//------------------------------//
// Teamwork Counts 
// Story: Hero of Harmony 
// by Riddleja 
//------------------------------//

Later that day, Jokesterrap came home for supper.

"Hey mom and dad," he said. "I'm home."

"Hey, son,” said Tinker.

“Did you have a good visit with Gladstone?" asked Jokesterrap's mother.

"Oh, yeah."

Jokesterrap told them about him letting his friends in on Gladstone.

"So you finally let them help you, I see," said Tinker.

"Uh, yeah. Had a bit of trouble with the steam dome, so."

"You didn't hurt yourself did you?" asked his mother. 

"I'm fine, mom," said Jokesterrap. He knew that sometimes his mother worried about him when he did something she found dangerous.

"The boy's tough like his old man," Tinker chuckled.

"This coming from the man who still sleeps with a nightlight on?" his wife chuckled.

"Oh, you...!"

Jokesterrap chuckled at how silly his parents were acting.

The next day after breakfast, Jokesterrap headed off to see his friends.

"I wonder how we'll compromise between homework and engine restoration?" he wondered. “It'll take up a lot of time and I don't want any of them to fall behind in their studies.” A little later, he talked it over with his friends at the coffee shop. He was careful not to let anyone else listen in.

"It'll be rather difficult," he said. "Balancing out time between doing homework and our other misson."

"I had a feeling that a problem like this would occur," said Twilight. "So I've thought up a solution." And she pulled up a calendar. "I have arranged schedules for groups to work on the other project after school."

"I guess that could work," said Fluttershy.

"This is gonna be fun!" said Pinkie Pie.

"And hopefully, we keep it quiet too," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"Sorry," whispered Pinkie, before stifling a giggle.

"Now you made sure nobody else found out, didn't you?" Jokesterrap asked.

"Actually," Vincent said, sounding rather guilty, "Fictionary knows and told Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle."

"How did she find out?"

Vincent mumbled something Jokesterrap could barely hear.

"What was that?"

"I told her myself," Vincent mumbled before repeating it out loud.

"You what?!" Jokesterrap was not happy about this at all. "I thought I told you not to tell anyone else!"

"I just didn't feel comfortable keeping secrets from my sister," said Vincent. "We share everything together. I also asked her to keep it between us."

"And she probably told the other 3 too?"

"Ah yes, about that - they overheard me and Fictionary."

"Haven't they learned not to eavesdrops?" asked Rarity.

"Seeing as how they know about Gladstone now," said Jokesterrap, "I guess they can help us out in a way."

"How can they?" asked Applejack.

Later that day, Jokesterrap had been asked by the 4 young girls to show them Gladstone.

"We wanna see her!" said Sweetie Belle.

"We've never actually seen a real steam engine up close in person," added Scootaloo.

"It's mostly them new-fangled oily diesels," said Apple Bloom.

"I've only seen them in the books, but never one up close!" exclaimed Fictionary.

"Alright then," said Jokesterrap. "I'll show you."

When they got to the shed, Jokesterrap opened the door. The 4 girls gasped when they saw Gladstone.

"Wow!" cried Fictionary in excitement. "A real steam locomotive!

"She looks great," remarked Scootaloo.

"Yeah," added Apple Bloom.

Noticing that Sweetie Belle hadn't said a word, Fictionary elbowed her to get her to speak.

"I really like her... paint?" Sweetie Belle asked awkwardly.

"Your brother and sisters will be helping me fix her," Jokesterrap said. "Now I need your help with another thing."

"How can we help?" asked Fictionary.

"I need you four to make sure no one else, not even Trixie, finds Gladstone," said Jokesterrap. "If Trixie finds her, she'll most likely try to hurt Gladstone to get back at me for that Ice Bucket prank."

"That would be awful!" exclaimed Apple Bloom.

"I agree," said Sweetie Belle.

"Don't worry," said Scootaloo. "We'll help keep this engine safe."

"Thanks you guys," said Jokesterrap.

A little later, Jokesterrap travelled up the line to find the workman from before waiting with a flatbed and the crane he had asked for.

"Thanks a bunch," Jokesterrap said.

"The crane's self-propelled by the way," said the workman. "I left you an instruction book inside."

"Oh, that could help a bunch, man," said Jokesterrap.

Jokesterrap climbed into the crane, and with the help of the instructions, soon arrived at the sheds. When he arrived, he saw the rest of the gang waiting for him.

"Took ya long enough," said Rainbow Dash.

"Sorry I'm late," said Jokesterrap. "Had to work out how to get this crane to work."

Before long, they moved the crane into position and it had a grip on the new steam dome.

Jokesterrap took controls while Twilight guided him where to move the crane arm. Vincent and Flash were on the boiler waiting for the dome.

"Easy does it," said Vincent.

Then there was trouble. As Jokesterrap started to lower the dome, the switch controlling the winch jammed.

"Bother," said Jokesterrap. As he struggled to unjam the lever, he bumped into the lever that controlled the crane arm. 

"Look out!" he cried. But it was too late. The dome hit Vincent's hand as he brought it up to shield himself.

"Yeow!" he cried out in pain.

"Vincent!" cried Sunset as she raced to her friend's aid. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," Vincent said, holding his hand. There was a bruise where he'd been hit and it hurt very badly.

"Oh, you poor thing," said Sunset sympathetically. She took Vincent's hand and kissed it. "I hope this helps."

"It does a little," he said with a small smile.Vincent blushed a little bit at the thought of Sunset kissing his hand. While Sunset tended to Vincent, the rest of the gang continued with fitting Gladstone's new dome into place. It was soon finished.

"Sorry about what happened, Vincent," said Jokesterrap. "The lever jammed and I must have bumped another one by mistake."

"Early days, I suppose," sighed Vincent, "early days."

"Now we start on the piston cylinder," said Jokesterrap.

"We do what in a cylinder?!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie with disgust.

"That's not what I meant!" said Jokesterrap. "I was talking about the engine's piston." And he pointed to the piston on the flatbed.

"Ohhh," said Pinkie,  "I thought you meant-"

"Not now, Pinkie!" everyone else groaned.

The friends set to work, taking the old piston cylinder off and replacing it with the new one. Thankfully, it wasn't as difficult to mess with as the dome.

"This is much easier," said Rainbow Dash.

"And there's less noise to wake Granny up," added Applejack.

"Eeyup," added Big Macintosh.

"Since today was Sunday," said Jokesterrap, "the next parts won't arrive until Tuesday."

"That's good," said Vincent. "That way we won't spend every day out here and can rest up."

Pretty soon, it was getting late and the groups were making their ways home.

"Good night, Gladstone," said Jokesterrap as he closed the shed door.

As he was leaving, he heard a voice.

"Goodnight, Jokesterrap," the voice said.

He didn't know where it came from or who said it, but he shrugged it off.

Vincent had offered to walk Sunset home.

"Where is it that you live?" he asked.

"Just a couple miles down the road," said Sunset.

"Not too far from the school," said Sunset.

"Mind if I go with you?" Vincent offered.

"Oh, um..."

Vincent felt like she didn't want him to.

"I guess I'll be going then..."

"Wait!" Sunset cried. "I didn't say no. I mean I would like you to walk me home."

"Oh."

Sunset took a hold of Vincent's hand and the two headed off. All the way, Vincent's cheeks were red. As red as a beetroot. Sunset looked over and noticed this, causing her to blush as well. Before long, they arrived at her house.

"Thanks for walking me home, Vincent," said Sunset.

"It was nothin', y'know," said Vincent, "anything for a lovely bird." 

Before Vincent could say anymore, Sunset gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.Vicent's cheeks went even redder. A goofy smile formed on his face as he walked home. On the way there, he passed Watermelody and another student named Indigo.

"Vincent, what's with you, mate?" asked Indigo.

"Bowling ball in the tickle pants," Vincent said, still dazed after getting kissed by Sunset Shimmer.

"What?!" Watermelody exclaimed in confusion and shock.

"Peanut monkey on a pogo Friday," the goofy Vincent said.

"What does that mean?!" exclaimed Indigo, just as confused and shocked.

Before Vincent could say anymore confusing jibberish, he collapsed.

"Vincent?!" exclaimed Watermelody, getting down on her knees and slapping him in the face, hoping he'd open his eyes.

"I think we should get him home," said Indigo.

"I know where he lives," said Watermelody.

The two picked Vincent up and started walking him home. Soon they came to his front door and Indigo knocked. The door opened and revealed Vincent's pet monkey Archibald answering it.

"Hey Archie," said Watermelody. "Vincent was spouting gibberish and collapse so we brought him home."

Archibald turned his head to the house and made monkey noises. Soon Fictionary came from upstairs to see what was going on.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

Archibald started acting out about Vincent collapsing.

"Vincent collapse after saying silly things?" Fictionary translated.

"Mm-hm," Archibald nodded.

"Maybe Sunset Shimmer gave him a kiss," Fictionary said cheekily.

"He's barely been here a month and already he's got a girl?!" remarked Indigo.

"I think it's rather cute," commented Watermelody.

The two helped bring Vincent up to his bedroom and laid him on the bed.

"Thanks for the help, guys," said Fictionary.

"You think he'll be alright?" asked Watermelody.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Then I guess we'll be going then," said Indigo.

With that, the two made their ways home as Fictionary waved goodbye.

Vincent finally awoke with his senses early next morning.

"Morning, sleepyhead," said Fictionary as she poked her head into his room. "You collapse last night and Watermelody and Indigo brought you home."

"They did?" asked Vincent.

"Yeah," said Fictionary. "Did Sunset Shimmer give you a kiss?"

That caused his face go red once again.

"D-don't be silly," Vincent objected. "Nothing like that happened."

"Then why did you collapse last night and say goofy things?"

Vincent didn't have an answer to that. Fictionary started teasing him.

"Vincent's got a girlfriend. Vincent's got a girlfriend," she sang cheekily.

"Oh, very mature," he said sarcastically.

Even Archibald found it funny.

"Oh be quiet, you," said Vincent to the laughing monkey.

Vincent went to school that day with his hand bandaged up from the incident the day before with the dome. He kept his jacket over it to make sure nobody saw and asked what had happened. Everything was going well until lunch time. As Vincent was in line with his tray, another student accidently stepped on his jacket, which fell off and exposed his bandaged hand.

"What happened to your hand, Vincent" asked Mystery Mint.

"Had an accident on the stairs," he said, "no biggie; just a flesh wound is all."

"I think you should go see the nurse."

"Rubbish, Mystery; I've had worse than a broken hand."

"Alright then," said Mystery Mint. "If you say so."

When Vincent got his lunch, he went over to a table to join his friends.

"How's your hand?" asked Fluttershy.

"It's fine," said Vincent, "and I'd have gotten away with it if Mystery Mint didn't make a fuss over it."

"Heard you collapsed last night," said Applejack. "What happened?"

"Oh... er..."

Before Vincent could make up a story, Pinkie Pie spoke.

"After you walked Sunset Shimmer home, she kissed you on the cheek and that caused you to walk home saying goofy things until you passed out and Watermelody and Indgio had to help you back home," she said all in one breath. "Right?"

Vincent just stared in disbelief!

"How... how did you figure that out?" he said at last.

"Just a hunch," said Pinkie, before squeeing.

Vincent and Sunset blushed with embarrassment.

"So you finally got the guts, eh Sunset?" teased Rainbow Dash.

"Who's got a crush on a certain member of the Wonderbolts, eh?" Vincent retorted.

Rainbow Dash's face when bright red.

"Not funny!" she protested as the others giggled.

"What's the matter?" teased Twilight. "Scared that we know your secret?"

"You mean like your own crush on Flash?" Rainbow Dash retorted.

Now it was Twilight's turn to blush.

At that moment, Jokesterrap came to their table.

"Hey guys," he said. "What are you lot talking about?"

"Sunset Shimmer kissed Vincent," said Fluttershy.

Jokesterrap chuckled. "Atta boy, Vinney!" he said, patting Vincent on the back.

"We're not exactly in a relationship... yet," Vincent managed to utter out.

"You're getting there, though."

What the friends didn't know was that Trixie was watching them from another table.

"Jokesterrap is obviously up to something," she said. "And now he's enlisting those friends of his to his cause. I'll soon find out what he's scheming. No secret shall be kept from the Great and Powerful Trixie!"