//------------------------------// // Chapter 1. // Story: Steel Apples // by Silentpegasus //------------------------------// Apples of Steel Chapter 1. Steel Hammer was a typical young unicorn blacksmith. He banged away at the glowing piece of metal against the pitch black anvil. Steel loved his job, the smell, the feeling, the fact that he was creating something another pony can use. After he was done beating the newly made chisel, he set it in a barrel to cool before he started the hardening process. Steam erupted from the barrel as he inserted the red glowing piece of metal into the cool water. He then removed his heat mask and coat, revealing his deep brown eyes, tight muscular body, grey colored coat and jet black mane, his cutie mark was a black anvil being struck by a hammer. He went and got himself a drink from the cooler he kept in the back of the forge. Steel withdrew a bottle of spring water and began to guzzle it down with haste. It was getting close to closing time and he decided to put off the hardening process till tomorrow morning. Steel closed up the forge and headed upstairs to get some well deserved rest. He decided to continue reading his favorite book. “Lord of the Horseshoe” by R.J. Colton. He didn’t know what the ‘R.J.’ meant but he didn’t care, he loved the though that one little horseshoe could throw the world into darkness. Most ponies wondered why Steel chose to become blacksmith, most of physically exhausting work was left to earth ponies. He knew growing up that he didn’t want to be like his father, a prissy, posh banker pony. Steel loved the feeling after a good days work. The forge was his home, he felt alive there, he felt like he mattered, he felt like he was important in some way. He decided to go to bed early and laid down to got to sleep, which he hated. He’d work all night if he was able too, finally after nearly an hour of tossing and turning he finally drifted off to sleep. GONG! GONG! GONG! GO- Steel shut off his alarm clock and made his way to the kitchen and fixed himself some oat meal. Steel sat there reading the Equestria Daily newspaper as he did every morning, skimming the articles to see if anything popped out at him. Nothing, as usual. Steel glanced at the clock 4:15 AM. Right on time. he thought to himself. Steel finished his breakfast and made his way down to his shop. He had to get their early to allow the crucible and furnace to heat up it only takes around a half hour at most but he loved the sound the two made when they were activated. He didn’t open up his shop until 6:00 AM, that gave him time to finish up any work he might be behind on. Ponies mostly go to him if they need a tool replaced or fixed. More classy ponies like Rarity, who owned a dress shop called “Carousel Boutique’ went to him incase they needed a piece of jewelry fixed. Steel never allowed any pony to watch him work his craft, for safety reasons and he never liked being judged by others. He was a quite pony, but a nice one at that. Steel had become friends with the local librarian Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville’s number one flyer, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the mare that owned Carousel Boutique. Twilight and Rainbow came in from time to time to chat or if they needed something fixed. Rarity mostly came in when she needed a piece of jewelry mended. They were good company but he couldn’t really relate to them. He glanced at the clock again it read 6:00 AM. Steel trotted over and opened up the shop for business. Steel just stood in the door way as the sun rose over Ponyville. He loved to watch the sunrise and sunset, the colors reminded him of the crucibles fire. Steel didn’t have avery special some-pony, he was more engrossed with his work than anything else and thats how he liked it. After the sun rose he went back inside and started to set up his equipment. His welder, his sand casting pit, the crucible and lastly his anvil ‘Time’ and his hammer ‘Creator.’ Both names were engraved on the tools in golden lettering. These were his favorite tools, no matter how hard he worked them he knew they wouldn’t break. Steel then donned his tool belt, slipped creator into it’s proper place and trotted up to the front desk waiting for his first customer of the day. It was almost 9:45 AM and no-pony had come into his shop yet, not that Steel minded, he had found ways to keep himself busy, like double checking the temperature gauges on the furnace, or inspecting all of his tools. The bell on his door suddenly chimed meaning that there was customer. Finally he thought to himself. Steel hurried into the shop portion of his business, the room was rustic looking, metal tools hung on the side of the brick walls. He trotted up to the front desk to be greeted by an orange mare with piercing emerald eyes, blonde hair, and was sporting a brown stetson hat. “Howdy partner,” she said with a grin on her face. Steel couldn’t help but notice her southern accent, and her well toned body. “Morning, how can I help you today Miss?” “Applejack, my names Applejack. I was look’n to see if you had any barrel bands for sale. About 24 inches wide will due.” “Let me check in the back.” Steel said as he left to go check the back closet. The closet was filled with different kinds of metal everything from iron to aluminum. After around two minutes of searching he finally came across a 24 in. steel barrel band. He levitated it and hurried back to his customer. On the way back he couldn’t tell if he was blushing or he cranked the furnace to high again. “Will this due Ms. Apple?” “Please just call me Applejack. I’m not old enough to be a Miss yet, and thank you kindly this will be a perfect fit.” she said as she put the hoop around her neck. “Might I ask why you need one that big?” Steel asked in curiosity. “I own Sweet Apple Acre’s and one of our barrel band’s finally rusted off. So we need to replace it. How much was this thing again?” she asked as she was digging in her bag for her bits. “Fifteen bits” “Shoot, all ah got on me is thirteen.” she said in disappointment. Steel didn’t want the poor pony to make the same trip twice. “Tell ya what Applejack since your my first customer of the day I’ll lower the price by five bits. Deal?” he said as he gave her a grin. ‘Well shoot that’s mighty kind of ya. Thanks I’ll make it up to ya somehow.” she said as she put the bits on the counter and headed out the door. Steel felt good for doing that. He’s sure that if his dad were there he would probably ask for more than it was worth. His train of thought was interrupted by the same orange mare that had just left. “Ah’m sorry, here you are being so generous and ah don’t even know your name.” she said with an embarrassed look on her face. Did she just blush? “My names Steel Hammer, but you can call me Steel.” he said with a smile on his face. “Right well see ya later Steel.” Applejack said as she trotted out the door. After she was gone two more customers came in. One was a mint green unicorn that needed one of her lyre strings repaired and the other was a small orange pegasus with a scooter that had broken an axel. It was easy enough to fix. By the time those customers came and went it was time for lunch. Maybe I’ll go out to eat for a change. Steel closed up the shop and went out into Ponyville to find some place to eat. As he made his way down the busy streets of Ponyville he came across an apple stand that was being run by a familiar farm pony. She noticed him and waved him over. “Hey, Applejack what’s up?” “Not much, just sell’n some apples. You?” she said with a grin. “Looking for lunch, how much are the apples going for?” Steel asked. Applejack suddenly had a sly grin creep across her face. “Tell ya what, Since you were my twenty third customer today you get a discount. First two apples are on the house.” “Applejack you don’t-” “No, I insist” she said as she gave him two apples. “Well, okay then. But remember your not off the hook yet, I lowered the barrel belt by five bits.” Steel said in a playful tone. “Yeah, I know and one apple costs two and a half bits.” Applejack said with a smug grin on her face. “Well played Applejack, Well played.” Steel said as he took a bite from the apple. “So how come I ain’t seen ya around before? You new in town or something?” Applejack said as she cocked her head sideways. “I moved here around three weeks ago.” Steel said as he swallowed his food. “Where did ya move from?” “Canterlot.” “Canterlot? So why did ya move here then?” “Wanted a change of scenery, I never liked the big city. To busy and all the ponies there are too stuck up to appreciate the finer things in life.” “Like what?” “Well, a good days work for one thing.” Steel said as he finished the first apple. “Thats what ah keep say’n! Ponies nowadays have no appreciation for manual labor.” Applejack said as she raised her hooves over her head. No way! A mare like that likes to work. She is so cool. “Hey, your preaching to the converted. Oh well, their loss” “So what is it that you do specifically?” Applejack asked. “Well I run the metal and forge shop, I make all my merchandise from scratch,” “Really? You made all of that stuff hanging up in there? That’s surprising” she said with a surprised look on her face. “Yeah, why is that so surprising?” Steel said in a flat tone. “Well it’s just that your a unicorn and, no offense but unicorns ain’t exactly the laboring type” If theres one thing I love more than working, it’s messing with other ponies. ‘Well, Applejack I do take offense to it, are you implying that because I’m a unicorn I can’t work hard?” Steel said as he put on his best poker face. “What? No... it’s just that.....uh....you see my friend Twi is.......um.” Applejack tried to find the right words. By this time Steel couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into laughter. “What’s so gosh darn funny?” She looks so cute when she’s flustered. “AJ, relax I’m just pulling your leg” he said as he fell on the ground laughing. “Ha ha, laugh it up.” she said with an aggravated look on her face. Steel had managed to calm down and regain his composure. “In all seriousness, I can see why you’d be shocked, a unicorn getting his hooves dirty. That used to be my dad’s favorite joke.” Steel said with a low grumble. “What was he like?” Applejack asked as she rested her head on her front hooves. Steel glanced at the clock and realized he had to get back to work. “I’d love to stay and chat AJ, but I need to get back to work. Maybe this afternoon? Around 4:30 PM?” “Sure, you know where Sweet Apple Acre’s is?” Steel nodded. “Alright, then see ya.” “Bye.”Steel said as he walked back towards his shop. “Can’t wait.” she said as he walked away. Steel was taken back by the eagerness of her. last statement. Wait, does she think that it’s a date? Steel forced the question out of his mind and got back to work. There weren’t that many customers that came by. Soon enough it was 4:00 PM and Steel decided to close up shop and head over to Sweet Apple Acre’s. *Authors Note: A crucible is a container, (in most cases a bowl) that can withstand very high temperatures and is used for melting down metal and glass into liquid form. Sand Casting is a mold made in sand in which liquified metal is pored into. The sand can be molded into a variety of different shapes and designs.