.

"It's a good thing we agreed to stay in Ponyville," Thunderlane said as he lowered the paper to look at his brother. "You won't believe who decided to move here as well!"

Rumble's inquisitively asked, "Who?"

"Your old foal-sitter!" he exclaimed. "She and her sister are arriving in a couple of days. We've been invited to their welcoming party at Sugarcube Corner! Can you believe it?"

Immediately, Rumble's left eye began twitching as his ears fell flat against his head. However, he feigned the best smile he could and said through gritted teeth, "That's great."

"I know, right? The two of them really loved the beans out of you, little bro," Thunderlane said as he winked at him. "I know they'll be very happy to see you again."

"How could I forget?" the colt said as he began backing into his room again. "I can't wait to see them, either."

When he was in his room, he closed the door and leaned his back against it, burying his face in his hooves.

You've gotta be kidding me, he thought as he trotted over to his bed, quickly burying his face in his pillow. Of all ponies to come to Ponyville, why did it have to be Flitter and Cloudchaser?

Comments

[PiMan]

Seems odd to bring in new characters when the story seems close to finishing.

[Albano16]

Ah, but is it?

[Savage3333]

"I'm not comfortable...being around Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."

I don't get it.

I don't feel right, that's all. I...I hope you three understand.

I don't get this one too.

[Phantom Shadow]

11541654
Two things to remember about Rumble here:
A) This is his first exposure to relationships like this. Mix that with his young/naïve character (before "Marks and Recreation" made him even better), he's still trying to process all of it.
B) It would be even more uncomfortable to see the girl you were crushing on being with another girl, and having to hang out with them all the time. Maybe it's just me, but that would be unpleasant

[Savage3333]

11541838
Well, least Rumble doesn't feel anxiety while being around Sweetie Belle anymore. What sucks for him is that he can't "cure" himself from his crush (and a broken heart, for that matter) so easily like Sweetie Belle did. Sweetie fell out of love simply by kissing him, while Rumble has to live with that.