Rumble, from Marks and Recreation, attends Twilight's school but he doesn't seem willing to make friends
Twilight enrolls a new colt into her School, but finds out he has a serious problem... he doesn't want to make friends and has no interest in friendship whatsoever, even goes as far as boycott class.
Can the Young Six and their teachers help him down a better path.
The students were all chattering away at their desks, some were even throwing paper planes around, including Gallus, he hit Smolder in the cheek and laughed softly.
“Oh, I’m going to get you for that.” Smolder teased, but before she could launch her counterattack, Twilight Sparkle came into the room and called the class to order, and all the students quieted down.
“Listen up, Every Creature,” she announced “I’d like to introduce a student joining us today. This is Rumble.” she motioned at the little pony standing next to her.
Rumble was a young Pegasus colt with a light gray colt, with a dark gray man with a light streak across it, and he had no cuitemark. However, he didn’t look very pleased to be there and had a sour look on his face.
“Hey!” Sandbar hollered “Isn’t your brother Thunderlane the Wonderbolt.”
Rumble sighed and answered, “Yes, he is.”
Twilight noted cynicism in his voice, but she maintained her positive attitude, “Anyways. Welcome to the School of Friendship, Rumble.” Then she addressed the students “I hope you all do your best to make him feel welcome here.”
Rumble then proceeded forth to take a seat.
“Ooh, ooh… you sit near Yona.” Yona offered, but Rumble just walked past her not even thanking her for the offer.
Other students offered him the desks or seats next to them, but Rumble chose his seat in the back corner of the room away from all the students, much to their and Twilight’s confusion.
“Okay…” Twilight said “Let’s get into our work. Since Rumble is new here today, I think for today’s assignment, Every Creature should write a one-page essay on what kind of friends you want to have.”
The students all eagerly got out clean sheets of paper and started writing their essays.
Some were even softly thinking out loud-- Silversteam especially. “What kind of friends do I want? Hmmmm… Happy friends… Playful friends… Fun friends…? Why not all of them…!”
As she continued to write, Rumble had already gotten up from his seat and turned in his essay.
“You’re finished already?” asked Ocellus.
“Yes!” sneered Rumble “Anything wrong with that?”
Ocelleus felt almost threated, but Rumble had already gone back to his seat and sulked, much to the students’ and Twilight’s growing concerns.
Twilight wanted to look at Rumble’s essay straight away, but other students were finishing their assignments and eagerly handing them in making a pile on her desk.
“Knock-Knock…” came a voice at the open door, it was Starlight Glimmer “More friendship essays?”
Twilight nodded, “Yes, would you take them to my office please for immediate grading?”
Starlight agreed, and took the assignments with her, but she noticed the new student, Rumble, sitting all by himself and not looking very happy the way he was just sitting there with a bored expression and casually tracing his hoof in circles around his desk.
All the rest of that day, Rumble was a real sourpuss.
When Rarity assigned partners in groups of two for her class assignment-- “I want you all to combine your crafts into one glorious, fashionable presentations. This will show how much friends can agree on things, despite any difference you may have.”
Rumble refused to pair up with anyone, even with those who gladly offered him partnership.
“Would you like to pair up with me?” asked Silverstream “I’m always anxious to make a new friend and learn about them.”
Rumble scoffed “No… thanks.” and proceeded to work on a collage by himself, much to Rarity’s concern. Then again, all the students were paired up and there wasn’t anyone left for him to pair up with. So she brushed it off.
“Gee, what’s with the new kid?” Gallus wondered.
“Eh, it’s only his first day.” said Smolder “We all were like him. Maybe he’ll fit in.”
But even during Fluttershy’s class of Kindness when she asked, “When you and your friend have had an argument, what do you think is something you can do to help mend the friendship.”
All the students raised their claws, hoofs, or whatever they had, except Rumble who seemed just as annoyed as ever.
Fluttershy decided to give the new student the chance, despite his not raising his hoof. “What do you think, Rumble?”
“I think they should just go their separate ways and not talk to each other again.”
Fluttershy felt shocked at such an answer, “But they’ll never be able to repair their friendship if they do that.”
“Exactly.” said Rumble.
“Yona not like that answer,” said Yona “Yona thinks friends should talk and find out where friends go wrong. Then maybe friends not be mad anymore.”
“Yes, that’s a very good answer, Yona.” said Fluttershy.
“Humph!” Rumble grunted and he continued to sulk, much to Fluttershy’s concern.
Starlight happened to be passing by down the halls, when she overheard and saw things through the open classroom door, and her suspicions about Rumble were mounting.
At Lunch, it was a beautiful day and all the students ate outside, but Rumble sat under the shade of a tree all by himself, finally showing a small bit of happiness. “Ahh, Privacy at last.” He sighed as he prepared to eat his sandwich in peace.
But the Young Six saw him eating all alone from their table.
“Look, he’s smiling now.” said Sandbar.
“That’s the most he’s smiled at all today.” added Ocellus.
Silverstream, being her natural giddy and optimistic self, took this as a good sign “Maybe he’s finally warming up. Maybe he’s finally going to open up to us all.”
“Yona not think so.” said Yona “Yona thinking something wrong with Rumble.”
“Gee, what was your first clue.” grumbled Gallus.
Smolder, having two cupcakes in her lunch, decided to give one to Rumble, as a chance to try and start over with him and make him feel welcome. “I’m going in.”
She walked over to the tree, “Hey there, Rumble. What’s shakin’?”
Rumble’s happy features immediately changed to sneering again with her presence. “I’m fine, thank you.”
Smolder felt uneasy already by his tone, yet she offered him her cupcake.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m offered you a cupcake.” replied Smolder.
“Why?”
Smolder was losing her patience “Look, I’m trying to be nice to you. Why are you giving me that attitude?”
The bell rang, lunch period was over. So rather than answer her, Rumble walked off.
Smolder clenched her fist squashing the cupcake in annoyance. Even some of her friends were starting to feel that Rumble was becoming irritable, except for Silverstream and Yona. They still felt he would come round.
The only class Rumble seemed to get the most out of was P.E with Rainbow Dash. “Okay gang, it’s obstacle course day, just like they train us in the Wonderbolts.”
She had a perfect course set up, two ways. She had an aerial course for flyers, and ground course for non-flyers.
Basic wall-jumping, hoop leaping, whatever there was…
When it came to Rumble’s turn to take the course, he took his place at the start line and looked really focussed at the course.
“And… GO!!” shouted Rainbow, and Rumble took off, soaring through the hoops, curving perfectly around columns and swinging sandbags like a pro.
“Wow! Look at him go.” said Gallus.
“I’m not surprised,” said Sandbar “He’s the brother of Thunderlane. Maybe he taught him all that.”
Many of the students began to exchange chats about how cool Thunderlane was, which Rumble overheard and distracted him, causing him to crash right into a pole and knock it clean over to the ground.
“Rumble!” cried Rainbow, and she and some of the students dashed over as he got to his feet.
“Are you okay?” asked Silverstream.
“I’m fine!” Rumble snapped at her.
Silver winced, and Rainbow was livid. “She just asked if you were okay. There’s no need to snap.”
Rumble didn’t seem to care and walked off to sit on the stands, cross-armed and miserable.
“Yona change mind.” Grumbled Yona “Me no like Rumble now.”
A lot of the students seemed to agreed, even Rainbow Dash was inclined to agreed, but as a professor at the school, she had to encourage the students, “He’s probably just having an off day. I threw way bigger fits when I screwed up on the training courses.
Just give him time.”
Finally, school was out, and Rumble walked off with his backpack. He was one of many students who didn’t stay at the school. He lived in Ponyville and his home wasn’t too far anyway.
“Finally, this day is over.” he grumbled “Now I can get back to what really matters.”
As he walked along, a small paper fell out of his backpack.
Sandbar noticed and rushed over to pick it up. He saw that it was a crayon colored picture of Rumble and a couple of other ponies, and it was marked “Rumble, Age 4.”
“Hey, Rumble…” he called “You dropped this.”
Rumble, still sour as ever, took the paper from him and. “Thanks.” he said in a gruff tone.
Sandbar finally lost it, “Rumble, what is wrong with you?” he asked “You’ve been grumpy and mean all day.”
“You noticed that.” said Rumble.
The rest of the Young Six huddled close to Sandbar.
“We’re serious, Rumble.” said Smolder “We’ve all tried to be nice to you, and you just brushed us off like we’re molt sores.”
“Hey, don’t talk to him that way.” said Silverstream. The rest of the gang couldn’t believe she was still willing to be friendly with Rumble.
“Look, Rumble… I know it’s frustrating to come to a new school, and learn about friendship and all that.”
“I’m NOT frustrated. I’m annoyed that I’m even here at this stupid school to begin with.”
Many students nearby gasped when they heard “Stupid School” even Silver felt shocked. “This school isn’t stupid.” she said now sounding strict “It’s a great place to learn about friendship, and how to open up to others.
I’m sure you’ll fit in just like the rest of us did.”
Rumble sneered at her canting and told her outright, “Actually, I don’t want to open up to others, and I don’t want to fit in with any of you either… because I DON’T WANT TO HAVE FRIENDS!!”
Every single student in the area gasped in horror!
Silver picked her ears, “Um… I don’t think I heard you just right there.”
“No, you heard me right!” growled Rumble “I DON’T want any friends!”
More gasps followed.
“Wow! That’s harsh, even for me.” said Gallus.
“Why don’t you want any friends?” asked Ocellus.
“Because,” grumbled Rumble “Friendship is useless! All friends do is hold you back, and in the end all it ever does it upset you! I prefer to be alone, by myself, without any PALS slowing me down.
So, just leave me alone! Got it?!”
And with that, he took off into the sky and was gone, leaving the Young Six shocked and appalled by the things he had said. “Friendship… useless?” said Silverstream “That’s like saying food isn’t for eating. Or games aren’t for playing”
“Think one of us should tell Professor Twilight?” asked Gallus “I mean, Rumble could be a problem child.”
Twilight was already well aware, so were all her friends.
Twilight had called a meeting in her office. She had read to them the assignment Rumble had written in her class which contained everything rumble had just said-- How he felt friendship was no good, he didn’t want any friends, and didn’t even want to be at the school at all.
“Wow! Talk about a pony with issues.” said Spike.
“This is horrible!” cried Pinkie “Not wanting any friends is like not wanting to breath… and I LOVE BREATHING!” she took in a huge breath and then panted softly.
“I suspected he’d act like this,” said Starlight “I know how he feels, because I felt like that once.”
“And it would certainly explain his alienating himself from anything to do with Friendship all day.” agreed Rarity.
“Well, sounds to me like we got a real problem case here.” said Applejack, “What do you recommend, Twilight?”
Twilight felt, “Well, it was only his first day, but I think Rumble’s heading down a dangerous road. Maybe if we give him a few days, he’ll be bound to open up. Every pony does when they come here eventually.”
The others all agreed, “But what if he doesn’t open up?” asked Fluttershy “What if he really doesn’t want to make friends at all?”
“Well, we’ll worry about that when and if it comes.” said Rainbow.
Twilight agreed.
However, Rumble didn’t show up for any classes the next day. He didn’t come to school at all. Some of the students found that to be a relief.
“We don’t have to put up with his scowling.” said Gallus.
“Or his grouchy voice.” added Smolder.
Twilight scorned her students “Shame on you all. What have you learned here in this school: You should learn to get to know some pony before you really judge them.”
The students agreed, but Ocellus raised her hand, “But you also taught us… sometimes the one you’re trying to befriend should make the first move.”
Twilight wanted to argue, but she couldn’t. “Yes… I did teach you that.”
Regardless, she wondered where Rumble was, and wrote a letter to his home address telling of his skipping class that day.
The next day, Rumble was dropped off at school personally by his elder brother Thunderlane. “I don’t want to go!” whined Rumbled.
“Well too bad.” said the mighty Wonderbolt “You’ve been getting to be a real sourpuss ever since we moved here to Ponyville, and you need to learn to open up to others and make some new friends. That’s why mom and dad paid you to be here in the first place.”
“I’d rather be training to be a Wonderbolt.”
Thunderlane felt a little flattered, “That’s no excuse. I don’t want to hear of you skipping school again. Understand?”
“Fine!” growled Rumble and he stomped off away from his brother.
Thunderlane sighed and hung his head low, but then a whole bunch of other students began to huddle around him.
“It’s Thunderlane!”
“I can’t believe he’s here!”
“He is so cool!”
Thunderlane stuck around a few minutes to soak up his admiration, which Rumble saw and it annoyed him greatly.
Twilight decided to have Pinkie Pie teach Rumble all day in special courses. If any-pony knew how to be a friend, or help those open up. She did.
She kept him to herself, all day…
“Come on, Rumble. Give us a smile.” she said pulling on his cheeks, but that didn’t work a bit. “Did they interview you personally when you took this job?” he wondered to himself.
Nonetheless, Pinkie gave Rumble lectures on how to be a good friend, what friends were good for.
“A friend can cheer you up when you’re down. Share things with you too, or just be there whether you need them or not.
I should know I have friends almost everywhere.”
Rumble still looked completely uninterested.
Pinkie could see she wasn’t getting very far.
Then it was lunch time and Pinkie had an idea.
She had gathered all the members of the Young Six to eat with her and Rumble under the shade of the same tree from the other day.
“Isn’t this wonderful?” Pinkie asked with glee “Just a bunch of friends sitting and having lunch together.”
Everyone turned to face Rumble, whom was still acting all crabby and sour.
“Sooooo… what did every-creature learn today?” asked Pinkie.
“Yona learn to share interests.” said Yona.
“I learned to talk about problems with others.” said Gallus “Don’t see how it helps, but I’m learning about it.”
Rumble seemed to take no interest in what any-creature had to say.
“Soooo… what did you learn today, Rumble?” Silverstream asked, trying to open up to him.
“Nothing really.” replied Rumble.
“That’s not true.” said Pinkie “You’ve learned--??
Um… that is, I taught you… er?”
Rumble smirked cheekily “You still think Friendship is all that great, huh?”
The Young Six felt struck again. “We think it’s awesome.” said Smolder “Sure, it took us a while to realize that, but, we learned to accept it.”
“Ha!” scoffed Rumble “You make it sound like friendship is the only thing in the world. Well, guess what… It isn’t!”
Twilight and Starlight witnessed the whole thing from Twilight’s office window, and Twilight shook her head in dismay “How can some-pony be so upset and resentful towards friendship?”
Starlight then offered “Why don’t you let me try and talk to him. Maybe he’ll understand some-pony who was like him once.”
Twilight hesitated, “Okay, you have your chance.”
Starlight nodded and went off to find the young troubled student.
Rumble walked through Ponyville singing a song of how much he resented friendship and preferred being alone, while criticizing the way other ponies were acting friendly with one another.
Friendship, Who cares about Friendship, It’s not the kind of thing I want happening to me
Friendship, I don’t need any Friendship I don’t want to be like the friendly ponies that I see
I don’t want to have a friendly chat or a talk I’d rather be alone and go for a walk I don’t want to share my feelings or my toys or food, when I can be by myself, in solitude.
Not everything in life is friendship you know, Even when you’re by yourself everything can still go I don’t have to look out for anyone, and don’t have to give And best of all no pony tells ME how to live!
Friendship, Don’t wanna hear about friendship. I’d rather be my own pony, I like it and it’s true
Friendship, Enough about friendship! I don’t need it, don’t want it! Am I clear to you?
I can play all I want I can draw all I like Try to be my friend, I’ll tell you “Take a hike” I can go to the park, and I can train my own way I don’t need a friend to get through the day
You may think I’m crazy, you may think I’m wrong But I’ll show them all, that alone I’m real strong I can still be alive and to many things I don’t need friendship and the pain it brings.
Oh, Friendship… I DON’T WANT FRIENDSHIP!!
The song ended, and Rumble had really made other ponies around him feel upset, much to Starlight’s chagrin.
“There’s got to be a reason why Rumble hates friendship so much.”
There was only one pony she could think of with the answer. So she galloped to the training grounds where Thunderlane and a couple of other Wonderbolts were training for an airshow.
They soared through the obstacles so gracefully, and did loops and curves in the air.
Starlight then saw Thunderlane finishing a conversation with two fellow Wonderbolts before they went off to practice some more, and Thunderlane was still on break.
“Thunderlane…!” Starlight called to him.
“Why, Starlight Glimmer. What brings you here?”
They sat down to talk.
“What? Rumble boycott school again?!”
“You just missed him.” said Starlight “He went through town singing how much he hates friendship.”
Thunderlane sighed, “I don’t know what’s come over him. He used to be the sweetest little guy I knew. Why he loved to play with his friends from Cloudsdale.”
Starlight’s ears twitched “Friends? He had friends once?”
“Oh, sure…” replied Thunderlane, and he told her went Rumble was four years old, in kindergarten…
He had two good friends…
Checker Flag, a red Pegasus…
…And Fluffy Cloud, a white Pegasus.
They were the best of friends; completely inseparable. They loved to play and laugh, at school, in the park, even on a rainy day they would play together and share their toys and snacks.
Rumble even made a picture of the three having fun.
But then, Checker Flag had sad news that he would be moving away, as his mother got a new job in the royal palace at Canterlot.
As if that weren’t bad enough, Fluffy Cloud’s father was opening a news restaurant in Las Pegasus, and Fluffy was moving away too.
Rumble was heart-broken.
His friends had gone away. They wrote letters to each other to keep in touch, but Rumble felt it just wasn’t the same as being together.
Then, just as it seemed he was ready to move on and try to make new friends, he and his own family were moving too; to Ponyville.
His folks had new jobs, and Thunderlane was to be a new Wonderbolt in Ponyville, aside from Rainbow Dash, and Rumble felt broken hearted once again.
“…Ever since then, Rumble won’t make friends with any-pony, and he alienates himself from anything that’s even slightly connected to friendship. All he ever does these days is keep to himself, and train to be a Wonderbolt, just like me.
I suppose, I do train a lot, and he’s always admired me, but because I train so much… I don’t really ever have much time for him, and our parents are always too busy at work too.”
Starlight didn’t need to hear anymore. “So that’s it.” she said “Rumble doesn’t hate friendship. He just can’t stand the thought of losing anymore friends, so he doesn’t make any.”
Thunderlane finally realized this as if for the first time. “Poor little guy. We hoped your school could help him, but now I see.”
Starlight agreed Rumble’s behaviour was not healthy. “If only he can recapture how good friendship was to him, maybe he’ll change his mind.”
Thunderland already had just the idea, “I remember how Rumble and his friends first met.”
He whispered into Starlight’s ear, and she actually liked the idea. “I’ve got to tell Twilight this.”
When she told Twilight of the plan, Twilight immediately enlisted the help of her friends, and the Young Six.
“What we doing again?” asked Yona
“Some kind of special assignment I hope?” added Silverstream.
“Indeed it is.” replied Twilight, and she explained everything she had heard from Starlight…
“Rumble apparently met his two friends when they were all caught in an accidental rockslide in Cloudsdale. So we are all going recreate that scene, and maybe it’ll ignite Rumble’s care for Friendship again when he tries to help all of you.”
The students didn’t look so optimistic.
“Um… you want us to recreate an accident involving a rockslide?” asked Gallus “Don’t you think that’s a little dangerous?”
Applejack chuckled “Easy there, sport. We won’t actually do a real rockslide, it’s all just faked. Ain’t no one really gonna get hurt.”
Spike poked her in the leg and reminded her, “The last time you pulled a stunt like this we nearly got eaten by a Timber Wolf.”
Applejack was aware of this, so were all the others. “Yeah, there’s not going to be any of that this time.” said Rainbow.
“Most certainly not.” agreed Rarity “Why I can create the finest hollow rocks to make it look as if there were a real rockslide.”
The students started to think the idea was okay, and it would be a good hope for Rumble.
“Okay, every creature…” said Twilight “Operation Rumble Rockslide is on.”
Over the next couple of days, the students worked with Rarity and Pinkie Pie to create fake rocks and boulders out of paper mache.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash picked the perfect sight to hold the setup; down near an old quarry where it was sure to look like there was a rockslide.
Fluttershy and Twilight convinced the workers to allow them to use the quarry as a setup for a much needed friendship lesson Twilight was tutoring.
“Just be careful.” said the quarry chief “The rock can be pretty loose in these parts, a real rockslide could happen anytime.”
Spike felt very worried to hear that. “I state again, this isn’t looking like a good idea!” but the ladies wouldn’t listen! “Why do I feel this is going to take a nasty turn?” Spike grumbled.
Friday morning, everything was all setup, and once again, Rumble refused to attend school, instead he was at the training grounds practicing, as well as enjoying his privacy.
He had been flying around the courses all morning, and eventually, he didn’t want to admit it, but he was feeling a bit bored that no one was watching him… maybe even, a bit lonely?
“No!” he snapped to himself “I can’t cave in! I won’t cave in!”
He looked around and realized he was really shouting at no one, making feel lonelier than ever, but still he remained unsure of what to really do about it.
He left the training course, too tired to fly from all that training he had done, and preferred to walk on such a lovely day anyhow.
On his way home, he had to pass near the quarry, and he saw his classmates from school calling for help!
“Help!” cried Ocelleus “Some Pony, help us!”
Though Rumble didn’t like being nice most of the time to others, he wasn’t about to ignore calls for help. After all, the Wonderbolts often helped ponies and creatures in need.
So he ran into the quarry. “What’s going on?”
Gallus put on the best act that he could, “We were… here learning about rocks… for… a friendship lesson, but there was this TERRIBLE rockslide, and our friends are trapped.
“Trapped?” cried Rumble, and he remembered long ago how he met Checker Flag and Fluffy Cloud the same way. He didn’t know them, but he couldn’t stand to see ponies, or any creature, trapped.
“Where’s Professor Twilight?” asked Rumble.
“Never mind that!” cried Yona, and she pushed him along “You come help friends.”
Little did Rumble realize that Twilight and the rest of the teachers were watching from high above the quarry walls, hiding in shrubs.
“I think it’s working.” said Fluttershy.
“Come on,” said Pinkie Pie “Let’s head to the other side.”
The teachers all made it to the other end of the quarry where they had set up their mountain of fake boulders at the base of a rock wall.
Twilight had enchanted the rocks with a magical spell to make them seem hard and solid, but still unreal and not really dangerous…
…and a good thing too! Silverstream, Sandbar and Smolder were all safely tucked in magical air pockets, and were told to make it look like they were stuck.
“This is ridiculous, and insult to dragons.” complained Smolder.
“Look, they’re coming.” cried Sandbar
Silver giggled “Okay, here we go.”
The trio then cried out for help when their friends arrived on the scene.
“Help us!” cried Silver.
“Get us out of here!” added Sandbar.
Rumble fell for the trick, “Quick, help me!” he said to the others, and together they moved the supposedly heavy rocks out of the way, digging the trio out.
“Look, they’re actually working together.” said Rarity.
Twilight grinned widely “I think it’s going to work.
The friends were soon free from the mess.
“We save friends!” cried Yona “YAAAAAAY… WE SAVE FRIENDS!” and she began to stomp for joy, which made the ground shake and caused the rock wall behind them all to start crumpling!
“Uh, oh…!” cried Ocellus. “REAL ROCK SLIDE!!”
The teachers all gasped as they watched from at the top.
“I knew something like this would happen!” shouted Spike.
“We’ve got to get them out of there!” cried Twilight.
Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rainbow were the only ones that could fly down quickly to help.
Rainbow zoomed in and scooped up Ocellus and Sandbar.
Fluttershy grabbed Smolder and Silverstream.
The best Twilight could do was cast a small catcher blanket of aura to hold the falling boulders at bay, but she couldn’t get them all in time, and some of the rocks actually fell all around Rumble. “Whoa!” he cried as he was trapped by a huge rock wall of real boulders, and he couldn’t fly out with more rocks falling through.
“RUMBLE!!” cried Gallus.
“Oh, no!” cried Twilight, and she created more catching sheets to stop the avalanche.
“Yona save Rumble!” shouted Yona, and she charged like the Yak she was and smashed right through the wall. Gallus then flew straight through, “Come on!” he called to Rumble, extending his reach to him, which Rumble wasted no hesitation in taking!
He was out, just as the rocks all fell in, and Twilight’s catchers ceased making a real rock pile.
Rumble was panting heavily in fright. He couldn’t believe what just happened. Twilight flew near him. “Are you alright?” she asked.
Rumble suddenly noticed some of the rocks that the students were trapped in before; some had been crushed in the rockslide exposing they were fakes. “You all set me up!” he scolded “You did all this just to make me try to trust in friendship!”
Twilight felt awkward and upset with herself for her plan going awry, and all the other teachers and students approached him.
“We didn’t plan for this, Rumble.” she told him “That real rockslide was an accident.”
“Which I warned you could happen…!” Spike muttered to himself.
“Huh! So you admit you set this all up!” growled Rumble and he turned his back to everyone, and they all felt upset that he nearly got hurt for real.
However, Rumble then turned to look at them all again, “Why did you save me?” he asked “I haven’t been nice to all of you.”
“Well, weren’t you willing to help us out?” asked Smolder “You didn’t want to be our friend, but you didn’t want us to get hurt, did you?”
Rumble couldn’t deny it, “No… I didn’t.”
“Well we didn’t want you to get hurt either.” said Ocellus.
Rumble had to admit that was very nice of them, especially considering how horrid he had been.
“I’m sorry, Rumble.” said Twilight “All we were really trying to do is help you recapture your love for friendship again.”
Starlight nodded, “Think about it, Rumble. You saved the others, and they helped save you. Don’t you think that’s an act of friendship and kindness?”
“Well… yeah… it is.” Rumble admitted “But we’re still not friends. We didn’t have to be. We all still wanted to help each other.”
“Also an act of friendship…?” said Gallus.
The others all nodded agreeing with what he said and Rumble really found himself at a loss… almost near tears even as he flopped onto the floor. “I can’t do it!” he cried “I can’t go through all that again! I don’t want to make more friends and then lose them!”
He tried his hardest not to break out sobbing, and everyone felt hurt for him; some near tears themselves.
Starlight approached Rumble and lovingly put her hoof on him, “Rumble, I know how you feel.” And she revealed how Thunderlane told her of his troubles with moving and losing friends “I know it seems like you can hide from your troubles by being alone, but are you really happy with what you’ve become-- always alone, no pony else to talk to, share things with?”
Rumble looked up at her through his tear-filled eyes.
“Rumble I know it seems hard,” said Starlight “It’s never cool to lose friends, but maybe choosing not to be friendly and not have any friends isn’t fun either.
I’m not saying you HAVE to change for us, but I am worried. I don’t want you walking down the same path I did. It isn’t cool, believe me.”
Twilight placed her hoof on Rumble’s back and smiled lovingly at him.
All the others looked at him willing to give him a chance, even after he had treated them so harshly. Could he really trust them?
The next day at school, Rumble sat next to Yona in Twilight’s home period, just as she offered him on Day One.
He even wrote in a new essay about wanting to make new friends, as well as a heart-filled apology for the way he acted.
He was very polite and helpful to his classmates in all other classed, and at lunch he asked the Young Six, “Is there room for one more?” to which Silver offered him the seat next to her at the table, and the new friends all sat joyously together.
Twilight watched from her office, and Thunderlane was there too. “He’s really starting to come out of his shell.” he said “I’ll take him out for ice-cream after school.
From now on, I’m going to try to fit more time for him in my schedule. He’s just a kid after all, and he deserves time to play… with his bro that is.”
Twilight and starlight were very happy things were going better for Rumble, and they high hooded one another and then continued to watch the students get along so well.