Pretty much everyone of them ignored the unapproachable colt during his childhood, save for Sonata, who’s reason for not hanging out with him was due to living miles away for years. Champ’s excuse was that he was too busy hanging out with his friends at Junior flight camp to be friends with the nerd, and Pansy found it hard to befriend such a pessimistic colt, although she did pity him.
The only two ponies of the KOP gang to so much as try be friends with him were Dusty and Harmony.
Dusty may have been more than a year or two older than Rocky, but he viewed the smol colt like a little brother. A salty, solitary little brother that he doesn’t really understand but loved anyway and who needed help reaching the counter and getting enough vitamin D. Due to his protective nature, Dusty felt it was his special duty to watch over Rocky and make sure that he felt cared for, and he was especially good at trying to include him when others would not. Rocky didn’t really care for Dusty hovering over him and trying to convince him to do this really fun thing I think you’ll like, but he did secretly like that the big oaf didn’t treat him like he was a freakish alien or something.
And maybeeeeeee his hugs were occasionally sufferable.
Harmony on the other hoof-er, claw, had a totally different reason to hang out with Rocky.
Rocky was the opposite of Harmony; antisocial, dull, monotone, quiet, calm, and able to read for a straight 7 hours- which intrigued Harmony immensely. He was also a great target for her mischief, which was a nice bonus. Anytime Harmony would be within eye sight, Rocky quickly slip away it to a hiding space where he and his book would be safe from the she-devil’s antics. This never lasted long. Rocky eventually gave up and reserved himself to her endless teasing and nonstop talking, which he eventually found more bearable with time. Harmony claimed to be trying to get him to smile for once, but she only succeeded in getting to get him riled up, which seemed to end up pleasing her more. Fortunately for Rocky, being the energetic and spontaneous filly she was, she’d quickly lose interest and leave him in peace…at least for the moment.
Rocky wasn’t particularly fond of these two and their seeming interest of him, but he didn’t necessarily dislike it either. However, he figured these two would eventually grow up to find new, better friends and like the rest of the mane six kids, would end up leaving him alone.